Surah An Nur ayat 35 Tafsir Quran 24:35

﴿۞ اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾
[ النور: 35]

24:35 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 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.

God is the Light of the heavens and the earth in other words He illumines both of them with the sun and the moon. The likeness of His Light that is the description of it as it resides in the heart of a believer is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass — this glass is the case for the lantern and the misbāh is the torch that is the wick that is lit; al-mishkāt is a recess that does not penetrate to the other side in other words the tube inside the lantern the glass with the light inside it is as it were a glittering star that is a light-giving star read dirrī’un or durrī’un derived from al-dar‘ ‘to repel’ because it repels darkness; or read durriyyun derived from al-durr ‘pearls’ kindled is this lamp read past tense tawaqqada; a variant reading has the imperfect tense of awqada in the passive voice yūqadu; another reading has tūqadu in which case the reference is to al-zujāja ‘the glass’ from the oil of a Blessed Tree an olive neither of the east nor of the west but in between the two so that no harmful cold or heat affects it; whose oil would almost glow forth of itself though no fire touched it because of the extent of its purity. Light by Him upon light by fire; the light of God is His guidance of the believer light upon the light of faith. God guides to His Light that is to the religion of Islam whom He will. And God strikes He illustrates similitudes for men by approximating such similitudes to their comprehension so that they might take heed and believe; and God is Knower of all things including knowledge of how to strike similitudes.

Allah is the Fountain-Head of physical and spiritual light illuminating the heavens and the earth. His light is beyond all comparison, (to be perceived by the human mind), it may be likened to the radiance emitting from a lustrous recess where a lamp stands enclosed in a glass tube or encased in glass featuring extraordinary brilliance as if it were an extra ordinary bright star lit by spiritual invisible combustion from a blessed tree, an olive tree (an ancient emblem of peace) standing in the open, never lost to view. It is not confined to the east nor to the west. Its oil almost emits light although not touched by a flame. Majestic light superimposed upon splendorous light attendant upon a manifestation of Allah Who attracts to His spiritual light whom He will, and Allah discourses to people parables by which moral and spiritual relations are typically set forth, and He is Alimun of all things

