أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ
Or like the manifold darkness in a deep sea, covered by billow upon billow, overcast by clouds; manifold [layers of] darkness, one on top of another: when he brings out his hand, he can hardly see it. One whom Allah has not granted any light has no light.
Agha Ali Puya Commentary
Commentary on Quran 24:40
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 24:40] This verse gives a graphic picture of darkness (infidelity) in the depths of ocean, wave upon wave, and on top of all, dense dark clouds. In verse 35 the likeness of the divine light is as "light upon light" unto which the believers are drawn to be rightly guided, and in contrast, in this verse, the disbelievers are overwhelmed in utter darkness; and darkness is not a reality but a negation of reality. The darkness over darkness alludes to the persistent disbelief of the infidels, the depth of ocean is the dark chamber of a disbeliever's heart, the wave over wave is the thick cover of disbelief under which the obstinate mind of the disbeliever works, and the "dark clouds" is the seal of infidelity with which the disbelieving heart is closed up and locked for ever. A man who belies and rejects the message of Allah presented to him with clear signs and decisive arguments can go no where but to the bottom of utter darkness. The Holy Prophet said: "My followers will cross the bridge of sirat guided and aided by the light of Ali, and Ali by my light, and I by the light of Allah. Those who are not attached with us shall not have the light to cross it, because to whom Allah does not give light, for him there is no light." Aqa Mahdi Puya says: Verses 123 of An-am and 52 of Shura, together with this verse, clearly indicate that the light of guidance comes from the divine source-prophets, Imams and the revealed scriptures. Even the proper understanding of the revealed scriptures requires divine endowment of knowledge as per verse 32 of al Fatir.