The Sura of Light describes the Noor, There is one post on this forum regarding that sura, i was hoping we could discuss this sura in detail. I am a little confused, I would like to understand it a little more.
" Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things".
Thanks and Ya Ali Madad
Sura An-Nur
Quran speaks to mankind in allegory and parable, hence there can be many interpretations depending upon the orientation of the interpretor. The following is an interpretation that best accords with our tradition.
The Lamp symbolizes the institution of Imamat.
Glass - His handsome body with a radiant face, transperancy and purity through which the light shines with greatest intensity.
Oil - Special knowledge, holy blood
Blessed tree - Blessed ancestry
"neither of east nor of the west" - This special knowledge is not the property of one particular place - it is universal. The prophets appeared in all lands.
"the oil is well - nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it" - The Imamat is a self perpetuating institution independant of any external agency, is not guided or influenced by anyone or elected by the people.
"Light upon light" - Imamat is perpetual and never ends. Imam after Imam, the guidance continues forever.
The significance of the Niche is that it has a shiny surface which reflects the light and illuminates the room. Niche is also considered to be a safe place - out of reach and hence protected. Hence the light is protected by the Niche on the one hand and it is not diminished by it on the other.
You can find other interpretations at:
http://www.untiredwithloving.org/haqqi_light.html
The Lamp symbolizes the institution of Imamat.
Glass - His handsome body with a radiant face, transperancy and purity through which the light shines with greatest intensity.
Oil - Special knowledge, holy blood
Blessed tree - Blessed ancestry
"neither of east nor of the west" - This special knowledge is not the property of one particular place - it is universal. The prophets appeared in all lands.
"the oil is well - nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it" - The Imamat is a self perpetuating institution independant of any external agency, is not guided or influenced by anyone or elected by the people.
"Light upon light" - Imamat is perpetual and never ends. Imam after Imam, the guidance continues forever.
The significance of the Niche is that it has a shiny surface which reflects the light and illuminates the room. Niche is also considered to be a safe place - out of reach and hence protected. Hence the light is protected by the Niche on the one hand and it is not diminished by it on the other.
You can find other interpretations at:
http://www.untiredwithloving.org/haqqi_light.html
"Light Upon Light"
Interpretation of Quranic Ayat - Sura Noor
By Al-Waez R. D. Shariff
God is the light of the heavens and the earth.
The likeness of this light is a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp in a glass, the glass like a glittering star, kindled from a blessed olive tree, an olive that is neither of the east nor the west, the oil of which could shine without being touched by fire. Light upon light; God guides whom He please. - Quran 24:35
Before we endeavor to interpret the Qur'anic symbols, it is better to make it plain as to what we mean by the four garments, which our traveler has acquired from the 'Strangers at the Gates.' The first was his spiritual body, the function of which is knowing. The second was his mental body, the function of which is thinking. The third was his emotional body, the function of which is feeling. The fourth was his physical body, the function of which is doing. He is endowed with certain faculties: fire, air, water and earth--the four basic elements, which compose the human body. The Quranic verse, with its own fundamental symbols is a manifestation of this truth. The mystery surrounding the whole of the verse must be appreciated at the very outset. God's divine light cannot be revealed directly to man. Why there has never been a direct divine revelation is a definite mystery, but this begins to be unfolded if a human soul by intense meditation reaches its ultimate reality. But so far as we are imprisoned within these physical shells, God shall always speak to humanity in parables.
Now we come ultimately to the mystic path to unfold this verse. To all those who wish to tread this path, I beseech: let us walk together in love and prayers and tolerance, so that we may fathom the deeper mysteries of God.
The hint given earlier by me can now be revealed more fully and clearly, that this verse and its five symbols stand for man's reincarnation upon this earth--and that within his body, mind, heart, spirit, and what we call 'Life" is hidden his Soul, the Light of God--and it is through his 'Life' upon the earth that he must search the inner reality and find himself and God.
Thus the Niche in the verse symbolizes his physical incarnation, his body or the temporal vehicle. But it is not an ordinary vessel. The Creator has blessed it by enshrining within it a lamp, within which shines eternally His Light. It is the presence of this Lamp in man and only those who are aware of its Divine Presence, or have had its glimpse, can be said to have lived their lives truly.
The next symbol is the Lamp. The Lamp is the core of the spiritual truth, and which is the true source if illumination. Let us try to study this 'Lantern' which we all carry within ourselves. The Quranic symbols, which follow after the Lamp clearly show its structure, --the Glass, the Olive Tree, and the Olive Oil, the last being the real source of divine illumination. Thus the Lamp although far higher than the Niche is still at a lower level than the pure light itself. Thus with these five symbols, the life-energy as manifested within the human body becomes finer and subtler, that is, Niche is the body, the Lamp is the entire, whole, indivisible, indwelling spirit, sustaining, nourishing man, yet encased within the Glass with three significant meanings: (i) a transparent medium through which the light passes to illuminate the humanity and if it is in true harmony with the indwelling spirit can become the brilliant rising star of the human destiny; (ii) it is a protective shield against the lower and baser motives in man, and (iii) by failing to harmonize with the spirit, it may transmit a false image of the external world to the inner being. In a larger sense the glass truly and logically stands for the mind. Between the external world of the senses and the inner realm of reality, stands the mind. The Olive Tree is the source of the oil. I must admit that I found this symbol difficult to understand, and before we attempt its interpretation, we have to retrace out footsteps and attempt a brief recapitulation.
According to our logical thinking, we represented the human body as the Niche, whose function is to transmit to the human mind through its five sensory mediums, the external world. The Lamp is the entire life-force or the living spirit, whose first layer is the Glass or the mind, which is subtler and finer than the body. Its function is to record the data conveyed to it by the senses and to create out of its power of imagination a realm of knowledge. This line of thought I believe should lead to the 'tree' as the heart, which 'manufactures' the oil, the essential fuel. In the physiological sense the heart is very much like the tree. From the psychological point of view, it is the discursive spirit, which on receiving the data of reasoning from the mind, combines them and creates pure reason. It is also a seat of human emotions and feelings. The heart like the tree is a creation of two worlds. The tree has its roots deep down into the dark earth, and its crown uplifted to meet the finer elements from the above. So also the heart has lower animal instincts and yet it inspires man to strive for the supreme pinnacles of life. How does it do this? By producing and generating the essential fuel to ignite and enkindle the light of divine illumination, the Olive Oil. The oil produces the most radiant illumination in man. This is of course in the symbolic sense of man being the lantern. This fuel represents a spirit higher than the mind and the heart, for in its composition there is no base element. It is so luminous, that it seems to be as if self-igniting, and bestows the transcendental prophetic spirit to man. I believe it to be immortal and continuous in its memory, knowledge and wisdom.
