The Parable of the Hypocrites (2/5)

So, 'Allah removed their light’ would have the same meaning as, 'Allah extinguishes it’ the foiling of their efforts and the falsification of their claims would have the same meaning as leaving them in darkness and confusion: deaf, dumb, and blind.

It is problematic that this latter explanation be the correct exegesis to this verse, even though it, in and of itself is true.

The context does not lend itself to this explanation. The one who kindles the fire of war does not have light that surrounds him, and the one who kindles the fire of war has no light that could be taken from him. The fact that they have been left in darkness, unable to see, means that they moved from a state in which they could see knowledge and guidance to a state of doubt and disbelief, not that they kindled the fire of war.

Al-Hasan said, It refers to the hypocrite: he saw, then became blind; ‘he knew, then rejected.’ This is why He says, 'they will not return,' i.e. they will not return to the light that they left. Allah says with regards the disbelievers,

“Deaf - dumb - blind. They do not use their intellect.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 171]

And thereby negated comprehension from them as they are not people of faith and insight, not having entered Islam. But with regards the hypocrites, He negated the fact that they would return because they had believed, then disbelieved, and would not return to faith.

Then after propounding this parable of fire, Allah propounds another parable for the hypocrites, this time of water. Sayyib mentioned in the verse refers to driving rain which pours down from the sky. Here the guidance with which He guided His servants has been likened to water because guidance gives life to the hearts as water gives life to the earth. The portion that the hypocrite gets from this guidance is the same as one who is caught in this storm-cloud but gets nothing from it save darkness, thunder, and lightning; having no notion of its many benefits such as life for the earth - its animals and vegetation - springs forth after rain. The darkness, thunder, and lightning in a storm-cloud are not matters that are desired in and of themselves, rather they are matters that lead to the accomplishment of what is desired from this cloud. The ignoramus suffices with merely seeing the outward effects of this cloud: the darkness, the thunder, the lightning, the cold, and the fact that he is prevented from travelling; but has no inkling of the huge benefit that comes as a result of this rain. This is true of every short-sighted, dull witted person; his perception does not go deeper than seeing the outward form of things and he does not what is behind them. This is the state of the majority of creation except for a few amongst them. When the short-sighted sees the hardship and toil that is to be found in Jihad, when he sees the fact that he could be wounded, censured by certain people, and excite the enmity of others; he does not go forth for Jihad. He is unable to probe deeper and realise the great benefits, the praiseworthy goals, and great rewards it contains. When one of them desires to perform the pilgrimage and sees the hardships entailed in the journey, the leaving of the comfort of his home and town, and the difficulties to be faced, he cannot see beyond this to what lies at the end of this journey and as such falters and does not undertake it.

This is the state of those who lack spiritual insight and are weak of faith: those who see the threats, promises, commands, and prohibitions that are to be found in the Qur'an as ordinances that are too heavy for their egos which desire only to follow their lusts. These ordinances wean the soul of its base qualities.

Weaning is truly difficult for the child; and all men are children with respect to their intellects with the exception of those who have weaned and regulated them, and as such have comprehended the truth by way of knowledge and action. It is such people who are able to see what is behind this storm-cloud; what is behind the darkness, thunder, and lightning; it is such people who realise that this storm-cloud is the source of life for existence.

Az-Zamakhshari said, 'The religion of Islam has been likened to the cloud, because hearts are given life by it as the earth is by water; disbelief has been likened to darkness; threat and promise has been likened to thunder and lightning; and trials and tribulations that terrify the disbelievers have been likened to thunder-claps. The meaning of 'or that of a storm-cloud' is 'or that of people caught in a storm-cloud.'

Both these parables contain great points of wisdom:

i) The one who is seeking light is seeking light from something else, not from himself; when that light goes, he remains in that original darkness. This is the state of the hypocrite; he affirms belief on his tongue but does not believe or have love in his heart; as such what light he acquires as a result of this is borrowed.

ii) Fire requires fuel to keep it alight. This fuel is comparable to food that is required to sustain animal life. Like-wise the light of faith requires fuel so as to maintain it: beneficial knowledge and righteous action. If this fuel is taken away, it dies out.

iii) Darkness is of two types: a perpetual darkness which is not preceded by light and a temporal darkness which is preceded by light. It is the latter of these two which is most severe upon the one who faces it. The darkness of the disbelievers is of the first type for they have never seen the light, the darkness of the hypocrites is of the second type for they saw the light and then were plunged in darkness.

iv) This parable points to their state in the Hereafter for there they will be given a superficial light just as their light in this world was superficial. Then, at the time when they need light most, it will suddenly die: they will halt on the Bridge and be unable to cross it for only those with firm light may do so. That light is only made firm with beneficial knowledge and righteous actions. Therefore their parable which describes their state in this life corresponds to their state in the Hereafter: when light is apportioned to the people before the Bridge, the light of the believers will remain and the light of the hypocrites will die. When this is understood one understands why Allah said, 'Allah removed their light’ employing the 'ba’ and did not say 'adh-haba Allahu Nurahum.'

For further detail one can read the hadith recorded by Muslim on the authority of Jabir bin 'Abdullah (radiyAllahu ‘anhuma). He was asked about the crossing of the Bridge to which he replied,

"We would come on the Day of Judgement on a hill standing above the people. Then the people will be summoned along with the idols that they used to worship, one after another. Then our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, would come to us and say, 'Who are you waiting for?' They would say, 'We are waiting for our Lord.' He would say, 'I am your Lord’ They say, ‘We are not sure until we look upon You.' He would then manifest Himself and laugh, and would leave with them following. Every person among them, the believer and hypocrite, would be given light. On the Bridge spanning Hell there would be hooks and spikes which would take whoever Allah willed. Then the light of the hypocrites would die out and the believers would secure salvation. The first group saved would consist of seventy thousand people whose faces would be like the moon and they will not be judged. The next group would have faces like the stars of the sky, and so on. The intercession would commence till the point that there would come out of Hellfire the one who said, 'None has the right to be worshipped save Allah,' and there was only in his heart a barley grain's worth of faith. They would be brought to the courtyard of Paradise and the inhabitants of Paradise would sprinkle water over them...," to the end of the hadith.

Ponder carefully his saying, '...and would leave with them following. Every person among them, the believer and hypocrite, would be given light... and ponder carefully His saying, 'Allah removed their light and left them in darknesses, unable to see,' and ponder their state when their light is extinguished and they are left in the pitch of darkness whereas the believers proceed on, following their Lord. Ponder his (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying in the hadith concerning the intercession, 'Every nation will follow the god that they used to worship,' the polytheist will follow his god and the person of Tawhid will follow Allah. Ponder His saying,

“The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are summoned to prostrate but they will not be able to.” [Surah al-Qalam (68): 42]

He (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mentioned this verse in the hadith of intercession on this occasion talked about in the previous hadith and in the hadith he said, '...so He will uncover His shin,' and thereby made clear that it was His shin that was being talked about in die verse. Ponder all of this and you will come to understand a secret from the secrets of Tawhid understanding of the Qur'an, and how Allah deals with the people of Tawhid compared to the people of shirk.

(Continued)