Or the likeness of them is as a cloudburst that is the likeness of them is as people are during rain ka-sayyib the term is originally sayyūb from the verb sāba yasūbu meaning ‘it came down’; out of the heaven out of the clouds in which clouds is darkness layer upon layer and thunder the angel in charge of them sc. the clouds; it is also said that this thunder is actually the sound of his voice; and lightning the flash caused by his voice which he uses to drive them — they the people under the rain put their fingers that is their fingertips in their ears against because of the thunderclaps the violent sound of thunder in order not to hear it cautious of fearful of death if they were to hear it. Similar is the case with these when the Qur’ān is revealed in which there is mention of the unbelief that is like darkness the threat of punishment that is like the sound of thunder and the clear arguments that are like the clear lightning they shut their ears in order not to hear it and thereby incline towards true faith and abandon their religion which for them would be death; and God encompasses the disbelievers in both knowledge and power so they cannot escape Him.
