سورة النور

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Jundab said: I wrote a letter to Imam Rida (peace be upon him) and asked the Imam concerning the verse: أَللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ ... [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth ...]; the Imam (peace be upon him) answered me thus: 'This verse was revealed concerning us the Ahl al-Bayt, and Allah has struck a parable for us [in this verse], and the knowledge of deaths and calamities, the knowledge of the causes of the unseen, and of who is born upon the religion of Islam and who departs from the world upon it, is with us the Ahl al-Bayt; and there is no group or faction that misguides many or guides many, except that we know its director, its leader and its followers, until the Day of Resurrection.'

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Jundab said: I wrote to Imam Rida (peace be upon him) asking him to explain for me the tafsir of the verse: اللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth]… Imam Rida (peace be upon him) wrote to me in reply: "To proceed: Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) was the trustee of Allah among the people. When the Prophet passed away, we, the Ahl al-Bayt, are his heirs, so we are now the trustees of the Lord upon the earth. The knowledge of manaya (deaths) and balaya (calamities) and the genealogies of the Arabs is with us, and we know which persons were born upon the fitrah of Islam, and we know the reality of every person's faith. Whenever we see a man, we see the reality of iman (faith) and nifaq (hypocrisy) in his face. Our Shia and their fathers are written down by name and mark in a special book. Allah has taken a covenant from us and from them; they will enter with us in the same place and dwell with us. We and the Shia are the true and real Muslims, and until the Day of Judgement the true Muslims are we and our Shia. We cling to the firm rope of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and the Prophet clings to the firm rope of Allah, and our Shia too will cling to our rope. Whoever separates from us perishes, and whoever follows us is saved. Those who separate from us and deny our wilayah (guardianship) are disbelievers, and whoever follows us or follows our followers is a believer. A disbeliever does not love us, and a believer does not show enmity to us. Whoever dies loving us, Allah will resurrect him with us. We are a light for our followers by which they find their way and are guided. Whoever wishes to be guided is guided through us. Whoever is not with us will not be a Muslim. Allah opened the religion through us and through us He will seal it. Through us Allah has fed you from the food and provisions of the world, and through us He has sent down rain from the sky. Allah the Exalted, for our sake, has protected you from drowning in the sea and from being swallowed up in the earth, and through us Allah benefits you in the world and in the grave, in the gathering (mahshar), on the sirat, at the mizan, and at the time of your entering paradise. Our likeness in the Book of Allah is like the mishkah (niche) which is in a lantern. We are the mishkah, and the misbah (lamp) is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, which shines within the glass like a brilliant star. یَکادُ زَیْتُها یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ الْقُرْآنُ نُورٌ عَلی نُورٍ إِمَامٌ بَعْدَ إِمَامٍ یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ وَ یَضْرِبُ اللهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللهُ بِکُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیمٌ [The oil almost gives light even though fire has not touched it — the Qur'an — light upon light — one Imam after another — Allah guides to His light whomever He wills, and Allah sets forth parables for the people, and Allah is Knower of all things]. The Qur'an is a light upon a light, and Allah with the light of His guidance guides whomever He wills. The Lord sets forth parables for the people and He has power over everything. So the light is Ali (peace be upon him), and Allah guides to our wilayah whomever He wills, and it is upon Allah to raise our friend with a luminous face and to show him His proof. He will be a companion of those upon whom Allah has completed His favour, from among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous, and how excellent are they as companions! (Nisa: 69) Allah places our friends among the pious and counts them in the ranks of the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous. Our martyrs have precedence over the rest of the martyrs, and the martyrs of our Shia likewise have precedence over the rest of the martyrs. We are the chosen ones and the children of the prophets, and in His Book Allah has introduced us as infallible, and we are more entitled to the Messenger of Allah than all the people. And we are those for whom Allah has legislated His religion, and in His Book He has said: 'He has laid down for you the religion which He enjoined upon Nuh, and that which We have revealed to you, and that which We enjoined upon Ibrahim, Musa and Isa.' (Shura: 13) We took hold of the sharia and delivered what we took hold of. The sciences of the prophets (peace be upon them) Allah deposited with us. We are the heirs of the prophets and the heirs of the possessors of knowledge and the Ulul Azm (of firm resolve) prophets (peace be upon them). So now, establish the religion as Allah has commanded: do not scatter apart from one another. It is very hard upon the polytheists that you invite them to the wilayah of Ali (peace be upon him). O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), Allah guides those who respond to you concerning the wilayah of Ali (peace be upon him). O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), I have sent down a Book for you; ponder over that Book and reflect upon it, for in it is healing and light."