Verses 35–46

Chapter 24: Al-Nūr (The Light) · Printed edition: Volume 29, pp. 159–190

These verses present a distinction between true believers and disbelievers. The believers are led by their righteous deeds to a light from their Lord, which results in their knowledge of God, and leads them to the best of rewards and graces from God on the day when veils will be lifted from their hearts and eyes. The disbelievers, on the contrary, have actions that only lead them to a mirage that has no reality. They are in layers of darkness, one above another. God has not given them light, and thus they have no light.

God explains this distinction by talking about two kinds of light that He has. He has a universal light with which the heavens and the earth are lit. It is with His light that all things appear in the realm of existence, without which they would have been invisible [that is, non-existent]. Evidently, if something (call it A) were to make another thing (call it B) to appear and manifest, then A must itself be apparent and manifest to begin with. This is exactly the definition of “light”: it is something that is manifest itself, and also brings other things to manifestation. Hence, God is a “Light,” because through His illumination the heavens and the earth [that is, the entire world of creation] appear and come to manifestation. In this sense, the divine light is like physical light, which makes dark objects visible to the senses by shining upon them. The difference is that in the case of divine light, making things appear is the same as making them exist; but in the case of physical light, the manifestation of dark objects is not the same as their existence [that is, they exist nonetheless, whether they are shined upon or not].

Besides His universal light, God also has a special light that benefits the believers in particular. They attain this light through their righteous deeds. This is the light of maʿrifah (gnosis, knowledge of God) that illuminates their hearts and eyes on a day when “the hearts and the eyes shall turn about” (). This light will lead them to eternal bliss and felicity, and with this light they will witness, with the eye of insight, what was hidden from them in this world. God has compared this light to a lamp that is in a glass in a niche, kindled by an oil that is at the utmost degree of clarity. The glass also shines as if it were a glittering star, adding light upon light. This lamp is placed in houses of worship, where God is glorified by certain men among the believers who are not distracted from the remembrance of their Lord and His service by any trade or sale.

Thus is the description of the light of divine knowledge, with which God honors the believers, and which leads to eternal salvation. He has forbidden this light to the disbelievers and leaves them in layers of darkness where they cannot see [the truth]. God exclusively bestows such light from Himself upon one who engages in His service and turns away from the frail and passing goods of worldly life. Indeed, God does as He wills; to Him belongs the sovereignty [over the entire world of existence], and toward Him is the end of all affairs []. He rules as He wants; He sends down rain and hail from the same cloud []; He turns over the night and the day []; and He makes some animals walk on their belly, some on two feet, and some on four, while He has created them all from water [].

These verses are not altogether disconnected from the previous verses. The previous verses about the legal rulings and injunctions ended by saying: And certainly We have sent to you clarifying communications and a description of those who have passed away before you, and an admonition to those who guard (against evil) (). His revelation of “clarifying communications” mean that He expresses divine teachings and realities for His servants, which is equivalent to His illumination (tanwīr).

Moreover, the above “communications” (āyāt) compose of the Qur’an, and God has referred to the Qur’an as “light” in a few places in His Book, such as: And We have sent to you clear light ().

Commentary

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكاةٍ فِيها مِصْباحٌ الْمِصْباحُ فِي زُجاجَةٍ الزُّجاجَةُ كَأَنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِي‏ءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ عَلى‏ نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ عَلِيمٌ ٣٥

(24:35) Allah is the light (nūr) of the heavens and the earth; the likeness of His light is as a niche (ka-mishkāh) in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining (durriyy) star, lit (yūqadu, from īqād) from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof (zaytuhā) almost gives light though fire touch it not—light upon light—Allah guides to His light whom He will, and Allah sets forth parables for the people, and Allah is Knower of all things.

As al-Rāghib and others have said, mishkāh (niche) is an enclosed hole or opening that is made in a wall to place certain articles in it, like lamps and other things. Thus, it is different from fānūs (lantern, portable lamp). A durrī star is a large star that has a lot of light. There are only a few of them in the sky. Īqād means ishtiʿāl (to enkindle, to inflame, to ignite), and zayt means “olive oil.”

Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth…: Light (nūr) is well-known. It is that by which dark objects become visible to our eyes. Thus, things become visible by the light, while light is visible by itself. Light is that which is manifest by virtue of its essence, and a cause of manifestation of other things to the eye; this is the primary meaning assigned to the word “light.” Later, this meaning was generalized to any means of observing and detecting sensible things, as either a metaphorical meaning or a secondary real meaning for the term. Thus, every sense counts as “light” or “luminous” because it is a means of bringing its objects of perception to manifestation. This includes hearing, smell, taste and touch [besides sight as a primary or literal meaning].

Then the meaning was further generalized to beyond the senses. Thus, ʿaql (intellect, reason) has also been counted as light, because it manifests intellectual realities. All these usages and generalizations are based on analyzing the meaning of physical light as something that is manifest itself, and brings other things to manifestation.

Likewise, the existence of anything is that which manifests the thing to other things. Hence, existence is the perfect example of light. Meanwhile, contingent beings exist by God’s existentiation (ījād) of them [that is, they exist by His bestowal of existence upon them]. Therefore, He is the most perfect instance of light. In other words, there is an existence, or “light,” which characterizes the existents [other than God], and that is the existence and light which they have got and borrowed temporarily from God. Then, there is an existence, or “light,” which stands independently, and which existentiates and illuminates other things. It is in this sense that God is the independent light which manifests the heavens and the earth. This is the meaning of “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth,” because light is attributed to the heavens and earth, then predicated on Allah. This is how we should understand those who have said, “It means that God is the illuminator (munawwir) of the heavens and earth.” Their point is that “light,” in this verse, should not be interpreted as the borrowed and metaphorical light, which itself depends on the heavens and the earth. That is not the light—meaning existence—that predicates God; He is exalted far above that.

This interpretation shows that God is not unknown to any being in the universe, because the appearance and manifestation of everything, for itself and for others, is only through God’s manifestation. This means that before realizing the manifestation and appearance of oneself, one would realize God’s essential and intrinsic manifestation and appearance [just as in the case of physical sight and light]. This is referred to a few verses later: Do you not see that Allah is glorified by everyone in the heavens and the earth, and the (very) birds with expanded wings? Each knows its prayer and glorification (). Glorifying, praying, and having knowledge of one’s own glorification and prayer is pointless if one is ignorant of Whom he glorifies and prays to. This is similar to the verse: And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification (). God-willing, we shall fully discuss this below.

Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth…: Given the above explanations, “light” in this expression means a universal light of God which illuminates and gives light to everything. This is equivalent to the existence of every being, and its ẓuhūr (manifestation, appearance) to itself and to other beings. This is God’s universal mercy.

… the likeness of His light (nūrihi)…: Here, God describes His light. Apparently, nūrihi (His light) is a possessive ascription, meaning “the light that belongs to God.” It is not a description of God as the light, but it is a description of a light that is His, and which He shines and bestows upon others. However, this analogy is not for the universal borrowed and bestowed light that manifests everything, meaning the existence that everything receives, because at the end of the analogy it says: Allah guides to His light whom He will (). Had the analogy been for God’s universal light, then it would not be restricted to a certain group. Rather, it can be inferred from the verse that this is a description of God’s special light for the true believers.

God has attributed light to Himself in other places in His Book, as He says: They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah will perfect His light (), Is he who was dead then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like him whose likeness is that of one in utter darkness whence he cannot come forth? (), He will give you two portions of His mercy, and make for you a light with which you will walk (), and: What! Is he whose heart Allah has opened for Islam so that he is in a light from his Lord (like the hard-hearted)? (). This is the light of īmān (faith, belief) and maʿrifah (gnosis, divine knowledge). It is the light that God gives to His believing servants, which illuminates their path toward Him.