But it awaits the ultimate spark from the Divinity, and until that spark ignites it, it remains dormant. At this stage our spiritual quest into the mysteries of this verse reaches its climax. This indwelling lantern, having the fuel and the glass and placed in a niche, shall only be ignited by the grace of God--this is clearly manifested in the words: Light upon Light; God guides to His Light whom He pleases. And when God's infinite love descends upon his spirit, he is awakened and enlightened from the deep slumbers of all births and deaths. That moment is a moment of reawakening, when man sees himself as Himself. That moment is a moment of rebirths, for man is reborn a superman, a prophet. That is his true birth, the birth of an ever living spirit, the dawn of Cosmic Consciousness, in which his past, present, and future all become one. In that supreme moment man achieves his ultimate Destiny--the Spiritual Union with God. Ameen
Source:
The Ismaili Literary Critic Souvenir July 1966
Published by Shia Imami Ismaili Association, Nairobi, Kenya pp 41-49
Thanks to Rai Hoosein Khanmohammed for providing the source to this article.
Interpretation of Quranic Ayat - Sura Noor
By Al-Waez R. D. Shariff
God is the light of the heavens and the earth.
The likeness of this light is a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp in a glass, the glass like a glittering star, kindled from a blessed olive tree, an olive that is neither of the east nor the west, the oil of which could shine without being touched by fire. Light upon light; God guides whom He please. - Quran 24:35
Before we endeavor to interpret the Qur'anic symbols, it is better to make it plain as to what we mean by the four garments, which our traveler has acquired from the 'Strangers at the Gates.' The first was his spiritual body, the function of which is knowing. The second was his mental body, the function of which is thinking. The third was his emotional body, the function of which is feeling. The fourth was his physical body, the function of which is doing. He is endowed with certain faculties: fire, air, water and earth--the four basic elements, which compose the human body. The Quranic verse, with its own fundamental symbols is a manifestation of this truth. The mystery surrounding the whole of the verse must be appreciated at the very outset. God's divine light cannot be revealed directly to man. Why there has never been a direct divine revelation is a definite mystery, but this begins to be unfolded if a human soul by intense meditation reaches its ultimate reality. But so far as we are imprisoned within these physical shells, God shall always speak to humanity in parables.
Now we come ultimately to the mystic path to unfold this verse. To all those who wish to tread this path, I beseech: let us walk together in love and prayers and tolerance, so that we may fathom the deeper mysteries of God.
The hint given earlier by me can now be revealed more fully and clearly, that this verse and its five symbols stand for man's reincarnation upon this earth--and that within his body, mind, heart, spirit, and what we call 'Life" is hidden his Soul, the Light of God--and it is through his 'Life' upon the earth that he must search the inner reality and find himself and God.
Thus the Niche in the verse symbolizes his physical incarnation, his body or the temporal vehicle. But it is not an ordinary vessel. The Creator has blessed it by enshrining within it a lamp, within which shines eternally His Light. It is the presence of this Lamp in man and only those who are aware of its Divine Presence, or have had its glimpse, can be said to have lived their lives truly.
The next symbol is the Lamp. The Lamp is the core of the spiritual truth, and which is the true source if illumination. Let us try to study this 'Lantern' which we all carry within ourselves. The Quranic symbols, which follow after the Lamp clearly show its structure, --the Glass, the Olive Tree, and the Olive Oil, the last being the real source of divine illumination. Thus the Lamp although far higher than the Niche is still at a lower level than the pure light itself. Thus with these five symbols, the life-energy as manifested within the human body becomes finer and subtler, that is, Niche is the body, the Lamp is the entire, whole, indivisible, indwelling spirit, sustaining, nourishing man, yet encased within the Glass with three significant meanings: (i) a transparent medium through which the light passes to illuminate the humanity and if it is in true harmony with the indwelling spirit can become the brilliant rising star of the human destiny; (ii) it is a protective shield against the lower and baser motives in man, and (iii) by failing to harmonize with the spirit, it may transmit a false image of the external world to the inner being. In a larger sense the glass truly and logically stands for the mind. Between the external world of the senses and the inner realm of reality, stands the mind. The Olive Tree is the source of the oil. I must admit that I found this symbol difficult to understand, and before we attempt its interpretation, we have to retrace out footsteps and attempt a brief recapitulation.
According to our logical thinking, we represented the human body as the Niche, whose function is to transmit to the human mind through its five sensory mediums, the external world. The Lamp is the entire life-force or the living spirit, whose first layer is the Glass or the mind, which is subtler and finer than the body. Its function is to record the data conveyed to it by the senses and to create out of its power of imagination a realm of knowledge. This line of thought I believe should lead to the 'tree' as the heart, which 'manufactures' the oil, the essential fuel. In the physiological sense the heart is very much like the tree. From the psychological point of view, it is the discursive spirit, which on receiving the data of reasoning from the mind, combines them and creates pure reason. It is also a seat of human emotions and feelings. The heart like the tree is a creation of two worlds. The tree has its roots deep down into the dark earth, and its crown uplifted to meet the finer elements from the above. So also the heart has lower animal instincts and yet it inspires man to strive for the supreme pinnacles of life. How does it do this? By producing and generating the essential fuel to ignite and enkindle the light of divine illumination, the Olive Oil. The oil produces the most radiant illumination in man. This is of course in the symbolic sense of man being the lantern. This fuel represents a spirit higher than the mind and the heart, for in its composition there is no base element. It is so luminous, that it seems to be as if self-igniting, and bestows the transcendental prophetic spirit to man. I believe it to be immortal and continuous in its memory, knowledge and wisdom.