The Parable of the Light of Allah `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. ) means, the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth.
Ibn Jurayj said: "Mujahid and Ibn `Abbas said concerning the Ayah: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. ) He is controlling their affairs and their stars and sun and moon." As-Suddi said concerning the Ayah: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. ) by His Light the heavens and earth are illuminated.
In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up to pray at night, he would say:
«اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ»
( O Allah, to You be praise, You are the Sustainer of heaven and 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.
) It was narrated that Ibn Mas`ud said, "There is no night or day with your Lord; the Light of the Throne comes from the Light of His Face." مَثَلُ نُورِهِ ( The parable of His Light ) There are two views concerning the meaning of the pronoun ( His ).
The first is that it refers to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, meaning that the parable of His guidance in the heart of the believer is كَمِشْكَاةٍ ( as a niche ) This was the view of Ibn `Abbas.
The second view is that the pronoun refers to the believer, which is indicated by the context of the words and implies that the parable of the light in the heart of the believer is as a niche.
So the heart of the believer and what he is naturally inclined to of guidance and what he learns of the Qur'an which is in accordance with his natural inclinations are, as Allah says: أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ ( Can they who rely on a clear proof from their Lord, and whom a witness from Him recites it (can they be equal with the disbelievers )) 11:17.
The heart of the believer in its purity and clarity is likened to a lamp in transparent and jewel-like glass, and the Qur'an and Shari`ah by which it is guided are likened to good, pure, shining oil in which there is no impurity or deviation. كَمِشْكَاةٍ ( as (if there were ) a niche) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b and others said, "This refers to the position of the wick in the lamp." This is well-known, and hence Allah then says: فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ( and within it a lamp. ) This is the flame that burns brightly.
Or it was said that the niche is a niche in the house.
This is the parable given by Allah of obedience towards Him.
Allah calls obedience to Him as light, then He calls it by other numerous names as well.
Ubayy bin Ka`b said, "The lamp is the light, and this refers to the Qur'an and the faith that is in his heart." As-Suddi said, "It is the lamp." الْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ( the lamp is in a glass, ) means, this light is shining in a clear glass.
Ubayy bin Ka`b and others said, "This is the likeness of the heart of the believer." الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ ( the glass as it were a star Durriyyun, ) Some authorities recite the word Durriyyun with a Dammah on the Dal and without a Hamzah, which means pearls, i.e., as if it were a star made of pearls ( Durr ).
Others recite it as Dirri'un or Durri'un, with a Kasrah on the Dal, or Dammah on the Dal, and with a Hamzah at the end, which means reflection ( Dir' ), because if something is shone on the star it becomes brighter than at any other time.
The Arabs call the stars they do not know Darari.
Ubayy bin Ka`b said: a shining star.
Qatadah said: "Huge, bright and clear." يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَـرَكَةٍ ( lit from a blessed tree, ) means, it is derived from olive oil, from a blessed tree. زَيْتُونَةٍ ( an olive, ) This refers to the blessed tree mentioned previously. لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ ( neither of the east nor of the west, ) means, it is not in the eastern part of the land so that it does not get any sun in the first part of the day, nor is it in the western part of the land so that it is shaded from the sun before sunset, but it is in a central position where it gets sun from the beginning of the day until the end, so its oil is good and pure and shining.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented on: زَيْتُونَةٍ لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ ( an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, ) "This is a tree in the desert which is not shaded by any other tree or mountain or cave, nothing covers it, and this is best for its oil." Mujahid commented on: لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ ( neither of the east nor of the west, ) saying; "It is not in the east where it will get no sun when the sun sets, nor is it in the west where it will get no sun when the sun rises, but it is in a position where it will get sun both at sunrise and sunset." Sa`id bin Jubayr commented: زَيْتُونَةٍ لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىءُ ( an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself )) "This is the best kind of oil.
When the sun rises it reaches the tree from the east and when it sets it reaches it from the west, so the sun reaches it morning and evening, so it is not counted as being in the east or in the west." يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ( whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself ), though no fire touched it.) `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said ( this means ) because the oil itself is shining. نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ ( Light upon Light! ) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas that this meant the faith and deeds of a person.
As-Suddi said: نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ ( Light upon Light! ) "Light of the fire and the light of the oil: when they are combined they give light, and neither of them can give light without the other.
Similarly the light of the Qur'an and the light of faith give light when they are combined, and neither can do so without the other." يَهْدِى اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ( Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. ) means, Allah shows the way to the ones whom He chooses, as it says in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from `Abdullah bin `Amr, who said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
«إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ خَلْقَهُ فِي ظُلْمَةٍ ثُمَّ أَلْقَى عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ نُورِهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ، فَمَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْ نُورِهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ اهْتَدَى وَمَنْ أَخْطَأَ ضَلَّ فَلِذَلِكَ أَقُولُ: جَفَّ الْقَلَمُ عَلَى عِلْمِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ»
( Allah created His creation in darkness, then on the same day He sent His Light upon them.
Whoever was touched by His Light on that day will be guided and whoever was missed will be led astray.
Hence I say: the pens have dried in accordance with the knowledge of Allah, may He be glorified. )" وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الاٌّمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلَيِمٌ ( And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything. ) Having mentioned this parable of the Light of His guidance in the heart of the believer, Allah ends this Ayah with the words: وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الاٌّمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلَيِمٌ ( And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything. ) meaning, He knows best who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be led astray.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«الْقُلُوبُ أَرْبَعَةٌ: قَلْبٌ أَجْرَدُ فِيهِ مِثْلُ السِّرَاجِ يُزْهِرُ، وَقَلْبٌ أَغْلَفُ مَرْبُوطٌ عَلَى غِلَافِهِ، وَقَلْبٌ مَنْكُوسٌ، وَقَلْبٌ مُصْفَحٌ.
فَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْأَجْرَدُ: فَقَلْبُ الْمُؤْمِنِ سِرَاجُهُ فِيهِ نُورُهُ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْأَغْلَفُ فَقَلْبُ الْكَافِرِ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمَنْكُوسُ فَقَلْبُ الْمُنَافِقِ، عَرَفَ ثُمَّ أَنْكَرَ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمُصْفَحُ فَقَلْبٌ فِيهِ إِيمَانٌ وَنِفَاقٌ، وَمَثَلُ الْإِيمَانِ فِيهِ كَمَثَلِ الْبَقْلَةِ يُمِدُّهَا الْمَاءُ الطَّيِّبُ،وَمَثَلُ النِّفَاقِ فِيهِ كَمَثَلِ الْقَرْحَةِ يُمِدُّهَا الدَّمُ وَالْقَيْحُ، فَأَيُّ الْمدَّتَيْنِ غَلَبَتْ عَلَى الْأُخْرَى غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ»
( Hearts are of four kinds: the heart that is clear like a shining lamp; the heart that is covered and tied up; the heart that is upside-down; and the heart that is clad in armor.
As for the clear heart, it is the heart of the believer in which is a lamp filled with light; as for the covered heart, this is the heart of the disbeliever; as for the upside-down heart, this is the heart of the hypocrite, who recognizes then denies; as for the armor-clad heart, this is the heart in which there is both faith and hypocrisy.
The parable of the faith in it is that of legume, a sprout that is irrigated with good water, and the likeness of the hypocrisy in it is that of sores that are fed by blood and pus.
Whichever of the two prevails is the characteristic that will dominate. ) Its chain of narrators is good ( Jayyid ) although they ( Al-Bukhari and Muslim ) did not record it.

