أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَنْ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ نُورٍ ﴿۴۰﴾ أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ ﴿۴۱﴾ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿۴۲﴾

﴾40﴿ Aw kazulumaatin fee bahril lujjiyyiny yaghshaahu mawjun min fawqihee mawjun min fawqihee sahaab; zulumatun ba'duhaa fawqa ba'din izaaa akhraja yadahoo lam yakad yaraahaa wa man lam yaj'alil laahu lahoo nooran famaa lahoo min noor
﴾41﴿ Alam tara annal laaha yusabbihu lahoo man fissamaawaati wal ardi wat tairu saaaffaatim kullun qad 'alima Salaatahoo wa tasbeehah; wallaahu 'aleemum bimaa yaf'aloon
﴾42﴿ Wa lillaahi mulkus samaawaati wal ardi wa ilal laahil maseer

﴾40﴿ Another example is like layers of darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves upon waves, with a cloud above them—layers of darkness, one over the other. When one stretches out his hand, he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allah does not grant light, for him there is no light
﴾41﴿ Do you not see that Allah is glorified by all those in the heavens and the earth, and by the birds with wings outspread? Each knows its prayer and its way of glorification. And Allah is All-Knowing of what they do
﴾42﴿ To Allah alone belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the final return

[40] This is the second example of the people of darkness—referring either to ignorant followers who blindly imitate others, or to the evil deeds of polytheists.
Explanation of the example:
It is like a person deep in the sea—this is one level of darkness.
Covered by a wave—this is the second layer of darkness.
Above that is another wave—this is the third darkness.
And above that, clouds—this is the fourth darkness.
In such overwhelming layers of darkness, the person is unaware even of his own self—he cannot even see his own hand.
Likewise, this disbeliever is engulfed in the darkness of ignorance.
Then, he is unaware of his own ignorance—this is another layer of darkness.
Then he is in the darkness of blind imitation, following a leader who is himself an ignorant polytheist or innovator—this adds another layer.
He cannot find any path to salvation, because Allah has not granted him any light—so who else could possibly guide him?
Another interpretation of this parable:
1. One darkness is the shirk itself.
2. Another is the rejection—either out of ignorance or stubbornness.
3. The third is the darkness of sinful deeds and corrupt character.
4. The fourth is the oppression he commits against others.
And on top of that, he is not even aware of his sins—thus the light of Allah is not given to him.
(فِي لُجِّيٍ)—This indicates that the depth of darkness is such that nothing is visible from underneath.
(مِنْ فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ)—This suggests that the light of the sun, moon, and stars is also veiled from his sight due to the clouds.
(إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ)—The hand is the closest thing a person can see, but in this darkness, he cannot even see that—so seeing anything else becomes impossible.
[41] To attain light and be saved from darkness, rational proofs for tawḥīd (divine oneness) are mentioned—this is the first proof:
(صَافَّاتٍ)—Refers to birds flying with wings outstretched.
Birds are specifically mentioned here either because in this state they are visibly apparent to humans, or because in this moment they engage abundantly in glorifying Allah (tasbīḥ).
(كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ)—“Each one knows its prayer and glorification.”
The word ṣalāh may refer to angels, jinn, and humans, while tasbīḥ may specifically refer to birds.
Or, tasbīḥ could be an explanation of ṣalāh, meaning their form of worship and glorification.
As for (قَدْ عَلِمَ), there are two interpretations:
1. The pronoun refers to Allah, meaning Allah is fully aware of the prayer and glorification of every being.
That’s why the verse goes on to mention the comprehensive knowledge of Allah—this interpretation is stronger.
2. Alternatively, the pronoun refers to each created being—meaning every angel, jinn, human, and bird knows its own unique way of prayer and glorification, as taught to it by Allah.
[42] This is the second rational proof, and the name of Allah is explicitly mentioned twice in the verse for emphasis.