نور علی نور Light upon Light

Apr 5, 2022 | Articles, Noor Excerpts

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the Earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within a glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.” (Surah An Noor, 35)

The Verse of Radiance

The verse is known as the ‘Verse of Radiance’, since it describes in great detail the radiance of faith, and gives an implied understanding of the darkness of disbelief, aiming to replace this darkness with light. The ayah begins with ‘Allah is the
light of the heavens and the earth,’ a statement very powerful, yet beyond the ability of the human mind to fully comprehend as is.

According to Ibn Abbas RA, ‘Allah is the light of the heavens and the Earth’ means, “the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth”.

According to another view of Ibn Abbas and Mujahid, it means, “He is controlling their affairs and the stars and the sun and moon.” It is recorded that Ibn Abbas RA said, “When the Messenger of Allah SAW got up to pray at night, he would say: ‘O Allah, to You be praise. You are the sustainer of the heavens and the Earth and whoever is in them. To You be praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the Earth and whoever is in them.’” (AlGhazali, A Thematic Commentary of The Qur’an)

All these statements of the companions RA and the Messenger SAW point to the fact that the light mentioned in this verse is nothing like the light known to us. Instead, the light of Allah is incomparable to any other kind of light, just as is true for all other attributes of Allah SWT.

Unpacking the Parable

Allah SWT says, “The example of His light is like a niche.” A niche is the recess in a wall used to place things; in the case of this parable it is a lamp. The niche thus represents the chest of the believer and the illuminating lamp is the revelation from Allah SWT (Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

“The lamp is within a glass.” The glass represents the heart and Allah describes the glass as if it were a pearly white star, which implies that the glass combines the qualities of transparency as well as of solidity. The transparency indicates that the light has the ability to not only enter the heart, but to exit from it as well. Hence the light of emaan not only enters the heart of a believer, but radiates out from it as well, illuminating the hearts of those around it. The solidity represents being steadfast upon the truth. Unlike liquids, which take the shape and form of whatever container they are poured into, the believer’s heart is
constant upon the truth. It does not change or overturn with the changing events and circumstances, as opposed to the heart of the hypocrite. (Elshinawy, M. An In-Depth commentary of The Diseases of The Heart and Their Cure)

The parable continues “…lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire.” Here the oil represents the pure fitrah; the natural light of guidance that has been inherently placed within each and every human being by Allah SWT. For this reason, Allah SWT says that this oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire – meaning that all humans have the natural tendency to be inclined towards good and to recognize the truth with the light of their pure fitrah.

In conclusion, the niche is the chest of the believing slave, and the glass is the heart. The illuminating lamp is the revelation that descends from Allah SWT, and the pure olive oil is the sound fitrah. The oil is so pure that it glows on its own. However, when it is touched with the light of fire, it generates the most perfect light, and becomes light upon light. In a similar manner, the believing slave could almost recognize the truth on its own with the light of his fitrah, but when the light of revelation comes and coincides with it, it becomes light upon light. (Elshinawy, M. An In-Depth commentary of The Diseases of The Heart and Their Cure). Hence, light upon light represents the combination of the pure fitrah and the revelation of Allah SWT.

Al-‘Awfi narrated from Ibn Abbas that ‘light upon light’ means the faith and deeds of a person, (Al-Mubarakpuri, Tafsir Ibn
Kathir) the basis of which lies within the heart. Whatever is nurtured in the heart, manifests itself through the limbs. While the fitrah has the natural tendency to incline towards the commands of Allah SWT, it is only when one actually submits to Him in obedience – making it a matter of both the heart and the limbs – that he exemplifies Light upon Light. For this reason, the companions and their students confined this parable to the heart of a believer alone; due to the fact that it is only the believer who draws benefit from the revelation, even though the pure fitrah has been granted to each and every human being. As for those who reject the revelation, they eventually end up corrupting their fitrah with their wrong doings.

Points of Action from this Parable

1. Strive to seek the Light of Allah, since there is no other light that will benefit you in this life and in the life of the Hereafter. When the Messenger of Allah SAW was rejected by the people of Ta’if, he turned to Allah SWT for help, saying: “… I seek refuge in the light of Your face by which all darkness is dispelled and both this life and the life to come are put in their right course… To You I submit, until I earn Your pleasure. Everything is powerless without your support,”(Al-Ghazali, A Thematic Commentary of The Qur’an). From this beautiful du’a, we find that one is to seek the Light of Allah by seeking refuge in Him, by submitting to His commands and by striving for His pleasure.

2. Nurture and protect your fitrah by holding on to the divine revelation; making it the guiding light of your day and night. Allah SWT says, “… There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book, by which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace, and brings them out from darkness into the light…” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 15-16)

3. Within the capabilities that Allah has granted you, be a source of guiding light for everyone around you. Allah SWT says, “… [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, that you might bring mankind out of darkness into the light by permission of their Lord – to the path of the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.” (Surah Ibrahim, 1)

4. Seek good company and hold on to the company of those whose guiding light reminds you of Allah. It is mentioned in the Muwatta of Imam Malik that Luqman al Hakim made his will and counselled his son, saying, “My son! Sit with the learned men and keep close to them. Allah gives life to the hearts with the light of wisdom as Allah gives life to the dead earth with the abundant rain of the sky.”

5. Last but not least, seek the light of Allah through du’a. The best du’as are those of the Messenger of Allah SAW. The Messenger SAW used to make the following du’a in prostration:

O Allah, place light in my heart, and place light in my hearing, and place light in my seeing, and place light beneath me, and place light above me, and light on my right, and light on my left, and place light behind me, and make the light greater for me.’ (Sunan An-Nasai, Book 12, Hadith number 93)

Conclusion

The light of fitrah and the light of revelation is what drives one to strive for the light of faith and good deeds in this world – aspiring to the light of the hereafter and the honor of being blessed with the company and sight of their Lord in the next world. It was narrated in the Sahih Muslim from Suhayb that the Messenger of Allah SAW said, “When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah will say, ‘Do you want anything more?’ They will say, ‘Have You not brightened our faces, admitted us to Paradise and saved us from Hell?’ Then the veil will be lifted and they will not have seen anything dearer to them than looking upon their Lord, may He be glorified and exalted. This is what is meant by ‘even more.’” Then he SAW recited the verse: “For those who have done good is the best reward and even more,” (Surah Yunus, 26). We ask Allah SWT for a heart that is alive with the love and remembrance of its Lord, a heart that remains steadfast on His Deen, a heart that is a source of benefit to others, and a heart that will be able to meet its Lord on the Day of Judgement as a Qalbun Saleem, Ameen