But it awaits the ultimate spark from the Divinity, and until that spark ignites it, it remains dormant. At this stage our spiritual quest into the mysteries of this verse reaches its climax. This indwelling lantern, having the fuel and the glass and placed in a niche, shall only be ignited by the grace of God--this is clearly manifested in the words: Light upon Light; God guides to His Light whom He pleases. And when God's infinite love descends upon his spirit, he is awakened and enlightened from the deep slumbers of all births and deaths. That moment is a moment of reawakening, when man sees himself as Himself. That moment is a moment of rebirths, for man is reborn a superman, a prophet. That is his true birth, the birth of an ever living spirit, the dawn of Cosmic Consciousness, in which his past, present, and future all become one. In that supreme moment man achieves his ultimate Destiny--the Spiritual Union with God. Ameen
Source:
The Ismaili Literary Critic Souvenir July 1966
Published by Shia Imami Ismaili Association, Nairobi, Kenya pp 41-49
Thanks to Rai Hoosein Khanmohammed for providing the source to this article.
Khushali Mubarak with prayers for Peace, Happiness, Barakaat, &
Noor in our lives always, under the shelter and guidance of our beloved Imam, Ameen.
P.S. Thought you may enjoy the attached video synopsis of Amyn’s perspective of the relationship between Sura Noor and Imamat Day which I taped for our family.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2p_-tgID1I
Noor in our lives always, under the shelter and guidance of our beloved Imam, Ameen.
P.S. Thought you may enjoy the attached video synopsis of Amyn’s perspective of the relationship between Sura Noor and Imamat Day which I taped for our family.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2p_-tgID1I
I think we can expand on the symbols of Noor such as:
1) In the sentence which is said before reading a Farman [In the Name of Noor Mowlana Shah Karim, please recite the holy Salwat"
2) Or Farmans are Noor
3) Or Abe-Safa is Noor
4) How this symbol is linked to the perpetual fight between Light and Darkness in some religions
etc..
1) In the sentence which is said before reading a Farman [In the Name of Noor Mowlana Shah Karim, please recite the holy Salwat"
2) Or Farmans are Noor
3) Or Abe-Safa is Noor
4) How this symbol is linked to the perpetual fight between Light and Darkness in some religions
etc..
Ya Ali Madad:
this was the better thread to reply as it covers post by few others in the same conviction n thinking mind set.
my POV in inline but more to the point.
1.Allah speaks.so he has a face,tongue,vocal chord and literacy with audible sound to qualify to speak.(he may spoken as unseen before this period).
2. the exoteric universally accepted meaning is 'Light'.
same as word 'Allah'.till it was not looked deep into.
the esoteric meaning is 'Spiritual Intellect".
Here the word NUR is co related divine enlightenment and not to light as
in physics being co related to heat,energy and brightness.
as there is line as no fire touches it,So it is subtle divine glow of light embedded/co layered with Spiritual Intellect.
in this Ayat an example is given of Nur being contained in glass (body).
What is this body???.
Quran has to be read in parables in the whole book ,where is clear physical
features of ALI/Allah is mentioned.
As written that is a light and not located in any one region etc.
So the real effective meaning of word in divine/spiritual Intellect.
as only intellect of a person can be contained in a human body only.
there is no defined intellect seen in any object expressing.
and intellect has no specific location.
this ayat mentions the word Glass as container of noor as an example.
So Nur is contained in a Human body and not in sun.moon or ocean.
All enlightenment of divine guidance is referred as Nur
such as Farmans, Ginans ,Qasidas ,Quran.
they are referred as Nur co relating the word to divine intellect/guidance
written or expressed in it
all these academic work or majlis act of Ismailis relating to the word Nur/Noorani
is deriving divine message from it not a measurement of light as in physic
the word nur goes beyond the word light to spiritual intellect.
HE also mentions He will guide whom he wishes,so this also not a open
entry status for all.(suckers other than Ismailis)
I do not know it fully.
If anyone can put English transliteration of the words 'Light after Light'.
I assume the translators may have erred by purpose or overlooked it.
I may wish expand on above few words.
Our haqiqati wise member Kmaherali has nicely put in good English
the Ismaili understanding/belief of the Ayat no 35.
this was the better thread to reply as it covers post by few others in the same conviction n thinking mind set.
my POV in inline but more to the point.
1.Allah speaks.so he has a face,tongue,vocal chord and literacy with audible sound to qualify to speak.(he may spoken as unseen before this period).
2. the exoteric universally accepted meaning is 'Light'.
same as word 'Allah'.till it was not looked deep into.
the esoteric meaning is 'Spiritual Intellect".
Here the word NUR is co related divine enlightenment and not to light as
in physics being co related to heat,energy and brightness.
as there is line as no fire touches it,So it is subtle divine glow of light embedded/co layered with Spiritual Intellect.
in this Ayat an example is given of Nur being contained in glass (body).
What is this body???.
Quran has to be read in parables in the whole book ,where is clear physical
features of ALI/Allah is mentioned.
As written that is a light and not located in any one region etc.
So the real effective meaning of word in divine/spiritual Intellect.
as only intellect of a person can be contained in a human body only.
there is no defined intellect seen in any object expressing.
and intellect has no specific location.
this ayat mentions the word Glass as container of noor as an example.
So Nur is contained in a Human body and not in sun.moon or ocean.
All enlightenment of divine guidance is referred as Nur
such as Farmans, Ginans ,Qasidas ,Quran.
they are referred as Nur co relating the word to divine intellect/guidance
written or expressed in it
all these academic work or majlis act of Ismailis relating to the word Nur/Noorani
is deriving divine message from it not a measurement of light as in physic
the word nur goes beyond the word light to spiritual intellect.
HE also mentions He will guide whom he wishes,so this also not a open
entry status for all.(suckers other than Ismailis)
I do not know it fully.
If anyone can put English transliteration of the words 'Light after Light'.
I assume the translators may have erred by purpose or overlooked it.
I may wish expand on above few words.
Our haqiqati wise member Kmaherali has nicely put in good English
the Ismaili understanding/belief of the Ayat no 35.
Ya Ali Madad:
after reading ayat again n again from last 10 days.It would take fwe more posting to get into it.
1.Ali+lah=Allah says he is the Nur of heaven and earth.
not in between in hanging status. the word heaven for those who do not acknowledge baatin or accept it is imagination,aftermath,blah blah.
Now the word 'EARTH' is also mentioned where we are living with all info
visibility.
By logic n reasoning all object, figures, persons have to be SEEN ,as what Allah says is 100% true.