(24:35) Allah *61 is the light of the heavens and the earth: *62 His light (in the universe) may be likened (to the light of) a lamp in a niche: the lamp is in a glass shade: the glass shade is like a glittering star and lamp is lit with the olive oil of a blessed tree *63 which is neither eastern nor western: *64 its oil is (so fine) as if it were going to shine forth by itself though no fire touched it (as though all the means of increasing) light upon light (were provided *65 ); Allah guides to His light whomever He wills. *66 He cites parables to make the Message clear to the people; He has perfect knowledge of everything. *67

Allah is the Light of the heavens meaning

*61) From here the discourse is directed towards the hypocrites, who were bent upon starting mischief in the Islamic community, and were as active from within as the unbelievers were from without to harm the Islamic movement and the body politic of Islam.
As these people professed belief, and apparently belonged to the Muslim community, and had blood relationships with the Muslims, especially with the Ansar, they were better placed to start and spread mischief.
The result was that even some sincere Muslims, due to simplicity or weakness, became tools in their hands and even their supporters.
But in spite of their profession of faith, the lure of worldly gains had utterly blinded them to the light that was spreading in the world through the teachings of the Qur'an and the Holy Prophet Muhammad IAllah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The indirect address to the hypocrites here has three things in view: Firstly, to admonish them, for the first and foremost demand of Allah's providence and His mercy is to go on admonishing the misguided and the erring one till the last in spite of his persistence in mischief and wickedness.
Secondly, to differentiate clearly between belief and hypocrisy so that every right thinking person from the Muslim community should be able to distinguish between a true believer and a hypocrite.
Then if anybody, in spite of this differentiation, falls a prey to the machinations of the hypocrites or supports them, he should himself be responsible for his conduct.

Thirdly, to warn the hypocrites clearly and plainly that Allah's promises for the believers are meant only for those who sincerely believe and then fulfil the demands and requirements of their Faith.
These promises are not meant for anybody who poses himself as a Muslim.
The hypocrites and the sinful people therefore should not cherish any hope that they will have any share in these.

*62) The phrase " heavens and the earth " in the Qur'an is generally used for the " universe ".
Thus the verse would also mean: " Allah is the light of the whole universe "
Light is something which makes things visible; which is itself manifest and helps make other things manifest.
The human mind conceives light in this very sense.
Absence of light is termed darkness, invisibility and obscurity.
On the other hand, when there is visibility and things become exposed to view, man says there is light.
AIlah has been called `Light' in this basic sense, and not in the sense of a beam of light which travels at the speed of 186,000 miles per second and stimulates the optic nerve through the retina.
This conception of light has nothing to do with the reality of the meaning for which human mind has coined this word; rather the word light is used for alI those lights which we experience in this physical world All human words used for Allah are used in their basic sense and meaning, and not with reference to their physical connotation.
For instance, when, the word " sight " is used with respect to Allah, it dces not mean that AIlah has an eye like men and animals with which He sees.
Similarly when we say that AIlah 'hears' or 'grips' or 'grasps', it does not mean that He hears through ears, or grips or grasps with the hand like us.
These words are used in a metaphorical sense and only a man of very poor intelligence would have the misconception that hearing or seeing or grasping is not possible except in the limited and specific sense in which we experience it.
Similarly it will be shortsightedness to interpret the word 'light' in the sense of physical light rays emanating from a luminous body and affecting the retina.
This word is not applicable to AIIah in its limited sense, but in its absolute sense.
That is, He alone in this universe is the real and prime " Cause of manifestation ", otherwise there is nothing but darkness.
here.
Everything which gives light and illuminates other things has got its light from Him; it has no light of its own .

The word light is also used for knowledge, and ignorance is termed as darkness.
Allah is the Light of the universe in this sense too, because the knowledge of Reality and of right Guidance can be obtained from Him alone; without having recourse to His `Light', there will be nothing but darkness of ignorance and the resultant vice and wickedness in the world.