Light, in this verse, does not mean the Qur’an, contrary to what some exegetes have said, because the verse describes the state of all believers, including those who were before and after the revelation of the Qur’an. Moreover, this light is described as an attribute and quality of the believers which they carry, as is alluded to in these verses: They [the believers] shall have their reward and their light (), and: They [the believers] shall say: Our Lord! Make perfect for us our light (). The Qur’an, on the other hand, is not an attribute or quality for the believers, unless it is called “their light,” in the sense that it unveils certain truths and teachings for them. In that case, “light” would again boil down to our earlier interpretation [that is, light of faith and gnosis].

… as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass…: God’s light is compared to the entire image which is depicted by the rest of the verse: a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass… It is not compared only the niche, because that would ruin the meaning. Such expressions [where a series of components add to a picture] are very common in Qur’an’s analogies.

…(and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star…: The glass is like a bright shining star, in the sense that it intensifies the light that shines from the lamp. The placement of glass around the lamp makes the flames of the lamp steadier, because it is no longer disturbed by turbulence in its surrounding air, such as the flow of wind. Thus, the lamp is like a brightly shining star, indicating its glow and the stability of its illumination.

… lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not…: This is a second predicate for the lamp. It means: “The lamp is ablaze, and its blaze is from a blessed olive tree,” meaning that the lamp is kindled by the olive oil that is extracted from such a tree [where “oil” is implied]. Not being either eastern or western, means that the tree is positioned on neither the west side nor the east side [of a hill], such that it would only receive light for half of the day and be under shadow in the other half. That would prevent its fruit from fully growing, and as a result, its oil would not be pure. Thus it would not provide bright, suitable and steady light. This tree, however, receives sunlight for the whole day. That is why its fruit ripens fully, and the oil extracted from it will be perfect.

The proof for the above interpretation is in the following part of the verse: the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not. Given the context, this description apparently refers to the purity of the oil and its perfect capacity for burning. This quality of the oil is a result of the tree being “neither eastern, nor western.”

Some exegetes have said: “neither eastern nor western” means that this is not a worldly tree, because otherwise it would have grown either in the east or in the west. Others have said: It means that the tree is not in the eastern side of the inhabited part of the earth, nor is it in its western side, but it is in Syria—which is between east and west, where the olive trees give the best oils. However, neither of these interpretations can be inferred from the theme and context of the verse.

… light upon light…: This is a predicate for an omitted subject, and that is “the light of the lamp,” which is understood from the context. The meaning is: “The light of the lamp is a great light upon another great light.” In other words, its light is at the utmost degree of brightness.

It has been said that “light upon light” does not imply multiplicity of light, but it implies its intensity and strength. In other words, it is not about a certain light being above another certain light that is similar to it, or that it is the sum of two lights; rather, it is a light that has been intensified and amplified without a limit. This is a common expression in speeches.

The above meaning is quite plausible. Another subtle and elegant interpretation is that the expression could be referring to multiple lights, in the sense that the light primarily, and in reality, belongs to the lamp, but it can also be attributed to the glass, secondarily and metaphorically. Thus, there will be two lights based on the two ascriptions, even though in reality the light is only that of the lamp. The glass is devoid of light itself, but it has a light that is different from the lamp’s light according to how the light is attributed. The glass’s light depends on, and draws from, the lamp’s light. The same two perspectives apply to what is being compared: the light of faith and gnosis, which illuminates the hearts of the believers, is a borrowed light that is taken from God’s light. Their light depends on, and draws from, God’s light.

In short, what is being compared is God’s light, which shines upon the hearts of the believers. It is compared to a light that shines from a glass, which is placed on a lamp in a niche that is fueled by a pure and virgin olive oil. The light of this lamp—which glows from the glass and the niche—is focused and directed at its seekers, and is at the highest degree of strength and excellence.

Therefore, the verse’s imagery can be explained as follows: (1) The niche indicates the focus and concentration of the light. It is centered in the niche, and then illuminates the entire house. (2) The oil being from an olive tree that is neither eastern nor western signifies the purity and excellence of its oil. This has a direct impact on the clarity of the light that is produced from it. (3) “The oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not”: This expression indicates the excellence of the light. (4) Finally, saying, “light upon light” signifies the strength and intensity of the light, or the fact that the glass owes its light to the lamp.

… Allah guides to His light whom He will…: This is an additional statement which explains and justifies why only the believers benefit from the light of faith and gnosis, while the disbelievers are deprived of it. It is understood from the theme of the verses that “whom He will” are those who are described in a later verse: Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah… (). Therefore, “whom He will” are believers who are perfect in their quality of faith.

The meaning is: “It is God’s will to guide to His light only those who are characterized by perfect belief,” not those who have chosen disbelief, both of whom are described later. Thus, His will takes into account the qualities and characteristics of the individuals. It does not mean that God guides a certain group of people and not others simply because He pleases to do so. In that case, one should justify the meaning by adding that He pleases to guide someone only if the person proves to have the capacity for receiving guidance, by having a good character and practice, which is something that is found only in the believers, not in the disbelievers. However, there is no need for this interpretation and addition.

The proof for our interpretation above is in what He says in a later verse: “And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth…” (), as we shall discuss by God’s will.

… and Allah sets forth parables for the people, and Allah is Knower of all things: This implies that there are secrets of knowledge and deep realities which underlie the above analogy. This kind of transcendent knowledge is expressed through a parable because this way the realities and subtleties can be available to both the learned and the unlearned; each person would take their share from it [according to their capacity]. He says: And (as for) these examples, We set them forth for the people, and none fully understand them but the learned ().

فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَ يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيها بِالْغُدُوِّ وَ الْآصالِ ٣٦

(24:36) In houses which Allah has permitted (adhina, from idhn) to be raised up and that His name may be remembered in them; glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings.

To give idhn (permission) for some act means “declaring that there is no problem in doing it.” “To be raised” (rafʿ) in this verse means the elevation of status, which is equivalent to honor and high regard. Since all elevation and honor belongs to God alone, it follows that: (1) no one else has any elevation or honor except inasmuch as He grants them; and (2) the elevation and honor of others trace back to His elevation and honor. Hence, His permission for these houses to be elevated is because of their connection to Him.

Based on the above discussion, it should be clear that the cause of elevation of these houses is their description that is mentioned next: and that His name may be remembered in them. Given the theme and context of the verse, it means that God is continually remembered in these houses, or at least there is always a capacity for His remembrance in these houses. Thus we can paraphrase the meaning as follows: He has permitted that His name may be remembered in these houses, and this raises the value and status of these houses.

In houses which…: This follows the previous verse in either of two ways: (1) “the likeness of His light is as a niche… In houses which”; or (2) “Allah guides to His light… In houses which.” Either way, the end meaning would be the same. Mosques would be an example of these houses, because they are exactly places for the remembrance of God and are built for this cause. He says: and mosques in which Allah’s name is much remembered ().

… glorify (yusabbaḥu, from tasbīḥ) Him therein in the mornings (bil-ghuduww) and the evenings, (al-āṣāl): God’s tasbīḥ (glorification, celebration, declaration of purity and clearness) means “believing and stating that He is free from anything that does not befit His sanctity.” Ghuduww is the plural of ghadāh, which means “morning,” and āṣāl is the plural of aṣīl, which means “late afternoon” (aṣr).

Ilhāʾ means “diversion from what is important, distraction from what matters.” According to al-Rāghib, tijārah (trade, merchandise, business) is “to make business with some capital and asset in order to make a profit.” He also says that tijārah is the only root in Arabic where letter jīm follows letter tāʾ. Again, according to him, bayʿ (sale) means “giving a commodity in exchange for its price.” He says that qalb [as a verbal noun (maṣdar)] means “turning something from one side to another.” Then, taqlīb is an exaggerated form of this, and taqallub is “to accept and undergo such turning around.” Therefore, taqallub of the hearts and eyes means their transition from one state of understanding to another.

… glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings: This is a quality of the “houses.” It could also be a new and independent statement that elaborates and interprets: that His name may be remembered in them (). Glorifying God “in the mornings and the evenings” is a way of saying that they always glorify Him, not that they only glorify in these two times and not in the other times.

The verse only talks about God’s tasbīḥ (glorification, declaration of purity) but not His taḥmīd (praise, declaration of excellence). The reason is that He is known with all His qualities of perfection and there is no veil that covers Him. He is Light, and light is that which is manifest itself, and manifests other things. Therefore, in order to reach pure gnosis [of God], one only has to negate what does not befit Him and establish His clearness from defects, which is called tasbīḥ. Once that is achieved, nothing remains but Him, and that is the perfection of maʿrifah (gnosis, knowledge of God). That is when one would praise God [that is, only after establishing His clearness from defect and limitation]. Overall, describing God by qualities of perfection should be done after one acquires maʿrifah, as He says: Glory be to Allah (for freedom) from what they describe; But not so the servants of Allah, the purified ones (). These verses say that God is exalted above the descriptions of the people, except the descriptions of those servants whom He has chosen and purified for Himself. We already had a discussion about the meaning of God’s praise (ḥamd) in Chapter 1.

In other words, God’s praise (ḥamd, taḥmīd) is to describe and proclaim His qualities of perfection, and this is associated with realizing the light of His knowledge (maʿrifah). God’s glorification (tasbīḥ), on the other hand, is to declare His clearness and exaltation above anything that does not befit Him, and this is preliminary to His praise. These verses only mention the preliminary because the subject is those qualities of the believers that prepare them for guidance to God’s light. The reader should reflect on this.

رِجالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجارَةٌ وَ لا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَ إِقامِ الصَّلاةِ وَ إِيتاءِ الزَّكاةِ يَخافُونَ يَوْماً تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَ الْأَبْصارُ ٣٧

(24:37) Men whom neither merchandise (tijārah) nor selling (bayʿ) diverts (tulhīhim, from ilhāʾ) from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day in which the hearts and the eyes shall turn about (tataqallabu, from taqallub).

In everyday language, when tijārah (merchandise, trade) is used in contradistinction with bayʿ (sale), it means an occupation that involves continuous transactions of purchase and sale, as opposed to bayʿ, which is a one-time transaction [not an a career or occupation]. Therefore, the difference between them is that one of them is continuous and the other one is not. Negating tijārah would already include the negation of bayʿ, but restating bayʿ implies that they are never heedless of their Lord: neither continuously distracted due to their business and occupation, nor occasionally. In other words, neither their continuous business nor any specific transaction that they do within their business life makes them forget their Lord.

Some exegetes have suggested an acceptable explanation: The financial gain and benefit involved in bayʿ [that is, a specific sale and transaction that is about to occur] is more certain, real and liquid, as opposed to tijārah as a whole occupation [which involves only speculative benefits]. If one is not distracted by tijārah, it does not necessarily follow that he will not be distracted by bayʿ either. That is why the verse negates bayʿ separately, in addition to negating tijārah, and the explicit repetition of the negative particle lā (nor, no) indicates and emphasizes this negation.

… from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up (iqām) of prayer and the giving of poor-rate…: Iqām is the same as iqāmah (keeping up, establishing, raising), where the end letter tāʾ [also recorded as haʾ] is truncated [to simplify the speech].

Stating “the prayer” and “the poor-rate” is a way of referring to all good deeds that God has made obligatory upon His servants to do during their life in this world. “Keeping up of prayer” represents the fulfilment of all obligations of a servant toward God, while “giving of poor-rate” represents all obligations that one has toward the people. These two deeds are mentioned in particular because each of them is a major act in its category [that is, in the two categories of “God-related” and “people-related” acts of worship].

Now, prayer and almsgiving are also forms of God’s remembrance; especially prayer. Therefore, mentioning “the remembrance of God” separately shows that in this verse it means the heedfulness and presence of the heart, as opposed to heedlessness and forgetfulness. Thus, “the remembrance of God” represents a mental and intellectual remembrance, while “prayer and almsgiving” represent practical and physical remembrance.

Given the above contrast, this expression—“from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of poor-rate”—means that nothing distracts them from their permanent remembrance of their Lord with their hearts, nor from their temporary remembrance of Him through their actions, such as prayer and almsgiving. This shows the excellent match between tijārah and bayʿ on one hand, and remembrance, prayer and almsgiving on the other hand. The meaning of the verse can be reduced to: “They are not distracted by any means of diversion, whether permanent or temporary, from God’s remembrance, whether permanently or temporarily.” The reader should reflect on this.

… they fear a day in which the hearts and the eyes shall turn about: That would be the Day of Resurrection. Using the article al- with plural names, such as al-qulūb and al-abṣār (the hearts and the eyes) shows universality. Therefore, it applies to the hearts and eyes of both the believers and the disbelievers.

Given the verses of the Qur’an about the Day of Resurrection, the turning of the hearts and eyes will be due to the unveiling of the realities in the hereafter. For example He says: But now We have removed from you your veil, so your sight today is sharp (), And what they never thought of shall become plain to them from Allah (), and so on.

The hearts and eyes will be turned away from the visions that they had in this world, which had preoccupied them from God and veiled them from the truth and facts. Instead, they will be turned toward another type of vision, which is seeing through the light of faith (īmān) and divine knowledge (maʿrifah). As a result, believers—who are endowed with the light of their Lord, meaning the light of faith and divine knowledge—will behold God’s magnanimity and munificence [upon them]. The disbelievers, on the other hand, will be blind and will not find anything except what troubles and distresses them. God says: And the earth shall beam with the light of its Lord (), On that day you will see the faithful men and the faithful women—their light running before them and on their right hand (), And whoever is blind in this, he shall (also) be blind in the hereafter” (), (Some) faces on that day shall be bright, looking to their Lord (), and: Nay! Most surely they shall on that day be debarred from their Lord ().

The following points should be clear given the above explanations:

(1) Out of the numerous qualities of the Day of Resurrection, this verse only mentions the turning of the hearts and the eyes. What is special with the hearts and the eyes is their connection with the theme of these verses. These verses are meant to describe the means by which one can achieve God’s light, which is the light of faith and gnosis, and which will exactly be the source of illumination [of the hearts] and sight [of the eyes] on the Day of Resurrection.

(2) “The hearts and the eyes” mean “the souls and their insights.”

(3) This verse [] refers to the Day of Resurrection as “a day in which the hearts and the eyes shall turn about” in order to indicate the cause of the believers’ fear. They fear that day because it is a day in which the hearts and the eyes are overturned. This overturning is indeed frightening because one of its two possible outcomes is being deprived from seeing God’s light. This means being blocked from meeting God’s magnanimity and munificence, which amounts to eternal damnation and everlasting punishment. This shows that they are, in fact, afraid of themselves [that is, the evils of their soul].

لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ ما عَمِلُوا وَ يَزِيدَهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَ اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسابٍ ٣٨

(24:38) That Allah may give them the best reward of what they have done, and give them more out of His grace (faḍlihi); and Allah gives sustenance to whom He will without reckoning.

Apparently, the word “that” (the letter lām) at the beginning of this verse indicates the goal and purpose (ghāyah) of the righteous deeds of the believers discussed in the previous verses. There shall be a good reward for every good deed that God has ordained in His Book. Giving them the “best reward” for what they have done means that in any given form of obedience, God will reward them according to the best action of that type. This effectively means that He will mend and purify their acts, and will not scrutinize the shortcomings and imperfections in their actions that would reduce their value. Instead, He will count their good deeds as the best deeds. This interpretation is confirmed by the subsequent part of the verse: “and Allah gives sustenance to whom He will without reckoning,” which suggests that the believers will not be subject to meticulous reckoning of their good deeds. God will overlook the imperfections in their deeds, and will classify their good deeds together with their best deeds.