So the Nur is there on earth.
many Ayats in human language( not of aliens or animals) He say about
his face,hands sitting on a throne.eyes which co relates to biological features of normal human body.
again as an anology and not absolute,He has that nur in holded,contained
in a glass( body),glass can transparent,translucent or opaque.
A human is opauqe and only place which can contain,hold or be bearer of NUR.
there is again a line giving example as brilliant shining star ( not actually one).if once observes the pole star it has not moved over a multi million
with same level of brightness and it's location in space cannot be speficied
as in east,west,south or north.
(it has more info in Ismaili cosmology).
so it has to be shining Noorani face person on earth like pole star outshining
all other stars.
again it mentions Light after light.
it does not in common sense Allah after Allah,but the bearer of Noor after
same Nur in biological sense of Human body.
Ali+Lah=Allah sat he guides to whom he wishes.
So on earth that entity has to been guiding some or many people on Earth.
Quran say he leaves two weight things to guide mankind the Quran n Imam E Mubeen.
Now my question to forum members:
WHO COULD BE ALLAH BE ON EARTH AND AT TIMES ALSO CLAIMED THAT STATUS,
.remember is not easy but impossible for any ordinary person claiming
to be God.
Allah is not a Myth,imagination or escapism of meta physics but a reality.
I wish to have answer from a common sense Shariati,Clever Tariqati and
and many many intelligent Haqiqatis
Your time begins now for answers.
after reading ayat again n again from last 10 days.It would take fwe more posting to get into it.
1.Ali+lah=Allah says he is the Nur of heaven and earth.
not in between in hanging status. the word heaven for those who do not acknowledge baatin or accept it is imagination,aftermath,blah blah.
Now the word 'EARTH' is also mentioned where we are living with all info
visibility.
By logic n reasoning all object, figures, persons have to be SEEN ,as what Allah says is 100% true.
So the Nur is there on earth.
many Ayats in human language( not of aliens or animals) He say about
his face,hands sitting on a throne.eyes which co relates to biological features of normal human body.
again as an anology and not absolute,He has that nur in holded,contained
in a glass( body),glass can transparent,translucent or opaque.
A human is opauqe and only place which can contain,hold or be bearer of NUR.
there is again a line giving example as brilliant shining star ( not actually one).if once observes the pole star it has not moved over a multi million
with same level of brightness and it's location in space cannot be speficied
as in east,west,south or north.
(it has more info in Ismaili cosmology).
so it has to be shining Noorani face person on earth like pole star outshining
all other stars.
again it mentions Light after light.
it does not in common sense Allah after Allah,but the bearer of Noor after
same Nur in biological sense of Human body.
Ali+Lah=Allah sat he guides to whom he wishes.
So on earth that entity has to been guiding some or many people on Earth.
Quran say he leaves two weight things to guide mankind the Quran n Imam E Mubeen.
Now my question to forum members:
WHO COULD BE ALLAH BE ON EARTH AND AT TIMES ALSO CLAIMED THAT STATUS,
.remember is not easy but impossible for any ordinary person claiming
to be God.
Allah is not a Myth,imagination or escapism of meta physics but a reality.
I wish to have answer from a common sense Shariati,Clever Tariqati and
and many many intelligent Haqiqatis
Your time begins now for answers.
The Parable of the Light of Allah
Sura AnNoor
(35. Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as a niche and within it a lamp: the lamp is in a glass, the glass as it were a star Durriyyun, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth, though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.)
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said:
(Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.)
means, the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth. Ibn Jurayj said: "Mujahid and Ibn `Abbas said concerning the Ayah:
(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.
(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:
(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.''
(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
(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:
(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 Shari`ah by which it is guided are likened to good, pure, shining oil in which there is no impurity or deviation.
(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 says:
(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.''
(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.''
(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.''
(lit from a blessed tree,)
means, it is derived from olive oil, from a blessed tree.
(an olive,)
This refers to the blessed tree mentioned previously.
(neither of the east nor of the west,)
means, it is not in the eastern part of the land so that it does not get any sun in the first part of the day, nor is it in the western part of the land so that it is shaded from the sun before sunset, but it is in a central position where it gets sun from the beginning of the day until the end, so its oil is good and pure and shining. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented on:
(an olive, neither of the east nor of the west,)
"This is a tree in the desert which is not shaded by any other tree or mountain or cave, nothing covers it, and this is best for its oil.''
Mujahid commented on:
(neither of the east nor of the west, )
saying; "It is not in the east where it will get no sun when the sun sets, nor is it in the west where it will get no sun when the sun rises, but it is in a position where it will get sun both at sunrise and sunset.''
Sa`id bin Jubayr commented:
(an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself))
"This is the best kind of oil. When the sun rises it reaches the tree from the east and when it sets it reaches it from the west, so the sun reaches it morning and evening, so it is not counted as being in the east or in the west.''
(whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it.)
`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said (this means) because the oil itself is shining.
(Light upon Light!)
Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas that this meant the faith and deeds of a person. As-Suddi said:
(Light upon Light!)
"Light of the fire and the light of the oil: when they are combined they give light, and neither of them can give light without the other. Similarly the light of the Qur'an and the light of faith give light when they are combined, and neither can do so without the other.''
(Allah guides to His Light whom He wills.)
means, Allah shows the way to the ones whom He chooses, as it says in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from `Abdullah bin `Amr, who said,
"I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
(Allah created His creation in darkness, then on the same day He sent His Light upon them. Whoever was touched by His Light on that day will be guided and whoever was missed will be led astray. Hence I say: the pens have dried in accordance with the knowledge of Allah, may He be glorified.)''
(And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.)
Having mentioned this parable of the Light of His guidance in the heart of the believer, Allah ends this Ayah with the words:
(And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.)
meaning, He knows best who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be led astray. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said,
"The Messenger of Allah said:
(Hearts are of four kinds: the heart that is clear like a shining lamp; the heart that is covered and tied up; the heart that is upside-down; and the heart that is clad in armor. As for the clear heart, it is the heart of the believer in which is a lamp filled with light; as for the covered heart, this is the heart of the disbeliever; as for the upside-down heart, this is the heart of the hypocrite, who recognizes then denies; as for the armor-clad heart, this is the heart in which there is both faith and hypocrisy. The parable of the faith in it is that of legume, a sprout that is irrigated with good water, and the likeness of the hypocrisy in it is that of sores that are fed by blood and pus. Whichever of the two prevails is the characteristic that will dominate.) Its chain of narrators is good (Jayyid) although they (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.
