Their story is like someone lighting a fire at night. Just as it starts to shine and make things clear, Allah ﷻ snatches away the light, leaving them in total darkness—they are blind and lost. Now, it’s as if they’ve lost their hearing, speech, and sight. They can’t find their way back.
Or, imagine a group of people caught in a pitch-black, stormy night. Thunder roars, lightning flashes, and rain pours down. Every burst of thunder scares them into plugging their ears, hoping to escape. The lightning only gives brief moments of light, so they walk a few steps, but as soon as darkness returns, they freeze in fear and confusion. Allah ﷻ surrounds them from every side. If He wanted, He could have taken away their hearing and sight—after all, He has power over everything.
These parables were revealed in the first two years after the Muslims arrived in Madinah (1–2 AH, 622–624 CE). At that time, the new community faced dramatic changes. True believers were growing stronger, but many people acted as hypocrites or were drawn to faith only when things seemed easy or spectacular. Some had experienced the Qur’an’s guidance, seen miracles, or felt inspired for a short while—like the spark of a fire, or the flash of lightning on a stormy night. Yet, the moment comfort slipped away, or challenges appeared, their faith was lost.
What made these examples so powerful? Both scenes—fire in darkness and thunderstorm—mapped out what was happening in Madinah. Many were only touched by faith briefly. When life was hard, a crisis struck, or something amazing happened, their hearts lit up for a moment. But because that connection wasn’t rooted, as soon as trouble passed or emotions faded, they went back to confusion or fear. Allah ﷻ is showing through these stories: just a flicker of faith or curiosity isn’t enough. Real guidance needs commitment and trust all the time.
The Prophet ﷺ explained (see Sahih Muslim 2651) how repeated neglect, insincerity, and turning away builds up darkness in the heart, just as these verses describe. When faith is only emotion, convenient or shallow, it doesn’t last. Instead, you risk being left totally in the dark, deaf to truth, unable to move when you need hope the most.
For the companions and sincere Muslims, these verses were clear instructions: don’t treat faith like a quick fix, a mood, or a superstition. They pushed themselves to practice regularly, build friendships that lasted, remember Allah ﷻ in every situation, and value steady inner change over brief excitement. The hypocrites and doubters learned that relying only on outside signs or social comfort would never give them true direction.
For us today, these parables teach: don’t wait for a crisis or emotional high to build your relationship with Allah ﷻ. Use even small flashes of inspiration to walk forward, pray, act kindly, and make steady changes. Real faith isn’t lost when life gets stormy—it helps you move ahead, step by step, no matter how dark things seem.
Ready for Part 5 (Ayat 21–29: Universal Call and Proofs)?