*63) " Blessed ": yielding multiple benefits
*64) which is neither eastern nor western" : which grows in an open plane or on a hill, where it gets sunshine from morning till evening.
Such an olive tree yields tine oil which gives a bright light.
On the other hand, a tree which gets sunlight only from the east or only from the west, yields thick oil which gives weak light.

*65) In this parable, AIlah has been likened to the Lamp and the universe to the Niche.
The glass shade is the veil behind which Allah has concealed Himself from His creation.
This veil is not a physical veil for concealment, but a veil caused by the intensity of Divine manifestation.
The human eye is unable to see Him not because of the intervening darkness but because of the intensity of the all pervading, aII-embracing Light radiating through the transparent veil.
The human vision which is limited in nature cannot comprehend it.
It can only comprehend and perceive limited physical lights which vary in brightness, which disappear and reappear, and Which can be perceived only by contrast to existing darkness.
But the 'Absolute Light' has no confronting dark ness: it does not vanish, it shines forth and pervades aII around with ever-existing glory; it is beyond human perception and comprehension.

As for "the lamp which is lit with the oil of a blessed olive tree, which is neither eastern nor western" ', this is a metaphor to give an idea of the perfect light of the lamp and its brilliance.
In antiquity the source for brilliant light were the olive lamps, and the most superior oil for the purpose was that obtained from a tree standing in an open and elevated place.
The epithet of Lamp for Allah in the parable does trot mean that AIIah is deriving His energy from some external source.
It only means that the Lamp of the parable is not an ordinary lamp but the most brilliant lamp that can be imagined.
Just as a brilliant lamp illuminates the whale house, so has Allah illuminated the whole universe.

Again, the words " ....
its oil is ( so fine ) as if it were going to shine forth by itself though no fire touched it" , are also meant to emphasize the brilliance of :he light of the lamp, which is being fed by the finest and most readily combustible oil.
The 'olive' and 'its being neither eastern nor western', and 'high combustibility of its oil by itself' ( without fire ), are not the essential elements of the parable, but attributes of the lamp, which is the primary element of the parable.
The essential elements of the parable are only three: the Lamp, the Niche and the transparent Glass Shade.

The sentence, "His light may be likened......" , dispels the possible misunderstanding that one could have front the words: "'Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth." This shows that the use of the word "light" for Allah does not at all mean that the essence of His Being is nothing but 'light'.
In essence, He is a Perfect Being, Who is AII-Knowing, All-Powerful, All-Wise etc.
and also possessing aII 'Light' H2 has been called 'Light' itself because of His Perfection as a Source of Light, just as somebody may be called `Grace' on account of his being highly gracious and beneficent and 'Beauty' because of his being highly beautiful and attractive.

*66)
That is, although Allah's Light is illuminating the whole world, everybody does not and cannot perceive it.
It is Allah alone Who blesses whomsoever He wills with the capacity for perceiving His Light and benefiting by it.
Just as the day and night are alike to a blind man, so is the case of a man without the gift of inner perception: he may see the electric light, the sunlight, the moonlight and the light from stars, but he cannot perceive the Light of AIlah.
For him.
there is nothing but darkness in the universe.
Just as a blind man cannot see the stone in his way unless he stumbles over it, so is the man without the gift of inner perception, who cannot perceive even those realities around him which may he aII brilliance and shining by Allah's Light.
He will perceive them only when he is overtaken by the consequences of his own misdeeds.

*67)
This means two things: First, He knows what parable can best explain a certain reality, and secondly, He knows who is entitled to receive this bounty and who is not.
Allah has no need to show His Light to the one who has do desire or longing for it and who is utterly lost in worldly pursuits and in seeking material pleasures and gains.
This bounty can be bestowed only on the one who in the knowledge of Allah has a sincere desire for it.

