سورة النُّور
Surah Al-Nûr 24:35
The Light · Verse 35 of 64
اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Abdul Mannan Omar
Allâh is the Extensive Light of the heavens and the earth. His light can be compared to a (lustrous) pillar on which a lamp is put. The lamp is inside a crystal globe. The globe of glass is as if it were a glittering star. It (- the lamp) is lit by (the oil of) a blessed olive tree which belongs neither to the east nor to the west (rather welds the whole world in its fold). Its oil is likely to glow forth of itself even if no fire touch it. This (lamp) is a combination of many lights over and over. Allâh guides towards His light whoever desires (to be enlightened). And Allâh sets forth excellent parables for the people, and Allâh alone has full knowledge of every thing.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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 enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things.
Ahmed Ali
God is the light of the heavens and the earth. The semblance of His light is that of a niche in which is a lamp, the flame within a glass, the glass a glittering star as it were, lit with the oil of a blessed tree, the olive, neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil appears to light up even though fire touches it not, -- light upon light. God guides to His light whom He will. So does God advance precepts of wisdom for men, for God has knowledge of everything.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
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.
Daryabadi
Allah 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 glass; the glass is as though it were a star brilliant; lit from a tree blest, an olive, neither in the east nor in the west; well-nigh its oil would glow forth even though fire touch it not. light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whomsoever He will: And Allah propoundeth similitudes for mankind: verily Allah is of everything the Knower.
Faridul Haque
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth; the example of His light is like a niche in which is a lamp; the lamp is in a glass; the glass is as if it were a star shining like a pearl, kindled by the blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west – it is close that the oil itself get ablaze although the fire does not touch it; light upon light; Allah guides towards His light whomever He wills; and Allah illustrates examples for mankind; and Allah knows everything. (The Holy Prophet is a light from Allah)
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. A likeness of His light is as a pillar on which is a lamp -- the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as it were a brightly shining star -- lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof gives light, though fire touch it not -- light upon light. Allah hides to His light whom He pleases. And Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Knower of all things --
Maulvi Sher Ali
ALLAH is the light of the heavens and the earth. HIS light is as if there were a lustrous niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is inside a glass-globe. The globe is, as it were, a glittering star. The lamp is lit from the oil of a blessed tree -an olive - neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil well-nigh would shine forth even though fire touched it not. Light upon light ! ALLAH guides to HIS light whomsoever HE pleases. And ALLAH sets forth parables for men, and ALLAH knows all things full well.
Muhammad Asad
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is, as it were, that of a niche containing a lamp; the lamp is [enclosed] in glass, the glass [shining] like a radiant star [a lamp] lit from a blessed tree - an olive-tree that is neither of the east nor of the west - the oil whereof [is so bright that it] would well-nigh give light [of itself] even though fire had not touched it: light upon light!
Muhammad Musin Khan
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.
Muhammad Pickthall
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) 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. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things.
Muhammad Sarwar
God is the light of the heavens and the earth. A metaphor for His light is a niche in which there is a lamp placed in a glass. The glass is like a shining star which is lit from a blessed olive tree that is neither eastern nor western. Its oil almost lights up even though it has not been touched by the fire. It is light upon light. God guides to His light whomever He wants. God uses various metaphors. He has the knowledge of all things.
Muhammed ali Shakir
Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not-- light upon light-- Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things.
Rashad Khalifa
GOD is the light of the heavens and the earth. The allegory of His light is that of a concave mirror behind a lamp that is placed inside a glass container. The glass container is like a bright, pearl-like star. The fuel thereof is supplied from a blessed oil-producing tree, that is neither eastern, nor western. Its oil is almost self-radiating; needs no fire to ignite it. Light upon light. GOD guides to His light whoever wills (to be guided). GOD thus cites the parables for the people. GOD is fully aware of all things.
Shabbir Ahmed
(This Advisory of) God is the Light of the heavens and earth. The example of His Light is that of the morning star in a splendid lamp placed in a niche made of pearls. This lamp is kindled from a blessed source, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, shining with boundless radiance. Its Light issues forth in all directions, untouched by foreign illumination. This Light glows by itself, beaming like a shiny candle, a cool chandelier. Light upon Light! God guides to His Light anyone who seeks guidance. This is one of the allegories God sets forth for men and women. God is Knower of all things and events.