Sura AnNoor
(35. Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as a niche and within it a lamp: the lamp is in a glass, the glass as it were a star Durriyyun, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth, though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.)
`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said:
(Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.)
means, the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth. Ibn Jurayj said: "Mujahid and Ibn `Abbas said concerning the Ayah:
(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.
(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:
(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.''
(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
(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:
(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 Shari`ah by which it is guided are likened to good, pure, shining oil in which there is no impurity or deviation.
(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 says:
(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.''
(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.''
(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.''
(lit from a blessed tree,)
means, it is derived from olive oil, from a blessed tree.
(an olive,)
This refers to the blessed tree mentioned previously.
(neither of the east nor of the west,)
means, it is not in the eastern part of the land so that it does not get any sun in the first part of the day, nor is it in the western part of the land so that it is shaded from the sun before sunset, but it is in a central position where it gets sun from the beginning of the day until the end, so its oil is good and pure and shining. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented on:
(an olive, neither of the east nor of the west,)
"This is a tree in the desert which is not shaded by any other tree or mountain or cave, nothing covers it, and this is best for its oil.''
Mujahid commented on:
(neither of the east nor of the west, )
saying; "It is not in the east where it will get no sun when the sun sets, nor is it in the west where it will get no sun when the sun rises, but it is in a position where it will get sun both at sunrise and sunset.''
Sa`id bin Jubayr commented:
(an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself))
"This is the best kind of oil. When the sun rises it reaches the tree from the east and when it sets it reaches it from the west, so the sun reaches it morning and evening, so it is not counted as being in the east or in the west.''
(whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it.)
`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said (this means) because the oil itself is shining.
(Light upon Light!)
Al-`Awfi narrated from Ibn `Abbas that this meant the faith and deeds of a person. As-Suddi said:
(Light upon Light!)
"Light of the fire and the light of the oil: when they are combined they give light, and neither of them can give light without the other. Similarly the light of the Qur'an and the light of faith give light when they are combined, and neither can do so without the other.''
(Allah guides to His Light whom He wills.)
means, Allah shows the way to the ones whom He chooses, as it says in the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from `Abdullah bin `Amr, who said,
"I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
(Allah created His creation in darkness, then on the same day He sent His Light upon them. Whoever was touched by His Light on that day will be guided and whoever was missed will be led astray. Hence I say: the pens have dried in accordance with the knowledge of Allah, may He be glorified.)''
(And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.)
Having mentioned this parable of the Light of His guidance in the heart of the believer, Allah ends this Ayah with the words:
(And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.)
meaning, He knows best who deserves to be guided and who deserves to be led astray. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said,
"The Messenger of Allah said:
(Hearts are of four kinds: the heart that is clear like a shining lamp; the heart that is covered and tied up; the heart that is upside-down; and the heart that is clad in armor. As for the clear heart, it is the heart of the believer in which is a lamp filled with light; as for the covered heart, this is the heart of the disbeliever; as for the upside-down heart, this is the heart of the hypocrite, who recognizes then denies; as for the armor-clad heart, this is the heart in which there is both faith and hypocrisy. The parable of the faith in it is that of legume, a sprout that is irrigated with good water, and the likeness of the hypocrisy in it is that of sores that are fed by blood and pus. Whichever of the two prevails is the characteristic that will dominate.) Its chain of narrators is good (Jayyid) although they (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.
To:ms 92.5% ashtrayed.
I thought you were just 85% screwed up out of hadiths and now 100% inccorect tafseer of ayats by quacks you also as matter of fact is 92.5% misguided.
7.5% savior grace is out of prophets life.
firstly thet have not define the word NUR.
wrong starts make them go as an ignorant will reading the tafseer.
Quran mentions the word rasikfulilm who could explain quran and not any quack or street side mullah or qazi.
if their IQ test is taken(other than reciitng the quran in fancy vocal chord).
in secular general knowledge of the world ,that would most of them fail.
This challenge stands for now.
what rubbish is their understanding of the light after light.
when there is a line that no fire touch it.
they go on to explain that fire of light touches over the light of nur.
straight away nullifying the the word that Nur is NOT related to heat,fire.energy or brightness
where vision of it is concerned.
the whole tasfeer of the holy book seem that they have made stinking toilet paper out of it.
I would not even wipe my ass with it as it would BRING VIRUS with it.
you have an educated mind.
say what you understand from it.
I challenge the tafseer of this quack in open forum with no anger n neutral judge to give result.
before you put any of the quacks wholesale copy paste.
I wish to know
1.how were the last seven years of the life before death were like?
2.How did they die?
3.what is current status of the spot now they were buried?
Can you get these answers as you are good in Googling (stink finder) and getting data from your mentors.
Can you paste their bio data as needed by me on top of each of their posting.
For the quacks n disbelievers of Quran.
NUR is light.(full stop. and everything is blank after that).
for an Ismaili.
Allah is bearer of NUR which is a subtle light of divine intellect.
I want my tafseer to be taken to MHI by anyone.
I am ready for any error n face the music.
I assume that curse has overtaken you as you are falling down from
common sense to ignorant level for your next phase of life.
BTW tret is a fine and intelligent Tariqati.
He is only shy of posting qasidas and explaining each line of it honestly to the forum.
I assume he is looking forward to sunlight in sky from the street and maybe not to darkness of sewage line below the street.
EID MUBARAK to all from the office of Attorney General of ALI
I thought you were just 85% screwed up out of hadiths and now 100% inccorect tafseer of ayats by quacks you also as matter of fact is 92.5% misguided.
7.5% savior grace is out of prophets life.
firstly thet have not define the word NUR.
wrong starts make them go as an ignorant will reading the tafseer.
Quran mentions the word rasikfulilm who could explain quran and not any quack or street side mullah or qazi.
if their IQ test is taken(other than reciitng the quran in fancy vocal chord).
in secular general knowledge of the world ,that would most of them fail.
This challenge stands for now.
what rubbish is their understanding of the light after light.
when there is a line that no fire touch it.
they go on to explain that fire of light touches over the light of nur.
straight away nullifying the the word that Nur is NOT related to heat,fire.energy or brightness
where vision of it is concerned.
the whole tasfeer of the holy book seem that they have made stinking toilet paper out of it.
