Another Parable of the Hypocrites

Allah says,

أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء فِيهِ ظُلُمَاتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ ...

Or like a rainstorm in the sky, bringing darkness, thunder, and lightning.

This is another parable which Allah gave about the hypocrites who sometimes know the truth and doubt it at other times. When they suffer from doubt, confusion and disbelief, their hearts are, كَصَيِّبٍ (Like a Sayyib), meaning,

"The rain",

as Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn Abbas, and several other Companions have confirmed as well as Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ata, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Qatadah, Atiyah Al-Awfi, Ata Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.

Ad-Dahhak said

"It is the clouds."

However, the most accepted opinion is that;

it means the rain that comes down during, ظُلُمَاتٌ (darkness),

meaning, here, the doubts, disbelief and hypocrisy.

وَرَعْدٌ (thunder), that shocks the hearts with fear.

The hypocrites are usually full of fear and anxiety, just as Allah described them,

يَحْسَبُونَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ

They think that every cry is against them. (63: 4)

and,

وَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ لَمِنكُمْ وَمَا هُم مِّنكُمْ وَلَـكِنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ يَفْرَقُونَ

لَوْ يَجِدُونَ مَلْجَئاً أَوْ مَغَـرَاتٍ أَوْ مُدَّخَلاً لَّوَلَّوْاْ إِلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَجْمَحُونَ

They swear by Allah that they are truly of you while they are not of you, but they are a people who are afraid. Should they find refuge, or caves, or a place of concealment, they would turn straightway thereto in a swift rush. (9:56-57).

وَبَرْقٌ (The lightning),

is in reference to the light of faith that is sometimes felt in the hearts of the hypocrites.

Allah said,

... يَجْعَلُونَ أَصْابِعَهُمْ فِي آذَانِهِم مِّنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ واللّهُ مُحِيطٌ بِالْكافِرِينَ ﴿١٩﴾

They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers.

meaning, their cautiousness does not benefit them because they are bound by Allah's all-encompassing will and decision.

Similarly, Allah said,

هَلُ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ

فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِى تَكْذِيبٍ

وَاللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِمْ مُّحِيطٌ

Has the story reached you of two hosts. Of Fir`awn (Pharaoh) and Thamud! Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying. And Allah encompasses them from behind! (85:17-20)