سُوْرَةُ فَاطِرٍ
Surah Faatir (35) — Ayah 20
وَلَا ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتُ وَلَا ٱلنُّورُ ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Nor are (alike) darkness (disbelief) and light (Belief in Islâmic Monotheism).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And not
ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتُ
l-ẓulumātu
the darkness[es]
وَلَا
walā
and not
ٱلنُّورُ
l-nūru
[the] light
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 20) {وَ لَا الظُّلُمٰتُ وَ لَا النُّوْرُ : } This is an example of disbelief and faith: disbelief is darknesses, and faith is light. The forms and paths of falsehood and disbelief are countless, so the plural word { ’’ الظُّلُمٰتُ ‘‘} has been used for it, whereas truth is one and the path of faith is also only one, so the singular word {’’ النُّوْرُ ‘‘} has been used for it. The negation particle {’’ لَا ‘‘} has been used twice for emphasis.