 

The Parable of the Light of Allah `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. ) means, the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth.
Ibn Jurayj said: "Mujahid and Ibn `Abbas said concerning the Ayah: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. ) He is controlling their affairs and their stars and sun and moon." As-Suddi said concerning the Ayah: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ ( Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. ) by His Light the heavens and earth are illuminated.
In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up to pray at night, he would say: «اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ» ( O Allah, to You be praise, You are the Sustainer of heaven and 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.
) It was narrated that Ibn Mas`ud said, "There is no night or day with your Lord; the Light of the Throne comes from the Light of His Face." مَثَلُ نُورِهِ ( The parable of His Light ) There are two views concerning the meaning of the pronoun ( His ).
The first is that it refers to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, meaning that the parable of His guidance in the heart of the believer is كَمِشْكَاةٍ ( as a niche ) This was the view of Ibn `Abbas.
The second view is that the pronoun refers to the believer, which is indicated by the context of the words and implies that the parable of the light in the heart of the believer is as a niche.
So the heart of the believer and what he is naturally inclined to of guidance and what he learns of the Qur'an which is in accordance with his natural inclinations are, as Allah says: أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ ( Can they who rely on a clear proof from their Lord, and whom a witness from Him recites it (can they be equal with the disbelievers )) 11:17.
The heart of the believer in its purity and clarity is likened to a lamp in transparent and jewel-like glass, and the Qur'an and Shari`ah by which it is guided are likened to good, pure, shining oil in which there is no impurity or deviation. كَمِشْكَاةٍ ( as (if there were ) a niche) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b and others said, "This refers to the position of the wick in the lamp." This is well-known, and hence Allah then says: فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ( and within it a lamp. ) This is the flame that burns brightly.
Or it was said that the niche is a niche in the house.
This is the parable given by Allah of obedience towards Him.
Allah calls obedience to Him as light, then He calls it by other numerous names as well.
Ubayy bin Ka`b said, "The lamp is the light, and this refers to the Qur'an and the faith that is in his heart." As-Suddi said, "It is the lamp." الْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ( the lamp is in a glass, ) means, this light is shining in a clear glass.
Ubayy bin Ka`b and others said, "This is the likeness of the heart of the believer." الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ ( the glass as it were a star Durriyyun, ) Some authorities recite the word Durriyyun with a Dammah on the Dal and without a Hamzah, which means pearls, i.e., as if it were a star made of pearls ( Durr ).
Others recite it as Dirri'un or Durri'un, with a Kasrah on the Dal, or Dammah on the Dal, and with a Hamzah at the end, which means reflection ( Dir' ), because if something is shone on the star it becomes brighter than at any other time.
The Arabs call the stars they do not know Darari.
Ubayy bin Ka`b said: a shining star.
Qatadah said: "Huge, bright and clear." يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَـرَكَةٍ ( lit from a blessed tree, ) means, it is derived from olive oil, from a blessed tree. زَيْتُونَةٍ ( an olive, ) This refers to the blessed tree mentioned previously. لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ ( neither of the east nor of the west, ) means, it is not in the eastern part of the land so that it does not get any sun in the first part of the day, nor is it in the western part of the land so that it is shaded from the sun before sunset, but it is in a central position where it gets sun from the beginning of the day until the end, so its oil is good and pure and shining.
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented on: زَيْتُونَةٍ لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ ( an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, ) "This is a tree in the desert which is not shaded by any other tree or mountain or cave, nothing covers it, and this is best for its oil." Mujahid commented on: لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ ( neither of the east nor of the west, ) saying; "It is not in the east where it will get no sun when the sun sets, nor is it in the west where it will get no sun when the sun rises, but it is in a position where it will get sun both at sunrise and sunset." Sa`id bin Jubayr commented: زَيْتُونَةٍ لاَّ شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلاَ غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىءُ ( an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself )) "This is the best kind of oil.
When the sun rises it reaches the tree from the east and when it sets it reaches it from the west, so the sun reaches it morning and evening, so it is not counted as being in the east or in the west." يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ( whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself ), though no fire touched it.) `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said ( this means ) because the oil itself is shining. نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ ( Light upon Light! ) Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas that this meant the faith and deeds of a person.
As-Suddi said: نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ ( Light upon Light! ) "Light of the fire and the light of the oil: when they are combined they give light, and neither of them can give light without the other.
Similarly the light of the Qur'an and the light of faith give light when they are combined, and neither can do so without the other." يَهْدِى اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ( Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. ) means, Allah shows the way to the ones whom He chooses, as it says in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from `Abdullah bin `Amr, who said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: «إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ خَلْقَهُ فِي ظُلْمَةٍ ثُمَّ أَلْقَى عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ نُورِهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ، فَمَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْ نُورِهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ اهْتَدَى وَمَنْ أَخْطَأَ ضَلَّ فَلِذَلِكَ أَقُولُ: جَفَّ الْقَلَمُ عَلَى عِلْمِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ» ( Allah created His creation in darkness, then on the same day He sent His Light upon them.
Whoever was touched by His Light on that day will be guided and whoever was missed will be led astray.
Hence I say: the pens have dried in accordance with the knowledge of Allah, may He be glorified. )" وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الاٌّمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلَيِمٌ ( And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything. ) Having mentioned this parable of the Light of His guidance in the heart of the believer, Allah ends this Ayah with the words: وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الاٌّمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلَيِمٌ ( And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything. ) meaning, He knows best who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be led astray.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «الْقُلُوبُ أَرْبَعَةٌ: قَلْبٌ أَجْرَدُ فِيهِ مِثْلُ السِّرَاجِ يُزْهِرُ، وَقَلْبٌ أَغْلَفُ مَرْبُوطٌ عَلَى غِلَافِهِ، وَقَلْبٌ مَنْكُوسٌ، وَقَلْبٌ مُصْفَحٌ.
فَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْأَجْرَدُ: فَقَلْبُ الْمُؤْمِنِ سِرَاجُهُ فِيهِ نُورُهُ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْأَغْلَفُ فَقَلْبُ الْكَافِرِ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمَنْكُوسُ فَقَلْبُ الْمُنَافِقِ، عَرَفَ ثُمَّ أَنْكَرَ، وَأَمَّا الْقَلْبُ الْمُصْفَحُ فَقَلْبٌ فِيهِ إِيمَانٌ وَنِفَاقٌ، وَمَثَلُ الْإِيمَانِ فِيهِ كَمَثَلِ الْبَقْلَةِ يُمِدُّهَا الْمَاءُ الطَّيِّبُ،وَمَثَلُ النِّفَاقِ فِيهِ كَمَثَلِ الْقَرْحَةِ يُمِدُّهَا الدَّمُ وَالْقَيْحُ، فَأَيُّ الْمدَّتَيْنِ غَلَبَتْ عَلَى الْأُخْرَى غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ» ( Hearts are of four kinds: the heart that is clear like a shining lamp; the heart that is covered and tied up; the heart that is upside-down; and the heart that is clad in armor.
As for the clear heart, it is the heart of the believer in which is a lamp filled with light; as for the covered heart, this is the heart of the disbeliever; as for the upside-down heart, this is the heart of the hypocrite, who recognizes then denies; as for the armor-clad heart, this is the heart in which there is both faith and hypocrisy.
The parable of the faith in it is that of legume, a sprout that is irrigated with good water, and the likeness of the hypocrisy in it is that of sores that are fed by blood and pus.
Whichever of the two prevails is the characteristic that will dominate. ) Its chain of narrators is good ( Jayyid ) although they ( Al-Bukhari and Muslim ) did not record it.

