According to Taberî, Allah's example given to the hypocrites in this verse is explained through the fact that this verse was revealed concerning the Jews, and therefore those exemplified with fire should also be evaluated in the same context. Furthermore, attention is drawn to the grammatical structure of the word 'temsil' (singular-plural relationship), and reference is made to different usage rules in the similitude of verbs and nouns. Three different narrations transmitted from Ibn Abbas are presented, explaining the hypocrites' disapproval followed by their denial of it by extinguishing it.

وإنما اخترنا هذا التأويل، لأن هذه الآية نزلت في اليهود، وإياهم عنى الله تعالى ذكره بها، ولم تكن اليهود أهل أوثان يعبدونها ولا أهل أصنام يعظمونها ويرجون نفعها أو دفع ضرها.

The given text passage does not contain any commentary, explanation, or analysis regarding the content of the verse. There is only a reference to verse 17 of Surat al-Baqarah and an incomplete sentence beginning with the phrase 've kavlühû' (and his saying). Therefore, it is not possible to extract Zemahşerî's views on this verse from the text.

( البقرة : 17 ) وقوله :

According to this exegete, the similitude in the verse aims to place an abstract reality (faith/disbelief, hypocrisy) more effectively in hearts by showing it through a concrete example (a person lighting fire) rather than narrating it directly. The choice of the words nur and zulmet, the use of plural and indefinite form, is to emphasize that light is completely removed; the difference between the verb 'ezhebe' and 'zehebe bihi' also expresses the total annihilation of light. Furthermore, it is stated that the word 'mesel' is used because of the strangeness of the story of the hypocrites.

أن المقصود من ضرب الأمثال أنها تؤثر في القلوب ما لا يؤثره وصف الشيء في نفسه ، وذلك لأن الغرض من المثل تشبيه الخفي بالجلي ، والغائب بالشاهد ، فيتأكد الوقوف على ماهيته ، ويصير الحس مطابقا للعقل

Kurtubî transmits the reading differences of the word 'ظلمات' (Ashmès, Esheb al-Uqaylî, Kisâ'î) and their grammatical explanations. He also notes that the word 'الذي', although singular, can denote plurality, which is a known usage in the Arabic language. Ultimately, he explains that the verse compares the hypocrites to a person who lights a fire in darkness and then the light is extinguished; they benefited from rulings specific to Muslims through the faith they displayed in the world, but this light will be extinguished in the hereafter.

قال البصريون : أبدل من الضمة فتحة لأنها أخف

According to Ibn Kesîr, this verse is a similitude describing the state of the hypocrites: When they entered Islam and uttered the phrase 'lâ ilâhe illallah', they gained in this world a light specific to Muslims such as marriage, inheritance, blood protection, and property protection, but since this faith did not take root in their hearts, at the moment of death this light was taken from them and they were left in darkness. This situation is compared to the state of a man who lights a fire in darkness, sees what surrounds him, and then when the fire is extinguished, he can see nothing.

فذلك المنافق كان في ظلمة الشرك فأسلم فعرف الحلال والحرام والخير والشر فبينما هو كذلك إذ كفر فصار لا يعرف الحلال من الحرام ولا الخير من الشر

According to Beydâvî, this verse is brought after the true state of the hypocrites was explained in the previous verse, for the purpose of confirming and clarifying it through a similitude; a parallel is drawn between the extinguishing of the light of the person who lights the fire and remaining in darkness, and the hypocrites losing guidance and remaining in the darkness of hypocrisy. The removal of the light of fire and the replacement of it with complete darkness is to show that they do not carry any share of truth. This situation also encompasses those whose intentions are sound and make claims of affection, but whose intention lights are removed from them.

والآية مثل ضربه الله لمن آتاه ضربا من الهدى فأضاعه، ولم يتوصل به إلى نعيم الأبد فبقي متحيرا متحسرا