… and give them more out of His grace (faḍlihi)…: Faḍl means ʿaṭāʾ (bestowal, conferment, grace). This statement explicitly says that God will give them, from His grace, what goes beyond their good deeds. An even more explicit expression is: They have therein what they wish and with Us is more yet (). Given the contradistinction in this verse [], it follows that “more” is something beyond anything that they may wish.

According to the Book of God, the believers’ reward will be what they wish, as He says: They shall have with their Lord what they wish (), Or the abiding garden which those who guard (against evil) are promised? That shall be a reward and a resort for them. They shall have therein what they wish abiding (in it) (), and: They shall have in them what they wish (). Therefore, the “more” that is given to them on top of the reward of their deeds [in verses and ], is something so sublime and magnificent that even the highest wish or want of human beings would fall short of it. This is the most astonishing promise and glad tiding that the Qur’an gives the believers. The reader should carefully reflect on this.

… and Allah gives sustenance (yarzuqu, from rizq) to whom He will without reckoning (ḥisāb): This is an independent sentence that effectively explains and justifies the previous two promises in the verse by referring them to God’s will. In this sense, it is similar to what we read above: “Allah guides to His light whom He will,” () as we discussed it. God’s rizq (sustenance, provision) is a bestowment that is purely from Him, in the sense that (1) no creature has a say in it [that is, in its amount and its distribution]; and (2) no one has any entitlement to it; meaning that it is not something that God owes to His creatures. Thus, it is up to God to allot whatever sustenance and grace that He wills, to whomever He wills.

The gist of the verse is that because of their righteous deeds, the believers qualify for some reward that matches their actions. This idea is found in many verses, such as: And every soul shall be paid in full what it has done (). However, as mentioned earlier, God will reward each of their righteous deeds according to their best deed of that type, without scrutiny in their reckoning. This is a part of God’s rizq (undeserved sustenance) without ḥisāb (reckoning, measure, expectation). Then, on top of that, He gives them something that is higher and more sublime than anything that they can even wish for. This is an additional rizq without ḥisāb.

Even though no one is entitled to God’s rizq [as defined above], God Himself has promised to give His creatures sustenance [in verse ], and has taken a vow to fulfil this promise: And by the Lord of the heavens and the earth! It is most surely the truth (). Therefore, He has given them entitlement to basic sustenance, which He delivers to them in accordance to their work and effort. However, He has not given them entitlement over anything additional to that. Hence, it is up to Him to bestow additional sustenance upon anyone that He wills. This means that there is no other cause for the additional blessings and bestowments except His will. This topic needs further elaboration, which we shall present in a separate discussion, by God’s will.

وَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَعْمالُهُمْ كَسَرابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ ماءً حَتَّى إِذا جاءَهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئاً وَ وَجَدَ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ فَوَفَّاهُ حِسابَهُ وَ اللَّهُ سَرِيعُ الْحِسابِ ٣٩

(24:39) And (as for) those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage (ka-sarāb) in a desert (bi-qīʿah), which the thirsty person (al-ẓamʾān) supposes to be water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be naught, and there he finds Allah, so He pays back to him his reckoning in full; and Allah is quick in reckoning.

Sarāb (mirage) is what shines in the desert as though it were water, while there is no reality to it. Qīʿ and qāʿ mean “level ground.” They are the plural forms of qīʿah and qāʿah, much like tīnah (fig) and tamrah (date) [which are the singular forms of tīn and tamr, respectively]. Ẓamʾān means ʿaṭshān (thirsty).

In the previous verses, God referred to the believers and described them as those who remember Him in exalted houses, and who are not distracted from Him by merchandise or sale. Because of these qualities, God, Who is the Light of the heavens and the earth, shall guide them to His light, meaning that He will honor and bless them by the light of knowing Him (maʿrifah). This verse and the next one contrast the above verses by describing the disbelievers. In one analogy, their actions are likened to a mirage, in the sense that they are fruitless, empty and without any reality. In another analogy, their actions are compared to layers of darkness on top of one another, not just devoid of any light but even blocking all light. This verse discusses the first description.

And (as for) those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert, which the thirsty person supposes to be water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be naught…: This is the analogy for the disbelievers’ acts of worship—like offerings, litany and so on—by which they sought nearness to their gods. These acts of theirs are compared to a mirage in a desert. One imagines the mirage to be water, but there is no reality to it and it lacks the properties of water—such as quenching thirst and so on.

The verse specifically says al-ẓamʾān (the thirsty), even though a mirage appears like water to everyone. This is because the verse is about the one who chases a mirage, and that would be a thirsty person, who is driven toward it because of his thirst. This idea is confirmed by the subsequent part of the verse: until when he comes to it he finds it to be naught. It is as if the verse is saying more elaborately: Their deeds are like a mirage in a desert, which the thirsty individual imagines to be water. Thus he sets out for it and moves toward it in order to drink from it and quench his thirst. He keeps on going until when he comes to it, but then he finds it to be nothing.

The verse says “comes to it” (jāʾahu)—instead of expressions like “reaches it” (balaghahu), “attains it” (waṣala ilayhi) or “ends at it” (intahā ilayhi)—to allude to the idea that someone is waiting for them and expecting them to come. That is God. Thus the next part of the verse: and there he finds Allah, so He pays back to him his reckoning in full. This means that the disbelievers also seek success and happiness as their goal, like all other people, since they have the same innate human nature (fiṭrah). They endeavor to achieve this innate and natural goal through their actions. However, neither their actions can get them to this goal, nor is there any reality to the gods from whom they seek a good reward for their deeds. Instead, their actions will lead them to God, Who encompasses their actions and recompenses them for their deeds.

… He pays back to him his reckoning in full…: This is an indirect way of referring to the reward that they deserve according to the reckoning and measure of their deeds.

Based on the above discussion, the verse compares the disbelievers’ actions to a mirage, and compares them to a thirsty person who wants thirst-quenching water but actually turns away from it and misses it. He has a master who sincerely advises him and calls him to drink from real water, but he does not listen to the master. Instead, he thinks the mirage to be water, turns to it, and goes after it. When he arrives at the mirage, he will find his master who had been sincerely advising him and calling him to drink from real water. This is compared to when the disbelievers will return to God at the time of their death, which is the end of the time for action.

The disbelievers deviate from the remembrance of their Lord and righteous deeds that lead them to His light, which is the key to their felicity. They think that their salvation is in the hands of the other gods which they call upon, and that to attain happiness they should make offerings that bring them closer to these gods. That is why they completely engage themselves in empty actions that have no reality, like a mirage. Thus they pass their life, exhausting their assets and effort in this way, until the time of their death. At that point they come to witness the next abode, but they will not find any of the good and return that they were anticipating to achieve through what they used to do. Neither do they find their gods to have any impact or authority [in that realm]. That is when God will pay them back their reckoning in full; “and Allah is quick in reckoning.”

… and Allah is quick in reckoning: This is because His knowledge encompasses everything equally, whether little or much, small or big, subtle or large, old or new.

This verse is apparently and primarily about those who reject divine religions, particularly the polytheists and idolaters among them. However, it also applies to any atheist; that is, anyone who does not believe in God as the Creator of the universe. All people contemplate their well-being in life, and know for certain that the way to achieve happiness is by the actions that they do. Now, if a person believes in a Creator and sees Him as influential in his attainment of happiness in one way or another, then he will direct his actions toward winning the satisfaction of that Creator, in Whose hands lies the person’s felicity. But if he denies the Creator, and believes in other sources of impact in the universe, he will direct his actions to those other sources—such as nature, matter and time. Such a person seeks his happiness in the life of this world, for he does not believe in afterlife.

