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Verse of Light

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The Verse of Light (Arabic: آیة النور, romanized: āyat an-nūr) is the 35th verse of the 24th surah of the Quran (Q24:35).

Verse

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Translation Translated by
Allah is the Light of the heavens and earth. The likeness of His light is that of a niche in which is a Lamp. The Lamp is in a glass, the glass, is as it were a glittering star, lighted from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east, nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth, even if no fire touched it, light upon Light. Allah guides whom He wills to His light, and gives examples to the people; and Allah knows everything.[1] The Majestic Quran: An English Rendition of Its Meanings
Allah is the Light of the heavens and of the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein a Lamp is. The Lamp is in a glass, the glass, is as it were a glittering star, lighted from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east, nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth, even if no fire touched it. It is light upon Light. Allah guides whom He wills to His light; and Allah sets forth parables to men, for Allah is knower of all things.[2] Nureddin Uzunoğlu
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His Light is like a niche wherein is a lamp; the lamp is in a crystal, and the crystal, shining as if a pearl-like radiant star, lit from the oil of a blessed olive tree that is neither of the east nor of the west. The oil would almost give light of itself though no fire touches it. Light upon light! God guides to His Light whom He wills. God strikes parables for people. God has full knowledge of all things.[3] Ali Ünal
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. His light[Note 1] is like a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp is in a crystal, the crystal is like a shining star, lit from “the oil of” a blessed olive tree, “located” neither to the east nor the west,[Note 2] whose oil would almost glow, even without being touched by fire. Light upon light! Allah guides whoever He wills to His light. And Allah sets forth parables for humanity. For Allah has “perfect” knowledge of all things.[4] Mustafa Khattab
Allāh is the Light[Note 3] of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light[Note 4] is like a niche within which is a lamp;[Note 5] the lamp is within 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. Allāh guides to His light whom He wills. And Allāh presents examples for the people, and Allāh is Knowing of all things.[4] Saheeh International
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The likeness of His Light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass, the glass as it were a glittering star kindled from a Blessed Tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth [of itself], though no fire touched it. Light upon light. God guides to His Light whom He will. And God strikes similitudes for men; and God is Knower of all things.[5] Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute

Commentary

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The verse has been the subject of many exegeses, having been commented by Avicenna,[6] al-Ghazali,[7] Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Ibn al-'Arabi, Rumi, Mulla Sadra, Ibn Kathir,[8] Al-Tabari, and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya.

The eighth Imam of the Twelver Imami Shiites Ali ibn Musa says in the interpretation of this verse:

He is the guide of the people of heaven and the guide of the people of the earth.[9]

and the sixth Shiite Imam, Jafar Sadiq, has stated that:

God first spoke of His light.

The example of God's guidance is in the heart of the believer.

The glorious is inside the believer and the lamp of his heart, and the lamp is the light that God has placed in his heart.[10]

Hence it was and remains a key Qur'anic passage to many Sufis and Muslim philosophers into the present day, who argue for esoteric readings of the Qur'an. Al-Ghazali's reflections on this verse are collected in his Mishkat al-Anwar (the "Niche of Lights").

Often employed by Sufis and Muslim Philosophers, the verse is also the primary source of one of the 99 Names of God: an-Nur (النور), "The Light".

Notes

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  1. ^ This is a metaphor for the light of guidance in the heart of the believer.
  2. ^ Meaning, the olive tree is wholesome because it is located in a central place, so it is hit by sunrays all day-long, and, therefore, the oil is of a premium quality.
  3. ^ i.e., the source and bestower of light and enlightenment.
  4. ^ His guidance in the heart of a believing servant.
  5. ^ Literally, "a burning wick," which is the essence of a lamp.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Abdal Hakim Murad; Mostafa Badawi; Uthman Hutchinson, eds. (2000). The Majestic Qur'ān: An English Rendition of Its Meanings. Translated by Ali Özek; Nureddin Uzunoğlu; Tevfik R. Topuzoğlu; Mehmet Maksudoğlu. The Nawawi Foundation. ISBN 9781929694501.
  2. ^ "The Holy Qur'an with Translation and Commentaries". semazen.net. Translated by Nureddin Uzunoğlu. Islamic Publications for the Holy Qur'an Association. ISBN 978-9759601126. Archived from the original on 29 Nov 2024 – via Archive.today.
  3. ^ Ali Ünal (2008). The Qur'an with Annotated Interpretation in Modern English. Tughra Books. p. 736. ISBN 9781597841443.
  4. ^ a b "Surat An-Nur [24:35]". Archived from the original on 29 Nov 2024 – via Archive.today.
  5. ^ "Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute Translation" (PDF). altafsir.com. Translated by Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. Amman, Jordan.
  6. ^ Humaidi, Humaidi; Rahman, Yusuf (2023). "Light in The Qur'an: Ibn Sina's Psycho-Philosophical Interpretation on The Surah Al-Nūr [24:35]". Afkaruna. 19 (1). doi:10.18196/afkaruna.v19i1.16381.
  7. ^ "Ihya' 'Uloom al-Din (Revival of Religious Sciences)". ghazali.org.
  8. ^ "Tafsir Surah An-Nur - 35". Quran.com. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  9. ^ Al-Kafi, Sheikh Muhammad bin Yaqub Koleyni. hadith.
  10. ^ Tafsir al-Qomi, vol. 2, p. 103; Noor al-Thaqalin, vol. 3, p. 606 605. hadith.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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