The Parable of the Light of Allah Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. means, the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth. Ibn Jurayj reported that Mujahid and Ibn Abbas said concerning the Ayah: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ (Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth). "He is controlling their affairs and their stars and sun and moon." As-Suddi said concerning the Ayah: اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ (Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth). "by His Light the heavens and earth are illuminated." In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "When the Messenger of Allah got up to pray at night, he would say: اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ O Allah, to You be praise, You are the Sustainer of heaven and earth and whoever is in them. To You be praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. It was narrated that Ibn Mas`ud said, "There is no night or day with your Lord; the Light of the Throne comes from the Light of His Face." مَثَلُ نُورِهِ The parable of His Light, There are two views concerning the meaning of the pronoun (His). The first is that it refers to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, meaning that the parable of His guidance in the heart of the believer is كَمِشْكَاةٍ (as a niche). This was the view of Ibn Abbas. The second view is that the pronoun refers to the believer, which is indicated by the context of the words and implies that the parable of the light in the heart of the believer is as a niche. So the heart of the believer and what he is naturally inclined to of guidance and what he learns of the Qur'an which is in accordance with his natural inclinations are, as Allah says: أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ Can they who rely on a clear proof from their Lord, and whom a witness from Him recites it (can they be equal with the disbelievers). (11:17) The heart of the believer in its purity and clarity is likened to a lamp in transparent and jewel-like glass, and the Qur'an and Shariah by which it is guided are likened to good, pure, shining oil in which there is no impurity or deviation. كَمِشْكَاةٍ as (if there were) a niche, Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b and others said, "This refers to the position of the wick in the lamp." This is well-known, and hence Allah then says: فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ and within it a lamp. This is the flame that burns brightly. Or it was said that the niche is a niche in the house. This is the parable given by Allah of obedience towards Him. Allah calls obedience to Him as light, then He calls it by other numerous names as well. Ubayy bin Ka`b said, "The lamp is the light, and this refers to the Qur'an and the faith that is in his heart." As-Suddi said, "It is the lamp." الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ the lamp is in a glass, means, this light is shining in a clear glass. Ubayy bin Ka`b and others said, "This is the likeness of the heart of the believer." الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ the glass as it were a star Durriyyun, Some authorities recite the word Durriyyun with a Dammah on the Dal and without a Hamzah, which means pearls, i.e., as if it were a star made of pearls (Durr). Others recite it as Dirri'un or Durri'un, with a Kasrah on the Dal, or Dammah on the Dal, and with a Hamzah at the end, which means reflection (Dir'), because if something is shone on the star it becomes brighter than at any other time. The Arabs call the stars they do not know Darari. Ubayy bin Ka`b said: a shining star. Qatadah said: "Huge, bright and clear." يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ lit from a blessed tree, means, it is derived from olive oil, from a blessed tree. Ibn Kathir #quran #islam