Question Summary:
Please explain to me Ayah No. 40 in Surah Nūr.

Question Detail:

Assalāmualaikum. I was unclear about a certain part of the 40th Ayah of Surah An-Nūr when Allāh Taālā says

“If he looked at his hand, he could barely see it.”
My main concern is the word “barely”.  I was just thinking, if there was no light, a person would not be able to see his hand at all, not barely able to see it.  Please clarify this Ayah for me.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
After explaining in detail the Nūr (light) of the righteous believers, Allāh Taālā gives examples of the disbelievers in Ayah No. 39 and No. 40 of Surah An-Nūr. 
The first parable presented by Allāh Taālā is in regards to those disbelievers who believe in the Day of Judgement and are convinced that they will be rewarded for their actions.  Their actions are likened to a mirage.  In the plain ground of the desert, the shining sand creates a deceptive illusion of water from a distance, convincing the thirsty person of the existence of water.  However as soon as the thirsty traveler approaches close to it, he comes to know that this was the deceit of his eyes.  Similarly a disbeliever will realize after death that his actions will be of no avail to him.
The second example portrayed by Allāh Taālā is in regards to those disbelievers who deny the very existence of the Day of Judgment such as atheists.  Their deeds are likened to a very dark and deep body of water.  Firstly it is dark due to its depth, and also because of it being enveloped by a wave.  Furthermore this wave is covered by another wave and this wave by the density of a dark cloud.  In other words there is darkness upon darkness upon darkness upon darkness.  To such an extent, that if the individual was to take out his hand to see it, he would be unable to do so.  This example shows that the deniers of Resurrection are totally deprived of all light whereas the first category has a deceptive light but are deprived of the true light of guidance.  [1]
With regards to the question in reference, the word used by Allāh Taālā is لم يكد.  The word كاد in Arabic grammar is classified as a فعل المقاربة. [2] In other words, it gives the impression that the action in reference was close to existence.  For example, in English it would be translated as “about to happen”.  However, in this Ayah the word كاد is being denied.  Therefore, the appropriate meaning of the Ayah is “If one puts his hand out, he would not be close to seeing it”. [3] [4] [5]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
US
 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Husain Kadodia.
www.daruliftaa.net