سُوْرَةُ النُّوْرِ
Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 35
۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿35﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Allâh is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp: the lamp is in a glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allâh guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allâh sets forth parables for mankind, and Allâh is All-Knower of everything.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ ٱللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
نُورُ
nūru
(is the) Light
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
مَثَلُ
mathalu
(The) example
نُورِهِۦ
nūrihi
(of) His Light
كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ
kamish'katin
(is) like a niche
فِيهَا
fīhā
in it
مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ
miṣ'bāḥun
(is) a lamp
ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ
l-miṣ'bāḥu
the lamp
فِى
fī
(is) in
زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ
zujājatin
a glass
ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ
l-zujājatu
the glass
كَأَنَّهَا
ka-annahā
as if it were
كَوْكَبٌۭ
kawkabun
a star
دُرِّىٌّۭ
durriyyun
brilliant
يُوقَدُ
yūqadu
(which) is lit
مِن
min
from
شَجَرَةٍۢ
shajaratin
a tree
مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍۢ
mubārakatin
blessed
زَيْتُونَةٍۢ
zaytūnatin
an olive
لَّا
lā
not
شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ
sharqiyyatin
(of the) east
وَلَا
walā
and not
غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ
gharbiyyatin
(of the) west
يَكَادُ
yakādu
would almost
زَيْتُهَا
zaytuhā
its oil
يُضِىٓءُ
yuḍīu
glow
وَلَوْ
walaw
even if
لَمْ
lam
not
تَمْسَسْهُ
tamsashu
touched it
نَارٌۭ ۚ
nārun
fire
نُّورٌ
nūrun
Light
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
upon
نُورٍۢ ۗ
nūrin
Light
يَهْدِى
yahdī
Allah guides
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah guides
لِنُورِهِۦ
linūrihi
to His Light
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
He wills
وَيَضْرِبُ
wayaḍribu
And Allah sets forth
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah sets forth
ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ
l-amthāla
the examples
لِلنَّاسِ ۗ
lilnnāsi
for the mankind
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
of every
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
35-1. That is, if Allah did not exist, there would be no light in the sky nor on the earth, nor would anyone in the heavens and the earth receive guidance. Thus, it is Allah alone who illuminates the heavens and the earth; His Book is light, His Messenger (in terms of attributes) is light. That is, through both of these, guidance and illumination are obtained in the darknesses of life, just as a person obtains light from a lamp or bulb. It is also established from hadith that Allah is light; thus, Allah, His essence is light, His veil is light, and the Creator, Bestower, and Guide to every apparent and spiritual light is only Allah.
35-2. By "light" is meant faith and Islam, that is, Allah grants guidance towards this light to those in whom He sees an inclination and desire for faith, through which the doors of worldly and religious happiness are opened for them.
35-3. Just as Allah has presented an example, in which He has clarified faith, its being firmly established in the heart of His believing servant, and His knowledge of the states of the hearts of the servants—who is worthy of guidance and who is not.
35-2. By "light" is meant faith and Islam, that is, Allah grants guidance towards this light to those in whom He sees an inclination and desire for faith, through which the doors of worldly and religious happiness are opened for them.
35-3. Just as Allah has presented an example, in which He has clarified faith, its being firmly established in the heart of His believing servant, and His knowledge of the states of the hearts of the servants—who is worthy of guidance and who is not.