I would not even wipe my ass with it as it would BRING VIRUS with it.
you have an educated mind.
say what you understand from it.
I challenge the tafseer of this quack in open forum with no anger n neutral judge to give result.
before you put any of the quacks wholesale copy paste.
I wish to know
1.how were the last seven years of the life before death were like?
2.How did they die?
3.what is current status of the spot now they were buried?
Can you get these answers as you are good in Googling (stink finder) and getting data from your mentors.
Can you paste their bio data as needed by me on top of each of their posting.
For the quacks n disbelievers of Quran.
NUR is light.(full stop. and everything is blank after that).
for an Ismaili.
Allah is bearer of NUR which is a subtle light of divine intellect.
I want my tafseer to be taken to MHI by anyone.
I am ready for any error n face the music.
I assume that curse has overtaken you as you are falling down from
common sense to ignorant level for your next phase of life.
BTW tret is a fine and intelligent Tariqati.
He is only shy of posting qasidas and explaining each line of it honestly to the forum.
I assume he is looking forward to sunlight in sky from the street and maybe not to darkness of sewage line below the street.
EID MUBARAK to all from the office of Attorney General of ALI
Our Imam said there are thousands of interpretations of the Quran.
Shia interpretations are different from Sunni interpretations and within even Sunni interpretations there would be many variances. All these interpretations co-exist in history.
Our own Ismaili interpretation equate Noor to the Imam and we believe in following our own interpretation which does not preclude anyone from searching in other directions.
Shia interpretations are different from Sunni interpretations and within even Sunni interpretations there would be many variances. All these interpretations co-exist in history.
Our own Ismaili interpretation equate Noor to the Imam and we believe in following our own interpretation which does not preclude anyone from searching in other directions.
I think when we refer to Imam-e-Zaman as Nur, we have to remember that we are referring to Eternal Imam as opposed to Manifest Imam. When Imam speaks as Eternal Imam, He refers as sustainer, creator and the Manifest Imam is the bearer of Eternal Imam's Nur.Admin wrote:
Our own Ismaili interpretation equate Noor to the Imam ...
-
shiraz.virani
- Posts: 1256
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 2:52 pm
Hazrat Ali once uttered a prayer in which he declared that he was not in the least afraid of the tortures of hell, nor did he have any lust for the pleasures of paradise. He was simply intoxicated with the love of God. This is the Haqiqat…Hazrat Ali’s miraculous powers lay in his ability to help people to arrive at the Haqiqat. That is the greatest miracle….. My task is to show you the Way to the Truth, so that you may achieve your real destiny, which is the
state of fana fi’llah.
In order to understand the status of God, you must first understand your own status as man. What is the point of a man’s life when he busies himself night and day with good deeds and accumulating wealth, and has to die in the end? What is the value of life-long worship when it does not lead to liberty? The thinking man will never be satisfied with partial achievement.
Extracts from “Usul-i Din” :
(29th September Dar es Salaam, 1899.)
state of fana fi’llah.
In order to understand the status of God, you must first understand your own status as man. What is the point of a man’s life when he busies himself night and day with good deeds and accumulating wealth, and has to die in the end? What is the value of life-long worship when it does not lead to liberty? The thinking man will never be satisfied with partial achievement.
Extracts from “Usul-i Din” :
(29th September Dar es Salaam, 1899.)
Shiraz, You jumped 1400 years back ! but thanks for your above quote which remind me one similar farman of SMSHazrat Ali once uttered a prayer in which he declared that he was not in the least afraid of the tortures of hell, nor did he have any lust for the pleasures of paradise.
SWARG E TO EK GHODA NO TABLE CHHE! PAN KHARA MOMIN NE TO ASAL MA VASL THAVA NU J SOCHVU JOIYE
Heaven is the stable of Horses, but for a true Murid he has to think about FANAFILLAH. salwat
Swarg means heaven
Agakhani a bit too paranoid at we?agakhani wrote:Exactly same like Tret!!! he is also asking Usel- E-din" and do not have much understanding in ginans!!!!Unfortunately i have a very exoteric understanding of our faith since i didnt grow up with the understanding of the ginan tradition.
Kya aap ????
I guess samaj ne walo ko ishara kafi hota hai.
No seriously the younger generation which has grown up in Pakistan and India has known ginans but not to the level of other older murids so to me atleast ginans have very little meaning since they are not in English aargh I'm afraid for murids like myself Imams farmans hold more value than ginans
There is another very illuminative interpretation explained in an article posted elsewhere in this forum which can be accessed at:
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... pic&t=7700
"Allah's revelation comes at a time when electric light was not yet invented. All households used oil lamps or lanterns.
A niche is a small recess or hollow in a wall of a room in the house where a lamp is placed so the whole house receives light. By the same token, in this huge universe, our earth is a tiny place (niche) where the lamp of Immamate is placed to eliminate the darkness of ignorance and light the straight path (Siratal-Mustaqeem) for us to see and walk on.
The glass is symbolic of the physical body of the Imam. It is compared to a brilliant star. Just as a brilliant star shines more brightly than other stars, so also, a hereditary Imam is incomparably brilliant and superior in knowledge, insight, and wisdom, and so he outshines the rest of Allah's human creation in that respect.
The holy blood of the Prophet flowing through the veins of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt is likened to olive oil (zaitoon) which is considered superior to all other oils because the light it generates is far more brilliant than that which is produced by other oils. Just as the supply of this precious olive oil keeps the flame of a lamp bright and luminous, so also the holy blood of the Prophet in the veins of the Imams of his progeny sustains them, physically, in order for them to enlighten our path through guidance. Simply put, the Imams live among us to guide us on Sirat-al-Mustaqeem. The comparison also seeks to distinguish that just as olive oil sustaining the flame is superior to all other oils, so also the parentage of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt is far superior to that of the rest of mankind.
Neither of the East nor the West purports to tell us that all of the prophets that preceded Muhammad did not come just from one area. They came from different corners of the globe. And, we all know that Allah sent 124,OOO prophets, but the Quran has listed only a handful of them - about 25.
We often talk about a family tree. The imagery of the blessed tree here is Muhammad's family tree which consists of his holy ancestry tracing back to Ishmael, prophet Abraham’s elder son, and all the prophets of Israel that descended from Isaac, the second son of Abraham. The holy tree also includes Abraham, Noah, and Adam. All the succeeding Ismaili Imams from the prophet Muhammad’s and Imran's (Abu Talib’s) progeny through Ali and Fatima including our present 49th Imam, Shah Karim, are part of this holy tree.
