Quran 24:40 — An-Noor, verse 40
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
Or like shadows in a deep sea covered by wave upon wave, with clouds above- layer upon layer of darkness- if he holds out his hand, he is scarcely able to see it. The one to whom God gives no light has no light at all.
أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ۚ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا ۗ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ نُورٍ
aw kaẓulumātin fī baḥrin lujjiyyin yaghshāhu mawjun min fawqihi mawjun min fawqihi saḥābun ẓulumātun baʿḍuhā fawqa baʿḍin idhā akhraja yadahu lam yakad yarāhā waman lam yajʿali l-lahu lahu nūran famā lahu min nūrin
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- or they are as shadows upon a sea obscure covered by a billow above which is a billow above which are clouds, shadows piled one upon another; when he puts forth his hand, wellnigh he cannot see it. And to whomsoever God assigns no light, no light has he.
- Muhammad Asad
- Or [else, their deeds are] like the depths of darkness upon an abysmal sea, made yet more dark by wave billowing over wave, with [black] clouds above it all: depths of darkness, layer upon layer, [so that] when one holds up his hand, he can hardly see it: for he to whom God gives no light, no light whatever has he!
- Sahih International
- Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds - darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allāh has not granted light - for him there is no light.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | أَوْaw | Or | — |
| 2 | كَظُلُمَـٰتٍۢkaẓulumātin | (is) like (the) darkness[es] | ظلم |
| 3 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 4 | بَحْرٍۢbaḥrin | a sea | بحر |
| 5 | لُّجِّىٍّۢlujjiyyin | deep | لجج |
| 6 | يَغْشَىٰهُyaghshāhu | covers it | غشو |
| 7 | مَوْجٌۭmawjun | a wave | موج |
| 8 | مِّنmin | on it | — |
| 9 | فَوْقِهِۦfawqihi | on it | فوق |
| 10 | مَوْجٌۭmawjun | a wave | موج |
| 11 | مِّنmin | on it | — |
| 12 | فَوْقِهِۦfawqihi | on it | فوق |
| 13 | سَحَابٌۭ ۚsaḥābun | a cloud | سحب |
| 14 | ظُلُمَـٰتٌۢẓulumātun | darkness[es] | ظلم |
| 15 | بَعْضُهَاbaʿḍuhā | some of it | بعض |
| 16 | فَوْقَfawqa | on | فوق |
| 17 | بَعْضٍbaʿḍin | others | بعض |
| 18 | إِذَآidhā | When | — |
| 19 | أَخْرَجَakhraja | he puts out | خرج |
| 20 | يَدَهُۥyadahu | his hand | يدي |
| 21 | لَمْlam | hardly | — |
| 22 | يَكَدْyakad | hardly | كود |
| 23 | يَرَىٰهَا ۗyarāhā | he (can) see it | رأي |
| 24 | وَمَنwaman | And (for) whom | — |
| 25 | لَّمْlam | not | — |
| 26 | يَجْعَلِyajʿali | Allah (has) made | جعل |
| 27 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah (has) made | أله |
| 28 | لَهُۥlahu | for him | — |
| 29 | نُورًۭاnūran | a light | نور |
| 30 | فَمَاfamā | then not | — |
| 31 | لَهُۥlahu | for him | — |
| 32 | مِنmin | (is) any | — |
| 33 | نُّورٍnūrin | light | نور |