Allah then mentioned the honour and blessings that He had bestowed upon the believers, saying: ( Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth ) He is the guide of the dwellers of the heaves and earth. Guidance from Allah is of two types: clarification and making things known; it is also said that the verse means: Allah is the embellisher of the heavens by means of the stars and the embellisher of the earth by means of plants and water; it is also said that this means: Allah enlightens the hearts of the believers among the dwellers of the heavens and the earth. ( The similitude of His light ) the light of the believers; it is also said that this means: the light of Allah in the heart of the believer ( is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass ) made of gems. ( The glass is as it were a shining star ) one of the following five planets: Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn. All these planets are luminous. ( (This lamp is ) kindled from a blessed tree) from the oil of a blessed tree, ( an olive neither of the East nor of the West ) in an open space, not touched by the shade of the East nor by the shade of the West; it is also said that this means: in a location which is untouched by the sun when it rises and when it sets, ( whose oil ) the oil of the tree ( would almost glow forth (of itself )) from behind its rind ( though no fire touched it. Light upon light ) the lamp emits light and the glass emits light and the oil emits light, ( Allah guideth unto His light ) Allah honours with knowledge; it is also said that this means: Allah honours with His religion ( whom He will ) whoever deserves it; it is also said that the verse means: the likeness of the light of Muhammad in the loins of his forefathers is like this, up to Allah’s saying ( kindled from a blessed tree ). He says: the light of Muhammad in Abraham was an upright religion ( olive tree ), and Abraham was neither Jew nor Christian ( neither of the East nor of the West ), the works of Abraham would almost glow forth in the loins of his forefathers like this ( would almost glow forth (of itself )), up until Allah’s saying ( kindled from a blessed tree ) He says: as if it is the light of Muhammad ( pbuh ) and if Abraham was not a prophet, he would still have this light ( though no fire touched it ); it is also said that the latter passage means: Had Allah not honoured Abraham, he would not have had this light; it is also said: if Allah had not honoured His believing servant with this light, he would not have had it.

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.

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