The Holy Qor-aan 002:018
مَثَلُهُمۡ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِى اسۡتَوۡقَدَ نَارًا ۚ فَلَمَّاۤ اَضَآءَتۡ مَا حَوۡلَهٗ ذَهَبَ اللّٰهُ بِنُوۡرِهِمۡ وَتَرَكَهُمۡ فِىۡ ظُلُمٰتٍ لَّا يُبۡصِرُوۡنَ○
Ma-tha-lo hoom ka ma-tha-lay l-la-ze s-tao-qa-da naa-raun
Fa laum-ma aa-dzaa-aut maa hao-la hoo
Za-ha-ba ul-laa-ho bay noo-ray him
Wa ta-ra-ka hoom fee zo-lo-maa-tin laa yoob-say-roo-n .
Their likeness is like that of him who sought to light a fire.
Then when it lighted all around it
Allah went away with (= took) their light
And left them in darkness. They do not see.
- مَثَلُ — Ma-tha-lo –Likeness (= n., Alike. Duplicate. Example. Identical. Illustrating. Resembling. Substituting. Of the same kind, looks, quality, shape, similarity, similitude, type or way. With likeness. Adj: Analogous. Comparable. Equivalent. Like. Similar)
- هُمۡ — Hoom — Their (= pro., pl., m., 3rd person. Refers to the hypocrites)
- كَ — Ka — Like (= Identical; resembling; similar to the one stated above. The example or similitude of. See 002:014)
- مَثَلِ — Ma-tha-lay … (il) — Likeness (= n., Alike. Similar. See مَثَلُ above)
- الَّذِىۡ — Aul-la-ze … (iss) — He who (= s., m., 3rd person. That one article, person, phenomenon or thing)
- اسۡتَوۡقَدَ — Iss-tao-qa-da — Sought to light (= v., past., s., 3rd person. Sought or tried to fire up; kindle or light. See Note 002:018 below)
- نَارًا — Naa-raun — A fire (= The source for light and heat. Rapid sustained chemical reaction releasing heat and light)
- فَ — Fa — Then (= After all this; as a result; at the end; but; consequently; hence; in conclusion; so; then; thereafter; therefore; thus; yet. See 002:027)
- لَمَّاۤ — Laum-ma — Surely when (= This combines two words. First word لَ (=la) means absolutely, certainly, positively, surely, truly or verily. The second word ما (= maa) means any time, at such time, when and whenever. See Note 004:067 showing several meanings of ما (maa)
- اَضَآءَتۡ — Aa-dzaa-aut — Lighted (= v., past., s., f., 3rd person. Brightened. Lit the fire that illuminated, shed or spread light. Manifested. Showed light)
- مَاۤ — Maa — All that (= What; whatever; whatsoever. See مَاۤ above and Note 004:067)
- حَوۡلَ — Hao-la — Around (=n., Around. Circling. Close at hand. Encompassing. Near. Surrounding)
- هٗ — Hoo — It (= pro., s., m., 3rd person. Refers to the lighted fire)
- ذَهَبَ — Za-ha-ba … (ul) — Went away (= v., past., s., 3rd person. Departed. Parted. Separated. Took off in a different direction. Went. In the context of this verse only, ‘extinguished or put out the fire’
- اللّٰهُ — Laa-ho — Allah (= The Almighty God; The only One worthy of worship)
- ب — Bay — With (= The best translation of the word بِ is with)
- نُوۡرِ — Noo-ray — Light (= n., Beam. Brightness. Brilliance. Dazzle. Glow. Illumination. Light. Luminosity. Radiance. Shine)
- هِمۡ — Him — Their (= pro., pl., m., 3rd person. Them. See هُمۡ above)
- وَ — Wa — And (= Conj., Connects words, phrases or clauses; also; but; additionally; though; when; while; yet; whereupon)
- تَرَك — Ta-ra-ka — Left (= v., past., s., 3rd person. Abandoned. Cast off. Decamped Departed. Deserted. Disappeared. Discarded. Disowned. Escaped. Exited. Fled. Gone. Forsaken. Left. Rendered redundant. Run away. Vamoose)
- هُمۡ — Hoom — Them (= pro., pl., m., 3rd person. Them. See هُمۡ above)
- فِىۡ — Fee — In (= Inside. Within. See Note 002:028)
- ظُلُمٰتٍ — Zo-lo-maa-tin … (l) — Darkness (= n., pl. Layer upon layer of darkness; abysmal darkness; all and every kind of darkness; deep darkness; depth of darkness; difference shades of darkness; pitch dark; several zones of thick, total and utter darkness. Physical and spiritual darkness)
- لَّا — Laa — Not (= Naught; neither; never; none; nor; not at all; absolute denial and total negation)
- يُبۡصِرُوۡنَ — Yoob-say-roo-n — They see (= v., pres., pl., 3rd person. Look out. Observe. See. Take notice. View. Watch. Also, grasp or understand)
** Note 00:018: The word اسۡتَوۡقَدَ is a verb in the form of باب استفعال (Baab Iss-tif-aa-l). It is a word that started with letters ا س ت before its operative part. Such words rhyme in a specific way. This form in Arabic grammar adds the meanings of ‘he sought or tried to ….’ to those of the derivate from its Root. The word shows that the person had attempted, did, made, sought, tried, wanted or wished to do what the Root meant. Examples include اسۡتِبۡدَال (iss-tib-daa-la = “sought exchanging” in verse 004:021), اسۡتَبِقُوا (Iss-ta-bay-qoo = “sought excelling” in verse 002:149), اسۡتُحۡفِظُوۡا (aus-toh-fay-zoo = “tried entrusting” in verse 005:045), etc.)