Such individuals see their happiness and felicity to be in the hands of sources of power other than God. However, there is no source of power and impact other than Him! They view their activities in this world as a means of attaining happiness, whereas such activity is nothing but a mirage. Thus, they continue to work, until they finish their allotted share of time for acting in this world by the advent of death. At that point, they will find no result of what they had done, and will see that their hopes and ambitions were only imaginary dreams of the sleepers. That is when God pays them back their reckoning in full; “and Allah is quick in reckoning.”

أَوْ كَظُلُماتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُجِّيٍّ يَغْشاهُ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ سَحابٌ ظُلُماتٌ بَعْضُها فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَراها وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُوراً فَما لَهُ مِنْ نُورٍ ٤٠

(24:40) Or like utter darkness in the deep sea: there covers it a wave above which is another wave, above which is a cloud, (layers of) utter darkness one above another; when he holds out his hand, he is almost unable to see it; and to whomsoever Allah does not give light, he has no light.

This is a second analogy for the actions of the disbelievers, indicating that their deeds are like dense veils that cover their hearts from receiving the light of divine knowledge (maʿrifah). The Qur’an repeatedly says that they are in layers of darkness. Some examples are: And (as to) those who disbelieve, their guardians are false gods who take them out of the light into the darkness (), Like him whose likeness is that of one in utter darkness whence he cannot come forth (), and: Nay! Rather, what they used to do has become like rust upon their hearts. Nay! Most surely they shall on that day be debarred from their Lord ().

Or like utter darkness in the deep sea (baḥrin lujjī)…: The conjunction “or” connects the analogy in this verse to the one in the last verse: like a mirage… (). Baḥrin lujjī means “a turbulent sea with surging waves.” It is derived from lujjat al-baḥr, which means “the surge of ocean waves.” The meaning is: Their actions are like layers of darkness in a turbulent sea.

…there covers it a wave above which is another wave, above which is a cloud…: This is a description of the sea and its layers of darkness. The sea is covered by a wave, upon which there is another wave, above which is a cloud that veils everything underneath from receiving any light from the sun, the moon, or the stars.

…(layers of) utter darkness one above another…: This clarifies that the above forms of darkness are layers of dense darkness one on top of another, not separate from each other. This is then emphasized by: when he holds out his hand, he is almost unable to see it. The closest thing that one can see is one’s own body, and out of all organs, the hand is the easiest part to see because one can hold it up, right in front of his eyes. So, if one is almost unable to see his own hand when he holds it up, it shows the intensity of the darkness that engulfs the person.

These people [that is, the disbelievers] are journeying toward God, as their destination, by means of their actions. In this journey, they are like one who is going through a turbulent sea that is covered by a cloud, with one wave above another. They are covered by the thickest possible layers of darkness, without there being any light to help them see and find their way to the shore of deliverance.

… and to whomsoever Allah does not give light, he has no light: They have no light because God has not given them any. This only makes sense, because God is the giver of light, for He is the Light of everything. That is why if He does not assign light to something, then it will have no light, for there is no source of light other than Him.

أَ لَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ الطَّيْرُ صَافَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلاتَهُ وَ تَسْبِيحَهُ وَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِما يَفْعَلُونَ ٤١

(24:41) Do you not see that Allah is glorified by everyone in the heavens and the earth, and the (very) birds with expanded wings? Each knows its prayer and glorification, and Allah is Knower of what they do.

The following points were discussed in the previous verses: (1) God is the light that illuminates the heavens and the earth. (2) He assigns a special, extra light to the believers amongst His servants. (3) The disbelievers have no share of this light. In this verse and the four next verses, He provides arguments for these points.

As for God being “the Light of the heavens and the earth” (), it is because anything that exists in the heavens and the earth is not self-existent. It is not independent in its existence, and does not owe its existence to another being that is also needy in its existence. This shows that the existence of any being in the heavens and the earth is from God, Who is the ending point of all needs.

Any being in the heavens and the earth [that is, in all realms of existence] displays not only its own existence, but also the existence of the One Who is bestowing existence upon it. It is in this sense that He is a “Light” Which illuminates other beings. These beings point to their Source of Light because they are illuminated by Him, proving that there is a Light that is illuminating everything. Therefore, every being in the heavens and the earth is a proof [by its very existence] that there is something beyond it, which is far from the darkness that has covered it, free from the need which is concomitant with it, and clear from the imperfection that is inseparable from it [that is, something that has no aspect of limitation and contingence]. This is God’s tasbīḥ (glorification, declaration of purity) within everything in the heavens and the earth. Its implication is negating the independence of any object other than Him, and denying every god and lord that may direct the affairs of the creatures other than Him.

This explanation is what is meant when the verse says: Do you not see that Allah is glorified by everyone in the heavens and the earth, and the (very) birds with expanded wings? Each knows its prayer and glorification. This is God’s proof for being the Light of the heavens and the earth, because light is that by which things become apparent and visible, and their appearance then is evidence of the light which has manifested them. God is the One Who manifests things and brings them to existence, and He points to His own manifestation and existence through His act of manifestation and existentiation [of the beings].

The verse also involves some subtle points that complement its argument:

First Point: The verse specifically mentions two categories of beings: (1) the intelligent beings in the heavens and the earth, as indicated by using the particle man (“those who…”); and (2) “the birds with expanded wings.” These are only a subset of living creatures, whereas all beings in existence glorify Him, as He says: And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise ().

Perhaps these groups of creatures are specifically mentioned because they are among the wonders of creation. The appearance of intelligent beings—indicated by “everyone in the heavens and the earth”—is a fascinating aspect of creation that bewilders the intellect of any intelligent observer. Similarly, the flying of birds with extended wings in the atmosphere is among the most marvelous signs of creation in the world of sentient animals.

Here is an alternative explanation that is inferred from the discussion of some exegetes: “Everyone in the heavens and the earth” includes all beings. The verse refers to them by using a particle that is used for intelligent beings [that is, the Arabic particle man] because glorification is something that is commonly and naturally done by intelligent beings only. Another possible explanation for this usage is that it indicates the strength and purity of their glorification. All beings glorify God through their lisān al-ḥāl (state of being, mode of existence, language of condition), but their proof of God’s purity is at such a degree that it is compared to literal utterance and speech (maqāl).

The problem with the above view is that it is not compatible with the ascription of knowledge to them in what follows in the verse: Each knows its prayer and glorification.

Second Point: The verse starts with “Do you not see…,” which shows that their glorification—that is, their indication of God’s purity—is so clear and evident that no one would doubt it. It is very common to refer to certain knowledge as “seeing.” One example is the verse: Do you not see that Allah created the heavens and the earth? ().

Even though “Do you not see” in this verse is in the second person singular, the real audience is all intelligent beings. It could also be that the address is particularly to the Prophet, referring to God’s unveiling of the hidden dimensions of the heavens and earth to him. Part of what God showed him was that all beings—“everyone in the heavens and the earth, and the birds with expanded wings”—glorify God. The Prophet having such vision should be no surprise for us, because the people saw even pebbles glorify God in his palm, as reported in reliable narrations.

Third Point: The verse ascribes knowledge [of prayer and glorification] to “everyone in the heavens and the earth, and the birds.” We discussed this in the exposition of the verse: And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification (). We shall complement that with another discussion in Chapter 41 [under verse ], by God’s will.

Some exegetes have said that the subject of the verb “know”—in “Each knows its prayer and glorification”—is God. The problem with this view is that the theme and context of the verse does not support it, especially given the next part of the verse: and Allah is Knower of what they do.

