of Nokounam, (Session 1753)
Surah An-Nur in the Holy Qur'an occupies an unparalleled position, akin to a precious gateway within the treasury of divine knowledge. This Surah, centred around the Light Verse (Ayah 35), introduces the Divine Light as the essence of existence and the axis of human guidance. This treatise endeavours, through a profound examination of this verse and its related ayat, to explore the exalted concepts of guardianship (wilayah), guidance, and human perfections under the illumination of Divine Light, employing a clear and dignified language. The present analysis, relying on Shii and mystical exegeses and utilising a scientific and systematic approach, elucidates the role of the Infallibles (peace be upon them) in the manifestation of Divine Light and the system of cosmic transformations. This work, whilst preserving the spirit and original message of the verses, invites the reader to contemplate the profound meanings of the Qur'anic text through a coherent and argumentative structure.
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
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His Light is as a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp enclosed in glass, the glass as if it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil almost gives light though fire does not touch it. Light upon light. God guides to His Light whom He wills. And God sets forth parables for mankind, and God is Knower of all things.
The Light Verse commences with the declaration that God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. This Light is the essence of existence and the origin of both material and spiritual life that encompasses all dimensions of creation. Divine Light is a transcendent reality which, in mystical and Shii exegeses, is regarded as the manifestation of the Essence of the Exalted Creator within the realm of creation. This Light not only provides the apparent illumination of the cosmos but also constitutes the axis of spiritual and epistemic guidance for humanity. Accordingly, Divine Light is manifested in the human realm through the lights of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), who illuminate the path of guidance for mankind.
The Light Verse employs novel parables to depict Divine Light through tangible elements: the mishkat (niche), misbah (lamp), zujajah (transparent glass), and the shajarah mubarakah (blessed tree). These elements illustrate the hierarchical manifestation of Divine Light within the human realm. In Shii exegesis, the mishkat is interpreted as the pure heart of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) or Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), which is the locus of the Light of guardianship. The misbah symbolises the light of prophethood or Imamate, and the zujajah represents the hearts of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), which, due to their intrinsic purity, transmit Divine Light without distortion.
The shajarah mubarakah, referring to the olive tree which is neither eastern nor western, is interpreted in Shii narrations as the pure tree of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). The attribute neither eastern nor western denotes the universality and comprehensiveness of the Light of guardianship, transcending material and geographical limitations. The spontaneous illumination of the oil, indicated in the phrase whose oil almost gives light though fire does not touch it, refers to the inherent purity of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), who radiate Divine Light without the need for external factors.
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۖ
God is the Guardian of those who believe; He brings them out of darkness into the light.
The above verse, found in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:257), emphasises the role of guardianship in the transformation of darkness into light. Within the system of guardianship, the Infallibles (peace be upon them), as intermediaries of divine grace, play a pivotal role in this transformation. This transformation occurs not only in the spiritual dimension (guidance of hearts) but also in the material dimension (creation of the cosmos). Divine Light attains its zenith in the existence of the Infallibles (peace be upon them), and through them, human beings are guided from the lower ranks of existence to exalted perfections.
In this context, the phrase Light upon light in the Light Verse refers to the intimate connection between the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Each of these lights completes another, manifesting successive layers of light within the human realm. This concept accentuates the system of guardianship as the axis of human guidance.
The Infallibles (peace be upon them), as manifestations of Divine Light, reveal the Names and Attributes of God within the human realm. This role is highlighted in a narration attributed to the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him): Whoever dies seeing me (i.e., recognising me), dies in the state of faith. This statement points to the exalted status of the Infallibles (peace be upon them) within the system of guardianship. They, as divine treasures, are implicitly and embeddedly present within the Holy Quran and bear the responsibility of guiding humanity.
This indirect presence is symbolically elucidated in the parables of the Light Verse and explicitly articulated in narrations. The Infallibles (peace be upon them), as intermediaries of divine grace, radiate Divine Light within the human realm and guide humanity towards knowledge and guidance. This role is also reflected in the phrase whose oil almost gives light though fire does not touch it, indicating the spontaneous illumination of the Light of guardianship within the existence of the Infallibles (peace be upon them).
الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ ۖ
He who created the heavens and the earth and made darkness and light.
In Islamic philosophy and Quranic exegesis, darkness is considered the lower degrees of light. This notion corresponds with the above verse from Surah Al-Anm, which presents darkness and light as complementary aspects of creation. Even the weakest creatures, such as viruses and microbes, possess created light, albeit at the lower levels. The system of cosmic transformations, elucidated in verses such as He brings them out of darkness into the light, demonstrates the dynamism of the cosmos in which light and darkness perpetually transform into one another.
These transformations occur within the framework of divine guardianship and guidance. Divine Light extends from the lower realms (darkness) to the exalted realms (light), and the Infallibles (peace be upon them), as intermediaries of this transformation, play a critical role. This dynamic system depicts the cosmos as a theatre of continual transformations between light and darkness.
The Light Verse and subsequent verses (such as Ayah 36 of Surah An-Nur) refer to the role of remembrance and tasbih (glorification of God) in strengthening Divine Light. Tasbih, as both an inner and outer act, manifests through invocations and ritual acts such as performing the prayer and giving alms. These acts elevate a persons light from the earthly (
