24 Sura Nur [the Light], Madina 102
The Quranic text and Ali’s version
اللَّهُ
نُورُ
...
Allahu Nuru
24:35. Allah is the Light ...
C2996. Embedded within certain directions concerning a refined domestic and social life, comes this glorious parable of light, which contains layer upon layer of transcendent truth about spiritual mysteries.
No notes can do adequate justice to its full meaning. Volumes have been written on this subject. In these notes I propose to explain the simplest meaning of this passage. (R).
... السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ...
Allahu nooru alssamawati waal-ardi
... of the heavens and the earth.
C2997. The physical light is but a reflection of the true Light in the world of Reality, and that true Light is Allah.
We can only think of Allah in terms of our phenomenal experience, and in the phenomenal world, light is the purest thing we know, but physical light has drawbacks incidental to its physical nature: e.g.
- it is dependent upon some source external to itself;
- it is a passing phenomenon; if we take it to be a form of motion or energy it is unstable, like all physical phenomena;
- it is dependent on space and time;
its speed is 186,000 miles per second, and there are stars whose light takes thousands of years before it reaches the earth.
The perfect Light of Allah is free from any such defects. (R).
...مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ...
mathalu noorihi kamishkatin feeha misbahun
The parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a lamp:
...الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ...
almisbahu fee zujajatin
the Lamp enclosed in Glass:
C2998. The first three points in the Parable centre round the symbols of the Niche, the Lamp, and the Glass.
1. The Niche (Mishkat) is the little shallow recess in the wall of an Eastern house, fairly high from the ground, in which a light (before the days of electricity) was usually placed. Its height enabled it to diffuse the light in the room and minimised the shadows.
The background of the wall and the sides of the niche helped to throw the light well into the room, and if the wan was white-washed, it also acted as a reflector: the opening in front made the way for the light.
So with the spiritual Light; it is placed high, above worldly things; it has a niche or habitation of its own, in Revelation and other Signs of Allah; its access to men is by a special Way, open to all, yet closed to those who refuse its rays.
2. The Lamp is the core of the spiritual Truth, which is the real illumination; the Niche is nothing without it; the Niche is actually made for it.
3. The Glass is the transparent medium through which the Light passes. On the one hand, it protects the light from moths and other forms of low life and from gusts of wind, and on the other, it transmits the fight through a medium which is made up of and akin to the grosser substances of the earth (such as sand, soda, potash, etc.), so arranged as to admit the subtle to the gross by its transparency.
So the spiritual Truth has to be filtered through human language or human intelligence to make it intelligible to mankind.
...الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ...
alzzujajatu kaannaha kawkabun durriyyun
the glass as it were a brilliant star:
C2999. The glass by itself does not shine. But when the light comes into it, it shines like a brilliant star.
So men of God, who preach Allah's Truth, are themselves illuminated by Allah's light and become the illuminating media through which that Light spreads and permeates human life.
...يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونِةٍ...
yooqadu min shajaratin mubarakatin zaytoonatin
lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive,
C3000. The olive tree is not a very impressive tree in its outward appearance. Its leaves have a dull greenish-brown colour, and in size it is inconspicuous. But its oil is used in sacred ceremonies and forms a wholesome ingredient of food. The fruit has a specially fine flavour.
Cf. n. 2880 to 23:20.
For the illuminating quality of its oil, see n. 3002 below.
...لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ...
la sharqiyyatin wala gharbiyyatin
neither of the East nor of the West,
C3001. This mystic Olive is not localised. It is neither of the East nor of the West. It is universal, for such is Allah's Light.
As applied to the olive, there is also a more literal meaning, which can be allegorised in a different way.
An olive tree with an eastern aspect gets only the rays of the morning sun; one with a western aspect, only the rays of the western sun. In the northern hemisphere the south aspect will give the sun's rays a great part of the day, while a north aspect will shut them out altogether, and vice versa in the southern hemisphere.
But a tree in the open plain or on a hill will get perpetual sunshine by day; it will be more mature, and the fruit and oil will be of superior quality. So Allah's light is not localised or immature: it is perfect and universal.
...يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ...
yakadu zaytuha yudee-o walaw lam tamsas-hu narun
whose Oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it:
C3002. Pure olive oil is beautiful in colour, consistency, and illuminating power.
