Is he who was dead, and We gave him life, and set for him a light, whereby he can walk among men – like him who is in the darkness from which he can never come out? Thus it is made fair seeming to the disbelievers that which they used to do (122)
The Parable of the Disbeliever and the Believer
This is an example that Allah has given of the believer who was dead, meaning, wandering in confusion and misguidance. Then, Allah brought life to him, by bringing life to his heart with faith, guiding him to it and guiding him to obeying His Messengers,
وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ
(And set for him a light whereby he can walk amongst men.) for he became guided to where he should go and how to remain on the correct path. The light mentioned here is the Qur'an, according to Ibn 'Abbas, as Al-'Awfi and Ibn Abi Talhah reported from him. As-Suddi said that the light mentioned here is Islam. Both meanings are correct.
كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ
(Like him who is in the darkness) of ignorance, desires and various types of deviation,
لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا
(From which he can never come out?) for he is unable to find a way out from what he is in. In Musnad Ahmad, it is recorded that the Prophet ﷺ said;
إِنَّ اللهَ خَلَقَ خَلْقَهُ فِي ظُلْمَةٍ، ثُمَّ رَشَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ نُورِهِ، فَمَنْ أَصَابَهُ ذَلِكَ النُّورُ اهْتَدَى، وَمَنَ أَخْطَأَهُ ضَلَّ
(Allah created creation in darkness, then He showered His Light upon them. Whoever was struck by that light is guided, whoever it missed is astray.) Allah said in other Ayat,
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَوْلِيَاؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
(Allah is the Guardian of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their friends are Taghut, they bring them out from light into darkness. Those are the dwellers of the Fire, and they will abide therein forever.)[2:257], and
أَفَمَن يَمْشِي مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِ أَهْدَىٰ أَمَّن يَمْشِي سَوِيًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
(Is he who walks prone on his face, more rightly guided, or he who walks upright on the straight way?)[67:22], and
مَثَلُ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ كَالْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْأَصَمِّ وَالْبَصِيرِ وَالسَّمِيعِ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
(The parable of the two parties is as the blind and the deaf and the seer and the hearer. Are they equal when compared? Will you not then take heed?)[11:24], and,
وَمَا يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ - وَلَا الظُّلُمَاتُ وَلَا النُّورُ - وَلَا الظِّلُّ وَلَا الْحَرُورُ - وَمَا يَسْتَوِي الْأَحْيَاءُ وَلَا الْأَمْوَاتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُسْمِعُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَمَا أَنتَ بِمُسْمِعٍ مَّن فِي الْقُبُورِ - إِنْ أَنتَ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ
(Not alike are the blind and the seeing. Nor are darkness and light. Nor are the shade and the sun's heat. Nor are the living and the dead. Verily, Allah makes whom He wills to hear, but you cannot make hear those who are in the graves. You are only a warner.)[35:19-23]
There are many other Ayat on this subject. We explained before why Allah mentioned the light in the singular sense and the darkness in the plural sense when we explained the Ayah at the beginning of the Surah,
وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ
(And originated the darknesses and the light.)[6:1] Allah's statement,
كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
(Thus it is made fair seeming to the disbelievers that which they used to do.) means, We made their ignorance and misguidance appear fair to them, as Allah decreed out of His wisdom, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him alone without partners.