Commentary 24:35 With these words Allâh describes His relationship to a human being and His servant, who came close to Him while treading on the path of piety (taqwâ) as…
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
24:35 With these words Allâh describes His relationship to a human being and His servant, who came close to Him while treading on the path of piety (taqwâ) as shown by Him (cf. 23:1-10 and 23:57-61). The verse contains very beautiful and highly sublime metaphors. It begins with the Divine Attribute of Light – Nûr نُّورٌ, which is Allâh’s Attribute of Incomparability (39:69) and tells how His Light falls on other objects of His creation and how it illuminates some human souls. For this He uses the beautiful metaphoric expression Nûr ‘alâ Nûr - نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ
In the preceding chapter it was stated that through the Holy Qur’ân people would continue to be raised who would win Allâh’s pleasure (24:55; cf. 23:10, 18, 44). The characteristics of such people were described in verses 23:1-10 and 23:57-61). The same knowledge is here encapsulated in the allegorical words Nûr ‘alâ Nûrنُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ , “Light upon Light over and over”; that is to say that there shall be servants of Allâh who shall receive Allâh’s Light and guide others who are groping in darkness (cf.: 24:55). The source of their light of guidance shall be the only One source that is Allâh. Allâh Himself is the source of all lights and He is the Fountainhead of all mercies and laws.
The Divine Light manifests itself and manifests others (Nûr ‘alâ Nûrنُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ). The Light is perceptible, and at the same time it is a source by which perception takes place. Every light that is visible on the heights or in the valleys, whether in soul or in bodies, whether personal or impersonal, whether apparent or hidden, whether in the mind or outside it, is a bounty of this Grace. His Light envelopes everything and nothing is deprived of it. It penetrates all things and casts no shadow.
Nûr ‘alâ Nûr, Light upon Light, over and over, is to say there are other lights whose source is Allâh. The Light of Wisdom shines on the path of wisdom and knowledge. Similarly, the Light of guidance shines upon the path that guides His servant to Him. When the two lights are combined, it is Light upon Light. The light by which the servant of Allâh is guided is the Light of Certainty of the existence of Allâh. This combined light makes visible the unseen angelic realms in the heavens and the earth. In darkness, beauty cannot be perceived, and in darkness, the way is lost. In spiritual terminology the Prophets and Auliyâs (Saints) in general and the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in particular are manifestations of this Divine Light (5:15, 44).
The glass globe surrounding the lamp protects the light received by the servant of Allâh from being extinguished by the puffs of wind (their enemies), and the niche preserves the light over the length of time. The light placed high on the pillar, to illuminate the entire world, is the light of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
The oil of the blessed tree, which fuels the lamp of Revelation, suffers neither from excess nor from deficiency, and has been made in the best mold of the fine bright and high (moral) qualities, which are nourished by the clear fountain of perfect reason. The Divine Light in the form of Revelation always descends in accord with the nature of the person to whom it is vouchsafed (5:15). When the Divine Revelation descends under Divine Command, Law lam tamassahu al Nâr نَارٌوَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ - such an oil (the recipient of the Divine Revelation) needs no ignition, as this oil is already radiating from the Divine Light.
According to ImâmGhazâlî the human soul has five main faculties:
1) The sensory faculty that receives the information perceived by the five senses;
2) The imaginative faculty that records the information conveyed by the senses and presents it to the intelligent spirit above it;
3) The intelligent spirit, which apprehends ideas beyond the spheres of sense and imagination;
4) The discursive or rational spirit, which takes the data of pure reason, combines them, and deduces from them abstract knowledge;
5) The transcendental prophetic spirit found in Prophets and saints.
These five faculties are symbolized by the Niche, Glass, Lamp, Tree, and Oil. All these are related to lights, for it is through them that all kinds of existing things are manifested.
Eyesight cannot perceive this Light (6:103) except through Faith. Allâh is concealed within His own Light, as He calls Himself al-Bâtin, The Hidden One. When someone with Faith knows the ways of “striking,” this Light becomes visible. So one can witness Him only through Light, and the Light is He.