Day 29
The First Parable in the Quran
TL;DR:
Day 29 of Be Quranic delves into Ayah 17 of Surah Al-Baqarah, presenting the first Quranic parable.
It illustrates the Munafiqin's (hypocrites') plight, who lose divine guidance despite its presence around them.
The ayah uses the metaphor of lighting and extinguishing a fire in darkness to symbolise the acquisition and loss of guidance.
It emphasises the importance of being receptive to guidance, cautioning against the Munafiqin's attitude of rejecting advice and remaining closed to the truth.
The key lesson is to remain steadfast on Sirat al-Mustaqim (the straight path) and be open to the guidance that surrounds us.
This is an AI generated transcript. You can watch the video on Instagram or Tiktok, or listen to it on Spotify.
Welcome to Day 29 of Be Quranic, where we take short passages from the Quran daily, extract practical lessons from them, and apply them to our lives to be more Quranic.
Insha'Allah, today we continue our study of Surah Al-Baqarah, focusing on Ayah number 17, which reads, “Their parable is that of one who kindled a fire, and when it lit up what was around him, God took away their light, and left them in darkness, unseeing.”
This ayah, the first parable in the Quran, helps us understand complex concepts related to guidance and the state of the heart. It continues describing the traits of the Munafiqin (hypocrites), illustrating their situation with the metaphor of someone kindling a fire in darkness. The fire represents guidance, and its removal signifies the loss of this guidance due to the Munafiqin's actions.
The scene is set in the desert at night, where fire is crucial for survival. The Arabs of Medina, familiar with the promise of a final prophet, hoped he would resolve their conflicts. However, some, like Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul, rejected Prophet Muhammad upon his arrival, despite the guidance he brought. This refusal to accept the Prophet is likened to the extinguishing of their fire, leaving them in darkness.
Allah's choice of words in this ayah is significant. He uses 'diyah' and 'nur', two terms for light, to differentiate between self-emitting light (like the sun) and reflective light (like the moon). The removal of 'nur' from the Munafiqin implies complete darkness, as even the reflective light of guidance is absent.
This ayah teaches us the importance of remaining consistent and steadfast on Sirat al-Mustakim (the straight path). Despite being surrounded by guidance, we must be open to receiving it. Early traits of the Munafiqin include rejecting advice and closing themselves off to guidance. This ayah warns us not to fall into the same trap but to keep our hearts and minds open to the guidance that surrounds us.