Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 257
Quran 2:257 · The Cow · Madani · Para 3 · Page 43
اَللّٰهُ وَلِیُّ الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا ۙ یُخْرِجُهُمْ مِّنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَی النُّوْرِ ؕ۬ وَالَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْۤا اَوْلِیٰٓـُٔهُمُ الطَّاغُوْتُ ۙ یُخْرِجُوْنَهُمْ مِّنَ النُّوْرِ اِلَی الظُّلُمٰتِ ؕ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ اَصْحٰبُ النَّارِ ۚ هُمْ فِیْهَا خٰلِدُوْنَ ۟۠
Transliteration
Allahu waliyyu allatheena amanooyukhrijuhum mina aththulumati ilaannoori wallatheena kafaroo awliyaohumuattaghootu yukhrijoonahum mina annoori ilaaththulumati ola-ika as-habuannari hum feeha khalidoon
Saheeh International
Allāh is the Ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve - their allies are ṭāghūt. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
God takes care of those who have faith in Him. He grants them success and victory and takes them out of the darkness of disbelief and ignorance into the light of faith and knowledge. The friends of the disbelievers are Satan and his assistants who make disbelief seem beautiful to them and who take them from the light of faith and knowledge into the darkness of disbelief and ignorance. They are the people of the Fire who will remain there forever. Allah takes care of those who have faith in Him: He gives them success and victory and takes them out of the darkness of disbelief and ignorance into the light of faith and knowledge. The friends of the disbelievers are Satan and his assistants who make disbelief seem beautiful to them, and who take them from the light of faith and knowledge into the darkness of disbelief and ignorance. They are the people of the fire of Hell who will live there eternally.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Allah is the Wali (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into light. But as for those who disbelieve, their Awliya' (supporters and helpers) are Taghut (false deities and false leaders), they bring them out from light into darknesses. Those are the dwellers of the Fire, and they will abide therein forever (257)
Allah stated that whoever follows what pleases Him, He will guide him to the paths of peace, that is Islam, or Paradise. Verily, Allah delivers His believing servants from the darkness of disbelief, doubt and hesitation, to the light of the plain, clear, explained, easy and unequivocal truth. He also stated that Shaytan is the supporter of the disbelievers who beautifies the paths of ignorance and misguidance that they follow, thus causing them to deviate from the true path into disbelief and wickedness.
أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
(Those are the dwellers of the Fire, and they will abide therein forever.)
This is why Allah mentioned the light in the singular while mentioned the darkness in the plural, because truth is one, while disbelief comes as several types, all of which are false. Similarly, Allah said,
وَأَنَّ هَٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
(And verily, this is my straight path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His path. This He has ordained for you that you may have Taqwa)[6:153],
وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ
(And originated the darknesses and the light)[6:1], and,
عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَالشَّمَائِلِ
(to the right and to the lefts)[16: 48]
There are many other Ayat on the subject that mention the truth in the singular and falsehood in the plural, because of falsehood's many divisions and branches.