The world has tried all kinds of illuminants, and for economic reasons or convenience, one replaces another. But for coolness, comfort to the eyes, and steadiness, vegetable oils are superior to electricity, mineral oils, and animal oils.
And among vegetable oils, olive oil takes a high place and deserves its sacred associations. Its purity is almost like light itself: you may suppose it to be almost light before it is lit.
So with spiritual Truth: it illuminates the mind and understanding imperceptibly, almost before the human mind and heart have been consciously touched by it.
...نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ...
noorun AAala noorin
Light upon Light!
...يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاء...
yahdee Allahu linoorihi man yashao
Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light.
...وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ...
wayadribu Allahu al-amthala lilnnasi
Allah doth set forth Parables for men:
...وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٣٥﴾
waAllahu bikulli shay-in AAaleemun
and Allah doth know all things.
C3003. Glorious, illimitable Light, which cannot be described or measured. And there are grades and grades of it, passing transcendently into regions of spiritual height, which man's imagination can scarcely conceive of. The topmost pinnacle is the true prototypal Light, the real Light, of which all others were reflections, the Light of Allah. Hence the saying of the Holy Prophet about Allah's "Seventy thousand veils of Light".
Other Versions
Asad
24:34 [an-Nur, Medina 102]
AND, INDEED, from on high have We bestowed upon you messages clearly showing the truth, and [many] a lesson from [the stories of] those who have passed away before you, and [many] an admonition to the God-conscious.
24:35
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is, as it were, 50 that of a niche containing a lamp; the lamp is [enclosed] in glass, the glass [shining] like a radiant star: 51 [a lamp] lit from a blessed tree - an olive-tree that is neither of the east nor of the west 52 - 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! 53
God guides unto His light him that wills [to be guided]; 54 and [to this end] God propounds parables unto men, since God [alone] has full knowledge of all things. 55
Allahu nooru alssamawati waal-ardi mathalu noorihi kamishkatin feeha misbahun almisbahu fee zujajatin alzzujajatu kaannaha kawkabun durriyyun yooqadu min shajaratin mubarakatin zaytoonatin la sharqiyyatin wala gharbiyyatin yakadu zaytuha yudee-o walaw lam tamsas-hu narun noorun AAala noorin yahdee Allahu linoorihi man yashao wayadribu Allahu al-amthala lilnnasi waAllahu bikulli shay-in AAaleemun |
Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning |
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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! God guides unto His light him that wills [to be guided]; and [to this end] God propounds parables unto men, since God [alone] has full knowledge of all things. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as a niche in which there is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as if it had been a glittering star, kindled from a blessed olive tree, neither eastern nor western, whose oil of the olive is about to illuminate although no fire touches it. Light on light, God guides to His Light whom He wills! And God propounds parables for humanity, and God is Knowing of everything. |
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God is the light of the heavens and the earth. His light may be compared to a niche containing a lamp, the lamp inside a crystal of star-like brilliance lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west.a The [luminous] oil is as if ready to burn without even touching it. Light upon light; God guides to His light whom He will. God draws such comparisons for mankind; God has full knowledge of everything. |
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God is the Light of Heaven and Earth! His light may be compared to a niche in which there is a lamp; the lamp is in a glass; the glass is just as if it were a glittering star kindled from a blessed olive tree, [which is] neither Eastern nor Western, whose oil will almost glow though fire has never touched it. Light upon light, God guides anyone He wishes to His light. God composes parables for mankind; God is Aware of everything! |
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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. |
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God is the Light of the heavens and the Earth. The example of His light is like a concave mirror within a lamp, the lamp is within a glass, the glass is like a radiant planet, which is lit from a blessed olive tree that is neither of the east nor of the west, its oil nearly gives off light even if not touched by fire. Light upon light, God guides to His light whom He pleases. And God sets forth parables for mankind, and God is aware of all things. |
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Ali’s version
...وَلَقَدْ
أَنزَلْنَا
إِلَيْكُمْ
آيَاتٍ مُّبَيِّنَاتٍ...
24: 34. We have already sent down to you verses making things clear,
...وَمَثَلًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٣٤﴾
an illustration from (the story of) people who passed away before you, and an admonition for those who fear (Allah).
C2995. This prepares the way for the magnificent Verse of Light that follows, and its sublime meaning. (R).
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