Parables of the QuranA parable of the Quran · An-Noor 24:39–40

The mirage and the darkness of the deep sea

مثل السراب والظلمات في البحر اللجي

The deeds of those who disbelieve are a mirage to the thirsty, or layers of darkness at sea.

Quran

What it means

The deeds of those who disbelieve are like a mirage in a barren plain, which the thirsty takes for water until he reaches it and finds nothing, and finds Allah there, who pays him his account in full (24:39). Or like darkness in a deep sea, wave over wave and cloud above, so dark one can hardly see one's own hand (24:40).

As-Sa'di explains that their deeds look useful to the ignorant, and on the Day are found to be nothing; the barren plain is a heart with no good in it. The darkness is the layers over their hearts: of disbelief, of ignorance, and of their deeds. He notes that the two may describe all disbelievers, or the first the leaders and the second their followers.

Evidence

QuranAn-Noor (The Light)Quran 24:39

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍۭ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ ٱلظَّمْـَٔانُ مَآءً حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَهُۥ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْـًٔا وَوَجَدَ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥ فَوَفَّىٰهُ حِسَابَهُۥ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ ٣٩

But those who disbelieved - their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allāh before him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allāh is swift in account.

Saheeh International · QuranEnc v1.1.2

Another translation: Al-Hilali & Muhsin Khan · QuranEnc v1.1.2

39. As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing; but he finds Allâh with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allâh is Swift in taking account.[6]

[6] (V.24:39) The deeds of a disbeliever are like a mirage for a thirsty person: when he will meet Allâh, he will think that he has a good reward with Allâh of his good deeds, but he will find nothing, like a mirage, and will be thrown in the Fire of Hell.

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