Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:46

(And a caller to Allah): Meaning, to the acknowledgment of Him, Glorified be He, and to His Oneness, and to all that must be believed regarding His attributes and His actions—Mighty and Majestic is He. Perhaps this is what is intended by the words of Ibn Abbas and Qatada: "Meaning, the testimony that there is no god but Allah."

(By His permission): Meaning, by His facilitation and making it easy, Exalted be He. "Permission" is used metaphorically for facilitation because it is one of its causes, especially when the permission is from Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He. It is not interpreted in its literal sense, although it is correct here that Allah—Exalted is His status—gave him (peace and blessings be upon him) literal permission to call [to Him], for it is understood from His saying, "Indeed, We have sent you as a caller," that he, peace and blessings be upon him, was given permission to call. From what has been mentioned, it is known that "(by His permission)" relates to "caller." The calling was qualified by this to signal that it is a matter difficult to attain and a task of extreme complexity that cannot be achieved except through the guidance of His Holy Presence. How could it be otherwise, when it is a turning of faces away from worshipped [false] objects and the placing of necks into an unfamiliar collar? It is permissible that the qualification refers to all [the preceding descriptions], but the first [relation to "caller"] is more evident.

(And an illuminating lamp): By which the straying are illuminated in the darkness of ignorance and deviation, and from whose light the guided ones derive light toward the paths of righteousness and guidance. This is a comparison, whether it is a composite rational one, a representation extracted from several matters, or a distributive one. Exaggeration is employed in the description of illumination because some lamps do not provide light if their oil is scarce or their wick is thin.

Al-Zajjaj said: It is a conjunction to "a witness" (shahidan) based on the estimation of an omitted possessor—meaning, "a possessor of an illuminating lamp." Al-Farra said: If you wish, it can be in the accusative case, meaning "and reciting an illuminating lamp." According to both of them, the "illuminating lamp" is the Quran. If it is interpreted in this way, it is possible—as has been said—to conjoin it to the pronoun in "We have sent you" (arsalnaka) in the sense of "We have sent you and the Quran," whether by way of following or in the manner of "girded with a sword and a spear." It is said that it is based on the estimation of "reciting a lamp," and this conjunction is permissible—meaning: "Indeed, We have sent you and [are] reciting a lamp," similar to the Almighty’s saying, "Reciting purified scriptures," given that he is the one who combines both matters, similar to "And We certainly gave Moses and Aaron the Criterion and a light," meaning: We sent [you] by sending you, [and you are] reciting [the lamp].

It is permitted that it means "And We made you a reciter," and it is said: It is permitted that "possessor of a lamp" refers to the Quran, and in that case, the estimation is: "Indeed, We have sent you and sent down upon you a possessor of a lamp." This is countered by the fact that making the Quran a "possessor of a lamp" is forced. The truth is that everything that has been said is likewise.