The Quran

Preface

أَو كَصَيِّبٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ فيهِ ظُلُماتٌ وَرَعدٌ وَبَرقٌ يَجعَلونَ أَصابِعَهُم في آذانِهِم مِنَ الصَّواعِقِ حَذَرَ المَوتِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ مُحيطٌ بِالكافِرينَ

Yusuf Ali

Or (another similitude)¹ is that of a rain-laden cloud from the sky: In it are zones of darkness, and thunder and lightning: They press their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunder-clap, the while they are in terror of death. But God is ever round the rejecters of Faith!

A wonderfully graphic and powerful simile applying to those who reject Faith. In their self-sufficiency they are undisturbed normally. But what happens when a great storm breaks over them? They cover their ears against thunder-claps, and the lightning nearly blinds them. They are in mortal fear, but God encompasses them around ? even them, for He at all times encompasses all. He gives them rope. In the intervals of deafening noise and blinding flashes, there are moments of steady light, and these creatures take advantage of them, but again they are plunged into darkness. Perhaps they curse; perhaps they think that the few moments of effective light are due to their own intelligence! How much wiser would they be if they humbled themselves and sought the light of God!