Another suggested view is that these beings do not really have knowledge of their prayer and glorification, but the verse ascribes knowledge to them metaphorically, in order to convey that they bear very clear and strong indications of God’s glory and purity. This interpretation is also incompatible with the theme and context of the verse.

Fourth Point: The verse only mentions tasbīḥ (glorification, declaration of purity), even though the beings also do taḥmīd (praise, declaration of excellence) by indicating and manifesting God’s qualities of perfection. This is proven by rational arguments and it is also confirmed by the verse: And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise (). Perhaps the reason for this is that the theme of these verses is to assert God’s oneness, and to negate polytheism. This is more closely and directly related to tasbīḥ [than taḥmīd]. Those who call upon gods besides Allah, and refer to them in one way or another, are considered disbelievers because they effectively imply that a “god” is a being which possesses limitation and imperfection. Hence, the counter position to this would be negating these qualities from the real God, which is tasbīḥ, not taḥmīd. The reader should reflect on this.

Making reference to prayer—in “Each knows its prayer and glorification”—is also in line with the above point. Here, ṣalāh (prayer) means duʿāʾ (supplication, request), which is when the supplicant turns the attention of the supplicated [that is, God] toward his need and request. Prayer, in this sense, shows that the supplicant is needy of something, while the supplicated is needless of it. This, again, is more closely related to God’s tasbīḥ than His taḥmīd.

Fifth Point: The verse ascribes glorification, and the knowledge of it, to “everyone in the heavens and the earth,” which includes both believers and disbelievers. Thus, it can be deduced that there are two lights:

(1) A general and universal light that covers all beings, and is shared equally by believers and disbelievers. Some verses refer to this light, such as: And He made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes! We bear witness. Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: Surely we were heedless of this (), and: But now We have removed from you your veil, so your sight today is sharp ().

(2) A special and particular light, which exclusively belongs to God’s friends (awliyāʾ) among the believers, and which was the subject of the previous verses [].

Therefore, the light with which God illuminates His creation is twofold, much like the mercy (raḥmah) that He shows to them. God has a universal mercy and a particular mercy. The first one is mentioned in the verse: And My mercy encompasses all things (), and the second one in: Then as to those who believed and did good, their Lord will make them enter into His mercy (). Both types of mercy are mentioned in the verse: O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and believe in His Messenger: He will give you two portions of His mercy, and make for you a light (), where “light” [in “make for you a light” ()] is the same as “light upon light” [in verse ], which corresponds to the second type of mercy [that is, God’s particular mercy that is exclusively for the believers].

… and Allah is Knower of what they do: One of the things that “they do” is their glorification of God. For some creatures at certain levels of being, their glorification is by their mere existence, but since that is also a form of glorification, it is permissible to call it something that “they do” in this sense.

Saying that He knows what they do, after mentioning the glorification of the beings, involves a message for the believers and for the disbelievers. For the believers, it is a message of appreciation and acknowledgment, as well as encouragement, because it means that their Lord knows their glorification and will soon reward them for it. At the same time, it completes God’s proof and argument against the disbelievers, because part of His knowledge of what they do is writing their deeds. God’s knowledge includes the records of deeds [for voluntary individual acts] as well as the Clear Book (al-kitāb al-mubīn) [for creational and existential properties]. These books and records comprise all actions, including (1) their glorification by their very state of being; and (2) their voluntary denial by their tongues.

وَ لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ إِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ ٤٢

(24:42) And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the eventual coming.

This verse is positioned between two verses that have two different themes. The previous verse—“Do you not see that Allah is He Whom do glorify…” ()—was an argument for God’s universal light that encompasses everything. The next verse—“Do you not see that Allah drives along…” ()—is an argument for the exclusivity of His particular light [to the believers]. This suggests that the current verse () is a middle ground between the two themes, meaning that it relates to both points. God’s kingdom and sovereignty over all things, and their return to Him, show two points: (1) His universal light is comprehensive and all-encompassing. (2) He has total authority to assign and give His particular light to whomever He wants. He does what He wills and rules as He wants.

And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth…: This sentence ascribes and restricts all kingdoms to God alone. Therefore, it is up to Him to do as He wills and rule as He wants. He is not questioned concerning what He does but they shall be questioned (). An implication of His exclusive sovereignty over all things is that they all return to Him. Given that there is no king other than Him, and He is the ending and returning point of all things, it follows that He can do as He wills and rule as He wants.

The above explanation should clarify that “to Allah is the eventual coming” refers to God as the point of reference and return in all affairs, not just in the hereafter. Thus, this sentence would be similar to the verse: Lo! Surely to Allah do all affairs eventually come (). God knows best.

أَ لَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُزْجِي سَحاباً ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ رُكاماً فَتَرَى الْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلالِهِ وَ يُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّماءِ مِنْ جِبالٍ فِيها مِنْ بَرَدٍ فَيُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ يَصْرِفُهُ عَنْ مَنْ يَشاءُ يَكادُ سَنا بَرْقِهِ يَذْهَبُ بِالْأَبْصارِ٤٣

(24:43) Do you not see that Allah drives along (yuzjī, from izjāʾ) the clouds, then gathers them together, then piles them up (rukāman), so that you see the rain (al-wadq) coming forth from their midst (khilālihi)? And He sends down from the heaven from mountains therein of hail, afflicting therewith whom He will and turning it away from whom He will; the flash of His lightning almost takes away the sight.

Izjāʾ means dafʿ (to drive, to push along, to propel); rukām means “piled and packed together, one on top of one another”; wadq means “rain.” Khilāl is the plural of khalal, meaning “a split and opening between two things.”

This verse is addressed to the Prophet [in the second person: “Do you not see…”] only in the sense that he can hear and receive the message [a general quality which is equally found in others]. Therefore, it is really addressed to any audience who receives the message. The meaning is: Do you—and anyone who can see—not see that God drives dispersed clouds by winds, gathers them together, and then piles and packs them up on top of one another, where you can see rain coming out from the splits and openings between them and falls on the earth?

… And He sends down from the heaven (al-samāʾ) from mountains (jibāl) therein of hail (barad), afflicting therewith whom He will and turning it away from whom He will; the flash (sanā) of His lightning almost takes away the sight: Samāʾ means “above,” which is then interpreted by “from mountains therein.” Jibāl is the plural of jabal (mountain), which is then interpreted by “hail.” Barad (hail) means “precipitation of ice pieces that fall from the sky.” “Mountains” of hail refer to their abundance and concentration. Sanā means “light.” The conjunction “and” [in “And He sends down”] joins this part of the verse to “drives along” at the beginning of the verse.

The meaning is: Do you not see that God sends down from the heaven hail, that has been piled up like mountains, by which He afflicts whomever He wills, causing the destruction of the farms and gardens, and sometimes the death of people and livestock? And He turns it away from whomever He wills, thus they are not harmed by it. The light of its lightning almost blinds the sight.

Given the context, this verse serves to explain and justify the previous verses about God’s exclusive bestowal of His [particular] light to the believers. The effective meaning is: The matter of whom to give light is up to God, much like the case of rain and hail. As you can see, whenever He wants He sends down rain from the sky to benefit the people, their livestock, their farms and their gardens; and whenever He wants He sends down hail, with which He strikes whomever He wills and spares whomever He wills.

يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَ وَ النَّهارَ إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِأُولِي الْأَبْصارِ ٤٤

(24:44) Allah turns over the night and the day; most surely there is a lesson in this for those who have sight.

This is another way of illustrating that the affairs [in the world] go back to God’s will alone. “Turning over the night and the day” means exchanging and replacing one with another. The meaning of the verse is clear.

وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ أَرْبَعٍ ۚ يَخْلُقُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ٤٥

(24:45) And Allah has created from water every living creature: so of them is that which walks upon its belly, and of them is that which walks upon two feet, and of them is that which walks upon four; Allah creates what He will; surely Allah has power over all things.

This is another illustration for the return of all affairs to God’s will alone. It says that God has created all creatures from water, but then they differ in terms of how they walk: some of them walk on their bellies, such as snakes and worms; some of them walk on two feet, like humans and birds; and some of them are quadruped such as most livestock and many wild animals. The verse mentions only these three categories—even though there is more—for brevity; the purpose of the verse is achieved by this much.

… Allah creates what He will…: This explains and justifies the previous difference among the creatures despite their creation from the same substance. It shows that the matter is purely up to God’s will. He has the right to bestow some of His grace upon all of His creatures, such as His universal light and His universal mercy, and He also has the right to bestow some of His grace exclusively to a part of His creatures, such as His particular light and His particular mercy.

… surely Allah has power over all things: This sentence provides the reason and justification for the previous statement: Allah creates what He will. It says that God has absolute and unconditional power, which necessitates that the occurrence of any act does not hinge on anything beyond His will. Otherwise, His power would be conditional on the achievement of that condition, and that would be a contradiction. This is a subtle topic with regards to tawḥīd (monotheism, God’s unity), which we shall clarify by the will of God in the following discussion.

Discourse

The discussion “Philosophical Discussion: The Meaning of God’s Causation of Things” appears here in the printed volume. Read it in the Al-Mizan App.

لَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ مُبَيِّنَاتٍ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ ٤٦

(24:46) Certainly We have revealed clear communications, and Allah guides whom He will to the straight path.

“Clear communications” refer to the Verse of Light and its following verses that describe God’s light. “The straight path” is the route on which its travelers are safe from error and God’s wrath, as He says: Guide us on the straight path. The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors, not those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor those who go astray (). We discussed the straight path in our exposition of Chapter 1.

The first part of the verse does not say “revealed to you,” but it simply says: Certainly We have revealed clear communications. This is unlike what we saw a few verses ago: And certainly We have sent to you clarifying communications and a description of those who have passed away before you, and an admonition to those who guard [against evil] (). This difference can be explained by the subsequent part of the current verse: and Allah guides whom He will to the straight path (). Had the first part said, “Certainly We have revealed clear communications to you,” then the subsequent part—“and Allah guides whom He will”—might have given the impression that guidance from God is a matter of verbal explanation and identification of the straight path [as in the case of revealing communications]. This would imply that all the readers of these verses are considered to be guided to the straight path, which is not true, because amongst them were hypocrites and those who had disease in their hearts. God knows best.

Examining Narrations

1. ʿAbbās b. Hilāl said: I asked Imam al-Riḍā about God’s words, “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth” (). He said: “[It means that] He is a Guide for the inhabitants of the heavens, and a Guide for the inhabitants of the earth.”
2. In al-Barqī’s version of the above account, the Imam says: “He is the guidance of those who are in the heavens, and the guidance of those who are in the earth.”

Author’s comment: It could be that “guidance” in these narrations refers to the particular sense of guidance as it applies to human beings, which means religious guidance to human felicity. That would be one level of the verse’s meaning. It could also be that “guidance” refers to God’s universal guidance, which is taking every being to it is appropriate perfection. That would comply with our interpretation above.

3. Isḥāq b. Jarīr said: Once a lady asked me to get permission for her to see Imam al-Ṣādiq. He gave her permission and she went there with her freed bondmaid. She asked the Imam, “O Abā ʿAbd-Allah! What does God mean by: an olive-tree that is neither eastern nor western’ ()?” He replied, “O lady! Surely God has not set forth parables for trees, but He has mentioned parables only for the children of Adam.”
4. Concerning verse , Ṭalḥah b. Zayd said: Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad narrated from his father: “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth”: He starts by mentioning His own light. “The likeness of His light”: this is an analogy for His guidance in a believer’s heart. “Is as a niche in which is a lamp”: the niche is a believer’s inside, the glass is his heart, and the lamp is the light that God has placed in his heart. “Lit from a blessed tree”: the tree is the believer. “An olive-tree that is neither eastern nor western”: it is on the top of the mountain. “Not western” means that there is no east for it, and “not eastern” means that there is no west for it. It observes and receives light from the sun, both when the sun rises and when it sets. “The oil whereof almost gives light”: the light that is in his heart is about to shine even if he does not speak. “Light upon light”: One farīḍah (obligatory act) upon another, and one sunnah (recommended, supererogatory act) upon another. “Allah guides to His light whom He will”: God guides to His obligatory and recommended duties whomever He wills. “And Allah sets forth parables for the people”: this is a parable that God has set forth for the believers.

He [Imam al-Bāqir or al-Ṣādiq] then said: A believer is ever in five lights: (1) His entrance is in light. (2) His existence is in light. (3) His knowledge is light. (4) His speech is light. (5) His way to Paradise on the Day of Resurrection will be in light.

I [the narrator, Ṭalḥah b. Zayd] told Jaʿfar, “Others say that this is a likeness for the light of the Lord.” “Glory be to God! There is no likeness,” he said, “for God. God says: Therefore do not give likenesses to Allah; surely Allah knows and you do not know ().”

Author’s comment: This narration confirms our exposition of the verse. In interpreting some parts of the verse, the Imam only mentions some of its applications, such as what he says about “the oil whereof almost gives light” and “light upon light.”

The Imam’s statement, “Glory be to God! There is no likeness for God,” means that the given analogy in the verse does not describe “light” as one of God’s names which is predicated on Him [and thus refers to God Himself]. If something were to be a likeness for God [Himself], then that would necessitate either incarnation (ḥulūl) or transformation (inqilāb), while God is far exalted above both. Instead, the verse is an example and analogy for God’s light which has emanated upon the heavens and the earth. As with the pronoun “His” [or “his”] in “the likeness of His light,” there is no problem if we refer it to God, as long as we maintain a sound interpretation.

5. Imam al-Ṣādiq was once asked about the following words of God: Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; the likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp (). He said: This is an analogy that God has made for us [the Household of the Prophet]. The Prophet and the Imams are part of God’s proofs. They are His signs by which people find their way to monotheism, religious betterment, laws of Islam, recommended acts, and obligatory duties—and there is no might except by God, the Most High, the Most Magnificent.

Author’s comment: This narration refers to some instances and examples of the verse. It provides the best applications of the verse: the Prophet and the pure ones from his Household. Otherwise, the verse is apparently more general than that, and it includes other prophets, their successors, and the saints. Nevertheless, the verse does not apply to all believers because of certain qualities that are not found in all of them, such as: Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah… ().

There are several Shia narrations that match different parts of the verse with the Prophet and his Household. These are examples of matching and applying the verse (taṭbīq), not interpreting its meaning (tafsīr). The reason for this is that these narrations differ in terms of how they match and apply the verse. Some examples are:

6. Imam al-Bāqir said: “The niche” (al-mishkāh) is Muḥammad’s heart. “The lamp” (al-miṣbāḥ) is the light that carries knowledge. “The glass” (al-zujājah) is ʿAlī or his heart. “The blessed olive-tree that is neither eastern nor western” is Abraham, who “was neither a Jew nor a Christian” (). “The oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not”: their children are about to speak as prophets even though no angel has descended upon them.
7. Imam al-Bāqir said: “The niche” (al-mishkāh) is the light of knowledge in the heart of the Prophet. “The glass” (al-zujājah) is ʿAlī’s bosom. “The oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not”: a scholar from Muḥammad’s family is about to speak with knowledge even before he is asked. “Light upon light”: one Imam from Muḥammad’s family coming after another Imam, who are supported with the light of knowledge and wisdom.
8. Imam al-Ṣādiq said: “The niche” (al-mishkāh) is Fāṭimah. “The lamp” (al-miṣbāḥ) is al-Ḥasan. “The glass” (al-zujājah) is al-Ḥusayn. “The blessed tree” is Abraham. “Neither eastern nor western”: “was neither a Jew nor a Christian” (). “Light upon light”: one Imam after another. “Allah guides to His light whom He will”: God guides whomever He wills toward the Imams.
9. Concerning “olive-tree, neither eastern nor western” () the Prophet said: [It refers to] Abraham’s heart, which was neither Jewish nor Christian.