"Light upon light" esoterically means "Imam after Imam or Living Guide after Living Guide"-father to son- from the Ahl al-Bayt; "seed after seed" as Abraham was promised.
Just as in the presence of physical light one can avoid pitfalls in one's path and safely walk to one's destination, so also in the presence of a divinely authorized Imam, one can successfully walk the spiritual path and reach one's goal which is spiritual salvation. But this straight path is not everybody's blessing to enjoy, for Allah says, "Allah doth guide whom He will to His light."
When an Imam passes away, his mortal body which is symbolized, here, as the glass or outer covering of a lamp is discarded and buried while another glass, (successor) immediately, takes his place. Every time an Imam is murdered or slain, it is only the glass or the outer covering that is considered destroyed. The inextinguishable flame (Noor) continues to burn inside the succeeding glass (succeeding Imam's body). The light emanating from the designated Imam is, esoterically explained, the guidance from him which enables the believers to walk clear of any pitfalls in their secular or spiritual path. Ali (A.S.) echoed the same thoughts when he said in his sermon, quoted elsewhere in this write-up:
“Remember that the descendants of the holy Prophet (A.S.) are the stars in the heaven; if one sets, the other will rise to illumine your path; the merciful Lord has thus completed His blessings upon you.”
Thus, Allah has not only completed his blessing but has also kept his promise of "Light upon light, Allah doth guide, whom He will to His light." Just as soon as one glass (mortal body of Imam) broke or got destroyed, another took its place to house the light (Noor). This way, through all vicissitudes the Ismaili faith has not only survived but has, also, emerged triumphant, by the grace of Allah.
Speaking of the vicissitudes, quite a few Ismaili Imams have been slain over the last 14OO years. (Read Farhad Daftari's books listed on the last page). Couldn't Allah protect His prophets and the Imams? He certainly could, but it was part of Allah's plan to show to the world and the enemies of true Islam that Ale-Imran (Abu Talib) would never cease to exist and that His light would unfailingly continue to illumine the path of true believers through the designated Imams from the progeny of the Prophet and Ale-Imran in spite of the hostility against them. Let me quote a bit from a non-Ismaili Muslim writer, Farhad Daftari's The Assassin Legends:
"The Ismailis now began to be widely condemned by the majority of Muslim theologians, heresiographers and historians as heretics; and the Suni polemicists in particular began to fabricate evidence that would lend support to that condemnation on specific doctrinal grounds. This general anti-Ismaili campaign was encouraged and supported by most of the ruling dynasties of the Medieval Muslim world." On the same page, 12, Daftari writes: "The sunni polemists who wrote anti-Ismaili tracts and pamphlets had a particular goal in mind; they aimed to discredit the Ismaili movement from its origins." Daftari writes on page 35, "...the Saljuqs and their Suni judges adopted an auxiliary policy of their own: large-scale massacres of the Nizari Ismailis. It became an established practice in many urban localities to round up all those accused of being Ismaili and to consign them to fire or put them to the sword...... Large numbers of Nizaris were thus massacred, and their properties confiscated in great cities like Aleppo, Damascus, Qazwin, and Isfahan ......"
Allah says:
Fain would they put out the Noor of Allah with their mouth, but Allah will perfect His Noor, however much the disbelievers are averse.
(61: (see also 9:32,33; 611; 48:27-29)
What is literally meant by the above ayat is that no matter how hard the enemies of the divinely appointed prophets or Imams try to resist, discredit, vilify, or obliterate them (prophets or Imams), Allah will ensure that divine guidance continues through them and their designated successors.
What's amazing about Ismaili Muslims is their resilience that eventually helps them triumph after every period of suffering other Muslim sects subjected them to. What's more amazing is their capacity to forgive and work for the good of all Muslims once back in the saddle and bear no grudges against their tormentors.
In another verse where commentators and so-called experts deliberately confuse the word "light," which stands for "Imam," with the Holy Book is:
"O ye people, verily Proof has come to you from your Lord and we have sent you manifest Light." (4: 174,175)
The whole Sura Noor is so easy to understand as we have just seen. Yet, Al Ghazali, in his Mishkat-ul- Anwar (11th century, A.D.) has rendered it so complicated in his efforts to expound it that he has failed to do any justice to it. Such complex and mind-boggling explanations Allah did not intend for the Umma, so young in Islam. Gazali's "Mystic Interpretation" mystifies the verse further rather than simplify it. This could be frustrating for lay believers. Frustrations should have no room in the practice of the faith of Islam. Even so, his interpretation has been applauded and translated in English by W.H.T. Gairdner, published by the Royal Asiatic Society, London, 1924. The harder and more confusing the exposition, the higher it is rated in terms of its philosophical and spiritual depth and quality by those who wish to be distinguished as a group of the learned elite. Ghazali, unfortunately, failed to discern the simple interpretation of this beautiful verse! That is why a divinely authorized Imam is so vital and indispensable!
The Ismaili interpretation of the continued presence of Allah's mazhar (manifestation) or "light upon light," on this earth reminds us of Allah's initial decision to set up a Khalifa (vicegerent), for all time, when He told all the angels that He was going to create Adam."
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... pic&t=7700
"Allah's revelation comes at a time when electric light was not yet invented. All households used oil lamps or lanterns.
A niche is a small recess or hollow in a wall of a room in the house where a lamp is placed so the whole house receives light. By the same token, in this huge universe, our earth is a tiny place (niche) where the lamp of Immamate is placed to eliminate the darkness of ignorance and light the straight path (Siratal-Mustaqeem) for us to see and walk on.
The glass is symbolic of the physical body of the Imam. It is compared to a brilliant star. Just as a brilliant star shines more brightly than other stars, so also, a hereditary Imam is incomparably brilliant and superior in knowledge, insight, and wisdom, and so he outshines the rest of Allah's human creation in that respect.
