**Surah al-Nūr: 35**
**"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth..."**
The Meaning of "Light"
This is analogous to saying, "Zayd is generosity and munificence," followed by, "People are revived by his generosity and munificence." The meaning is: He is the Possessor of the light of the heavens and the earth, and the True Light of the heavens and the earth. He is likened to light in His manifestation and clarity, just as He says: "Allah is the Protector of those who believe; He brings them out of darkness into the light" (al-Baqarah: 257)—meaning from falsehood into the truth.
He attributed the light to the heavens and the earth for one of two reasons:
- To indicate the vastness of His radiance and the diffusion of His illumination, such that the heavens and the earth are illuminated by it.
- To mean the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, implying they are illuminated by Him.
"The likeness of His light"
This refers to the wondrous nature of His light in its illumination.
"As a niche"
Like the likeness of a niche, which is a recess in a wall that does not go through.
"In which is a lamp"
A large, piercing lantern.
"In a glass"
He intended a lamp made of Syrian glass, brilliant and shining. He likened its brilliance to one of the "darrī" (brilliant) stars—the famous ones, such as Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Suhail, and their like.
"Lit from a blessed tree"
The ignition begins from the olive tree; meaning, its wick is fueled by its oil. It is "blessed" because of its many benefits, or because it grows in the land that was blessed for the worlds. It is said that seventy prophets blessed it, among them Abraham (peace be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Use this oil, the olive oil, and treat yourselves with it, for it is a cure for hemorrhoids."
"Neither of the east nor of the west"
Its place of growth is Syria, and the best olive oil is Syrian. It is said it means it is not in a place that is only exposed to the sun at sunrise or sunset, nor in a place that is always in the shade. Rather, the sun and shade alternate upon it, which is best for its fruit and purest for its oil. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "There is no good in a tree in a shaded place, nor in a plant in a shaded place, and there is no good in them in a place exposed only to the sun." Others say it means it is not merely exposed to the sun at its rising or setting, but receives it both morning and evening.
"Light upon light"
This is the truth to which I have likened Him—a multiplied light in which the niche, the glass, the lamp, and the oil have combined, until nothing remains that could strengthen the light or increase its radiance that is not present. When a lamp is in a confined space like a niche, it is more luminous and concentrated, unlike a wide space where the light scatters.
"Allah guides to His light whom He wills"
He grants success in attaining the truth to those who look and contemplate with the eye of their intellect and fairness of their soul, not straying right or left from the path that leads to Him. Whoever does not contemplate is like the blind, for whom the darkness of the deep night and the brightness of the sunny day are the same.
Interpretations
- Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth" means He spread the truth therein and diffused it, so they were illuminated by His light, or He illuminated the hearts of their inhabitants with it.
- Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him): It is the likeness of the light of one who believes in Him.
Linguistic Notes
- Zujāja (glass) is read with both fathah and kasrah.
- Durrī (brilliant) is derived from durr (pearl), meaning white and sparkling.
- Tawqad (is lit) is the verb for the glass.
- Yūqad (is lit) can be read with takhfīf (lightening) or tashdīd (strengthening).
- Yamassuhu (touches it) uses the masculine pronoun because the femininity of the noun is not "real" (it is a metaphorical feminine), and the pronoun acts as a separator.