Author’s comment: This narration mentions one application and example of the verse. Its content has also been narrated through Shia chains from some Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, as quoted above.

10. When the Messenger of God recited the verse, “In houses which Allah has permitted to be raised up” (), a man stood up and asked, “Which houses are these, O Messenger of God?” He said, “The houses of the prophets.” Then Abū Bakr stood up and asked, “Is this house also one of them?” pointing to the house of ʿAlī and Fāṭimah. He replied, “Yes, it is one of their best.”

Author’s comment: Majmaʿ al-bayān has also narrated this via an incomplete chain of transmission (mursal). The same idea is found in the following narration:

11. Imam al-Bāqir said: These are the houses of the prophets, and the house of ʿAlī is also one of them.

Author’s comment: Either way, these narrations provide some applications and examples of the verse, as we said above.

12. There is a sermon in Nahj al-balāghah that the Imam [ʿAlī] delivered after reciting the verse: Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah (). In the sermon, he says: Indeed, invocation (dhikr) has its people who have adopted it in lieu of this world (dunyā). Thus, no engagement in trade or sale distracts them from invocation, with which they pass their days. They cry in the ears of the heedless with deterring shouts against what God has forbidden. They command [them] to justice, and themselves act upon it. They forbid [them from] evil, and themselves abstain from it.

It is as though they have finished the journey from this world to the hereafter, and can observe what lies beyond this world. It is as if they perceive the mysteries of the inhabitants of barzakh (the intermediate world between this world and the Day of Resurrection) in their long stay. It is as though the Resurrection has fulfilled its promises for them, and thus they have unveiled them [the secrets and promises of the next world] for the people of this world. It is as if they see what the people see not, and hear what they hear not…

13. Concerning “Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts” () it is narrated from Imams al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq: “These are some people who, when the time of prayer comes, they leave their business and go for the prayer. Their reward is greater than those who do not do any trade.”

Author’s comment: That is, their reward is greater than those who do not do any trade but engage in the remembrance of God. This idea is also found in other narrations.

14. Concerning “Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah” () the Prophet said: They are those “who travel in the land seeking of the bounty of Allah” ().

Authors’ comment: This narration seems to be incomplete. Its complement can be inferred from the following narration [concerning the same phrase]:

15. Ibn ʿAbbās said: It refers to those who used to engage in purchase and sale, “seeking of the bounty of Allah” (), but whenever they heard the call to prayer they would immediately drop what they had at hand and would go to the mosque to pray.
16. Concerning verse (and Allah is quick in reckoning) it is narrated that once Imam ʿAlī was asked, “How does He [God] do their reckoning all at once?” He replied, “As He gives their sustenance all at once.”
17. The Messenger of God said: God has made the clouds a sieve for rain. They melt the hail until it turns into water, so that it would not harm the things that it hits. The hail and thunderbolts that you see are God’s punishments that He strikes upon whomever He wills, and diverts from whomever He wills among His servants.
18. Concerning “of them is that which walks upon its belly, and of them is that which walks upon two feet, and of them is that which walks upon four” () Tafsīr al-Qummī says: “upon two feet” refers to humankind; “upon its belly” refers to the snakes; and “upon four” refers to the beasts. Imam al-Ṣādiq said, “And some of them walk on more than that.”

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1. The distinction between “independent” and “borrowed” light is of crucial importance here. (Trans.) ↩︎

2. Therefore, “Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth” means that God is the source of existence for all beings, while “His light” in the subsequent part of the verse refers to His guidance of the believers in particular. Both interpretations are based on the text, tone and context of the verse. This might suggest an inconsistency in the verse because it switches from one sense of light to another. However, it should be noted that God’s light has a single general and comprehensive meaning, which then manifests in different particular instances and specific aspects. In other words, both His light of existence and His light of guidance are available to all beings and humans, except that each absorbs and benefits from it according to its capacity. Both of them are universal from His point of view, but they are particularized by the receptivity of receivers. (Trans.) ↩︎

3. This implication is because negating tijārah means that they are never heedless of their Lord. (Trans.) ↩︎

4. In other words, the Day of Resurrection is a day when the means of acquiring God’s light of faith and gnosis will cease to function. It is also a day when the hearts and eyes of those who do not have this light will be left in utter darkness. (Trans.) ↩︎

5. This means that the author has taken God’s unconditional promise of sustenance to be (implicitly) qualified by their work and effort. (Trans.) ↩︎

6. Thus the word “light” in “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth” () means wujūd (existence, being) in the sense that it makes things observable, whether outwardly or inwardly. (Trans.) ↩︎

7. See volume 25, p. 148 of the English translation. (Trans.) ↩︎

8. The verse would then be saying: “For each of them, God knows its prayer and glorification.” This is the interpretation adopted by most English translators of the Qur’an. (Trans.) ↩︎

9. This is based on the view that the root meaning of ṣalāh is “to turn and incline toward something,” as the author has discussed under verse , in volume 2, p. 215 of the English translation. (Trans.) ↩︎

10. See volume 1, pp. 60ff of the English translation. (Trans.) ↩︎

11. In other words, the “guidance” mentioned at the end of the verse—“Allah guides whom He will to the straight path”—is in the sense of making one reach the destination, not merely showing them the way, because of the qualification “whom He will.” This sense of guidance—as an existential growth which hinges on God’s will—is different from God’s revelation of verses, which is universal. (Trans.) ↩︎

12. Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration. ↩︎

13. The two narrations effectively mean the same. That is, God is the means, source and cause of guidance of those who are in the heavens and those who are in the earth. (Trans.) ↩︎

14. Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration. ↩︎

15. Given the Imam’s reply and the author’s explanation below, this means: “a likeness for God’s quality of being light,” which means “a likeness for God.” (Trans.) ↩︎

16. Tafsīr al-Qummī, via its chain of narration. ↩︎

17. Ḥulūl in this case would be God’s incarnation and indwelling in the heavens and the earth. Inqilāb would be a transformation and transmutation of God’s essence into light or into the limited and defined essence of the heavens and the earth. (Trans.) ↩︎

18. Overall, the discussion here is meant to clarify the meaning of “His light” in: the likeness of His light is… It does not mean “the light which is Him,” but it means “the light which belongs to Him.” The first meaning springs first to the mind given what is said at the beginning of the verse—“Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth”—but the Imam and the author explain that this cannot be true. (Trans.) ↩︎

19. Al-Tawḥīd. ↩︎

20. Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Jābir. ↩︎

21. Al-Tawḥīd, via its chain of narration, on the authority of ʿĪsā b. Rāshid. ↩︎

22. Al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Ṣāliḥ b. Sahl al-Hamdānī. ↩︎

23. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Mardawayh, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah. ↩︎

24. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Mardawayh, on the authority of Anas b. Mālik and Buraydah. ↩︎

25. Tafsīr al-Qummī, via his chain of narration, on the authority of Jābir. ↩︎

26. Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎

27. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Mardawayh and others, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah and Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī. ↩︎

28. Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Mardawayh. ↩︎

29. Majmaʿ al-bayān. ↩︎

30. Rawḍat al-Kāfī, via its chain of narration, on the authority of Masʿadat b. Ṣadaqah, from Imam al-Ṣādiq, from his father, from Imam ʿAlī. ↩︎