The holy blood of the Prophet flowing through the veins of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt is likened to olive oil (zaitoon) which is considered superior to all other oils because the light it generates is far more brilliant than that which is produced by other oils. Just as the supply of this precious olive oil keeps the flame of a lamp bright and luminous, so also the holy blood of the Prophet in the veins of the Imams of his progeny sustains them, physically, in order for them to enlighten our path through guidance. Simply put, the Imams live among us to guide us on Sirat-al-Mustaqeem. The comparison also seeks to distinguish that just as olive oil sustaining the flame is superior to all other oils, so also the parentage of the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt is far superior to that of the rest of mankind.
Neither of the East nor the West purports to tell us that all of the prophets that preceded Muhammad did not come just from one area. They came from different corners of the globe. And, we all know that Allah sent 124,OOO prophets, but the Quran has listed only a handful of them - about 25.
We often talk about a family tree. The imagery of the blessed tree here is Muhammad's family tree which consists of his holy ancestry tracing back to Ishmael, prophet Abraham’s elder son, and all the prophets of Israel that descended from Isaac, the second son of Abraham. The holy tree also includes Abraham, Noah, and Adam. All the succeeding Ismaili Imams from the prophet Muhammad’s and Imran's (Abu Talib’s) progeny through Ali and Fatima including our present 49th Imam, Shah Karim, are part of this holy tree.
"Light upon light" esoterically means "Imam after Imam or Living Guide after Living Guide"-father to son- from the Ahl al-Bayt; "seed after seed" as Abraham was promised.
Just as in the presence of physical light one can avoid pitfalls in one's path and safely walk to one's destination, so also in the presence of a divinely authorized Imam, one can successfully walk the spiritual path and reach one's goal which is spiritual salvation. But this straight path is not everybody's blessing to enjoy, for Allah says, "Allah doth guide whom He will to His light."
When an Imam passes away, his mortal body which is symbolized, here, as the glass or outer covering of a lamp is discarded and buried while another glass, (successor) immediately, takes his place. Every time an Imam is murdered or slain, it is only the glass or the outer covering that is considered destroyed. The inextinguishable flame (Noor) continues to burn inside the succeeding glass (succeeding Imam's body). The light emanating from the designated Imam is, esoterically explained, the guidance from him which enables the believers to walk clear of any pitfalls in their secular or spiritual path. Ali (A.S.) echoed the same thoughts when he said in his sermon, quoted elsewhere in this write-up:
“Remember that the descendants of the holy Prophet (A.S.) are the stars in the heaven; if one sets, the other will rise to illumine your path; the merciful Lord has thus completed His blessings upon you.”
Thus, Allah has not only completed his blessing but has also kept his promise of "Light upon light, Allah doth guide, whom He will to His light." Just as soon as one glass (mortal body of Imam) broke or got destroyed, another took its place to house the light (Noor). This way, through all vicissitudes the Ismaili faith has not only survived but has, also, emerged triumphant, by the grace of Allah.
Speaking of the vicissitudes, quite a few Ismaili Imams have been slain over the last 14OO years. (Read Farhad Daftari's books listed on the last page). Couldn't Allah protect His prophets and the Imams? He certainly could, but it was part of Allah's plan to show to the world and the enemies of true Islam that Ale-Imran (Abu Talib) would never cease to exist and that His light would unfailingly continue to illumine the path of true believers through the designated Imams from the progeny of the Prophet and Ale-Imran in spite of the hostility against them. Let me quote a bit from a non-Ismaili Muslim writer, Farhad Daftari's The Assassin Legends:
"The Ismailis now began to be widely condemned by the majority of Muslim theologians, heresiographers and historians as heretics; and the Suni polemicists in particular began to fabricate evidence that would lend support to that condemnation on specific doctrinal grounds. This general anti-Ismaili campaign was encouraged and supported by most of the ruling dynasties of the Medieval Muslim world." On the same page, 12, Daftari writes: "The sunni polemists who wrote anti-Ismaili tracts and pamphlets had a particular goal in mind; they aimed to discredit the Ismaili movement from its origins." Daftari writes on page 35, "...the Saljuqs and their Suni judges adopted an auxiliary policy of their own: large-scale massacres of the Nizari Ismailis. It became an established practice in many urban localities to round up all those accused of being Ismaili and to consign them to fire or put them to the sword...... Large numbers of Nizaris were thus massacred, and their properties confiscated in great cities like Aleppo, Damascus, Qazwin, and Isfahan ......"
Allah says:
Fain would they put out the Noor of Allah with their mouth, but Allah will perfect His Noor, however much the disbelievers are averse.
(61: (see also 9:32,33; 611; 48:27-29)
What is literally meant by the above ayat is that no matter how hard the enemies of the divinely appointed prophets or Imams try to resist, discredit, vilify, or obliterate them (prophets or Imams), Allah will ensure that divine guidance continues through them and their designated successors.
What's amazing about Ismaili Muslims is their resilience that eventually helps them triumph after every period of suffering other Muslim sects subjected them to. What's more amazing is their capacity to forgive and work for the good of all Muslims once back in the saddle and bear no grudges against their tormentors.
In another verse where commentators and so-called experts deliberately confuse the word "light," which stands for "Imam," with the Holy Book is:
"O ye people, verily Proof has come to you from your Lord and we have sent you manifest Light." (4: 174,175)
The whole Sura Noor is so easy to understand as we have just seen. Yet, Al Ghazali, in his Mishkat-ul- Anwar (11th century, A.D.) has rendered it so complicated in his efforts to expound it that he has failed to do any justice to it. Such complex and mind-boggling explanations Allah did not intend for the Umma, so young in Islam. Gazali's "Mystic Interpretation" mystifies the verse further rather than simplify it. This could be frustrating for lay believers. Frustrations should have no room in the practice of the faith of Islam. Even so, his interpretation has been applauded and translated in English by W.H.T. Gairdner, published by the Royal Asiatic Society, London, 1924. The harder and more confusing the exposition, the higher it is rated in terms of its philosophical and spiritual depth and quality by those who wish to be distinguished as a group of the learned elite. Ghazali, unfortunately, failed to discern the simple interpretation of this beautiful verse! That is why a divinely authorized Imam is so vital and indispensable!
The Ismaili interpretation of the continued presence of Allah's mazhar (manifestation) or "light upon light," on this earth reminds us of Allah's initial decision to set up a Khalifa (vicegerent), for all time, when He told all the angels that He was going to create Adam."
Related thread at:
Surah Nur - Esoteric interpretation
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... =surah+nur
Surah Nur - Esoteric interpretation
http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... =surah+nur