Surah Al-Baqarah 2:20
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 20 of 286
يَكَادُ ٱلْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا۟ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا۟ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
Translation
The lightning almost snatches away their sight: whenever it flashes on them they walk on and when darkness falls around them they stand still. If God so willed, He could take away their hearing and sight: God has power over everything.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Whenever it lights up for them, they walk in it; and when darkness falls over them, they stand still. Had God willed, He could have taken their hearing and their sight. Indeed, God is over all things Powerful.' Ibn Ashur and al-Saadi note the flickering half-faith, they advance only in the brief flashes and freeze in the dark, an unstable, stop-start relationship with guidance, wholly at God's mercy who could remove even these faculties. Ask yourself: this is faith lived in flickers, a burst of practice when inspiration or fear strikes, then paralysis when the feeling fades. It describes exactly the inconsistent believer: on fire in Ramadan or after a scare, frozen the rest of the year. The verse holds up this stop-start pattern as a defect, and reminds me that even my flickering sight is a gift that could be withdrawn. Is my faith a steady walk, or lurching forward in flashes and standing still in the dark between them?
Grounded in classical tafsir: Ibn Ashur, al-Saadi, Ibn Kathir.
Wording
This verse continues the powerful parable of the hypocrites, painting a vivid picture of their spiritual turmoil through the imagery of a terrifying storm. It's an invitation to ponder the intricate choices of words that reveal profound truths about their state and Allah's absolute power.
The Lightning's Fierce Grab
Allah says: `يَكَادُ ٱلْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ` (The lightning almost snatches away their sight). The word `يَكَادُ` (yakadu), meaning "almost" or "nearly," emphasizes the extreme proximity of the danger. It's not just that the lightning is bright; it's so blindingly intense that it is perpetually on the verge of taking their eyesight. Coupled with `يَخْطَفُ` (yakhtafu), which means to "snatch away quickly and suddenly," the verse conveys a sense of immediate, overwhelming peril. This choice of words highlights the constant fear and agitation in the hearts of the hypocrites, where even a momentary glimpse of truth (like the lightning's flash) is perceived as a threat to their spiritual vision, not an illumination.
An Uneven Pace in Light and Dark
The description of their movement is equally telling: `كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا۟ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا۟` (Every time it lights up for them, they walk in it; but when darkness falls upon them, they stand still). The choice of `كُلَّمَآ` (kullama), "every time" or "whenever," for the moments of light suggests their opportunistic eagerness. They are quick to seize any perceived benefit or moment of ease when the path is briefly illuminated by the lightning. But notice the shift to `وَإِذَآ` (wa idha), "and when," for the darkness. This "if" or "when" implies a more passive, reactive state. When the light vanishes and darkness overtakes them, they don't actively seek light; they simply `قَامُوا۟` (qamu), meaning "they stood still." This word vividly portrays their paralysis, hesitancy, and spiritual stagnation when faced with challenges or the absence of immediate worldly gain. Al-Razi and Ibn Ashur note this distinction in word choice to emphasize the hypocrites' wavering commitment and their reliance on fleeting advantages.
Allah's Unquestionable Power
The verse concludes with a powerful statement of divine sovereignty: `وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ` (And if Allah had willed, He would have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent). The phrase `لَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ` (law sha'a Allahu), "if Allah had willed," reminds us that even the brief and terrifying flashes of lightning and thunder (implied from the broader parable) are allowed to exist by Allah's will. He *could* have completely removed their hearing and sight, rendering them utterly helpless and lost. This is a direct warning to the hypocrites. The choice of `لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ` with the preposition "bi" (`بـ`) signifies a complete and irreversible removal of these senses.
The final assertion, `إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ` (Indeed, Allah is over all things competent), acts as a powerful summary, or "tadheel" as Ibn Ashur calls it. The emphatic `إِنَّ` (inna) reinforces this truth: Allah's power is absolute and encompasses everything. He not only has control over the elements of the storm but over the very senses and destinies of people. This reminds the hypocrite that their temporary benefits and hesitations are under the watch of an All-Powerful Creator, capable of bringing about any consequence He wills.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:20 is discussed in 8 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Baqarah 2:20 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.