Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 20 (2:20)

ٱلْبَقَرَة

يَكَادُ ٱلْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ ۖ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا۟ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظْلَمَ …

Quran 2:20 is ayah 20 of Surah Al-Baqarah (“The Cow”), a Medinan surah of 286 ayahs. It is in Juz 1, on page 4 of the Madani Mushaf.

2:20
يَكَادُٱلْبَرْقُيَخْطَفُأَبْصَٰرَهُمْ ۖكُلَّمَآأَضَآءَلَهُممَّشَوْا۟فِيهِوَإِذَآأَظْلَمَعَلَيْهِمْقَامُوا۟ ۚوَلَوْشَآءَٱللَّهُلَذَهَبَبِسَمْعِهِمْوَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ ۚإِنَّٱللَّهَعَلَىٰكُلِّشَىْءٍقَدِيرٌ٢٠
yakādu l-barqu yakhṭafu abṣārahum kullamā aḍāa lahum mashaw fīhi wa-idhā aẓlama ʿalayhim qāmū walaw shāa l-lahu ladhahaba bisamʿihim wa-abṣārihim inna l-laha ʿalā kulli shayin qadīrun

The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if Allāh had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.(20)

Word by word

  1. يَكَادُyakāduAlmost
  2. ٱلْبَرْقُl-barquthe lightning
  3. يَخْطَفُyakhṭafusnatches away
  4. أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ ۖabṣārahumtheir sight
  5. كُلَّمَآkullamāWhenever
  6. أَضَآءَaḍāait flashes
  7. لَهُمlahumfor them
  8. مَّشَوْا۟mashawthey walk
  9. فِيهِfīhiin it
  10. وَإِذَآwa-idhāand when
  11. أَظْلَمَaẓlamait darkens
  12. عَلَيْهِمْʿalayhimon them
  13. قَامُوا۟ ۚqāmūthey stand (still)
  14. وَلَوْwalawAnd if
  15. شَآءَshāahad willed
  16. ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
  17. لَذَهَبَladhahabaHe would certainly have taken away
  18. بِسَمْعِهِمْbisamʿihimtheir hearing
  19. وَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ ۚwa-abṣārihimand their sight
  20. إِنَّinnaIndeed
  21. ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
  22. عَلَىٰʿalā(is) on
  23. كُلِّkullievery
  24. شَىْءٍshayinthing
  25. قَدِيرٌqadīrunAll-Powerful

Tafsir (commentary) of 2:20

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 2:19–20 together.

Read the English tafsir of 2:19–20 →

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