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Salih ibn Sahl al-Hamdani said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say concerning اللهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ کَمِشْکَاةٍ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche]: "مِشْکَاةٍ [the niche] is Fatima (peace be upon her); فِیهَا مِصْبَاحٌ [in it is a lamp] — the lamp is Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them). فِی زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ کَأَنَّهَا کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ [in a glass, the glass as it were a brightly shining star] — it is as though Fatima (peace be upon her) is a brightly shining star among the women of the earth. یُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَکَةٍ [lit from a blessed tree] — she takes her light from and is kindled by the tree of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). لَّا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لَا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [neither eastern nor western] — meaning neither Jewish nor Christian. یَکَادُ زَیْتُهَا یُضِیءُ [its oil almost gives light] — the springs of knowledge are about to gush forth from her. وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَی نُورٍ [though fire touch it not — light upon light] — what is meant by 'light upon light' is one Imam after another. یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن یَشَاء [Allah guides to His light whom He pleases] — meaning Allah guides towards the Imams (peace be upon them); whomever He wills, He causes to enter the light of their wilayah. یَضْرِبُ اللهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللهُ بِکُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیمٌ [and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Jabir narrates from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): ... "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) entrusted the knowledge and learning that he had to his successor. This verse refers to that very matter: اللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth]. He says: Allah is the guide of the heavens and the earth. The likeness of the knowledge that was given to me — and it is My light by which people are guided — is like a niche in which is a lamp. The niche is the heart of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), and the lamp is the light in which the knowledge lies. And this part of the verse, الْمِصْباحُ فِی زُجاجَةٍ [the lamp is in a glass], He says: I have decided to take your soul, so entrust the knowledge that is with you to your successor, just as a lamp is placed inside a glass. کَأَنَّها کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ [as it were a brightly shining star] — announce to them the rank of Ali (peace be upon him). یُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَکَةٍ [lit from a blessed tree] — the origin of this blessed lineage is Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and this is the very verse in which He says: رَحْمَتُ اللهِ وَ بَرَکاتُهُ عَلَیْکُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ إِنَّهُ حَمِیدٌ مَجِیدٌ [The mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, O people of the House. Indeed He is Praiseworthy, Glorious] (Hud/73), and this noble verse: إِنَّ اللهَ اصْطَفی آدَمَ وَ نُوحاً وَ آلَ إِبْراهِیمَ وَ آلَ عِمْرانَ عَلَی الْعالَمِینَ [Indeed Allah chose Adam, Nuh, the family of Ibrahim, and the family of Imran above all peoples] (Al Imran/33), ذُرِّیَّةً بَعْضُها مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ اللهُ سَمِیعٌ عَلِیمٌ [descendants, one of them from the other, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing] (Al Imran/34). لا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [neither eastern nor western] — He says: 'You are not Jews, that you should pray toward the west, nor are you Christians, that you should pray toward the east; you are upon the religion of Ibrahim (peace be upon him).' Allah says in this verse: ما کانَ إِبْراهِیمُ یَهُودِیًّا وَ لا نَصْرانِیًّا وَ لکِنْ کانَ حَنِیفاً مُسْلِماً وَ ما کانَ مِنَ الْمشْرِکِینَ [Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was an upright Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists] (Al Imran/67). This part of the verse which says: یَکادُ زَیْتُها یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ عَلی نُورٍ یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ [its oil almost gives light though fire touch it not — light upon light — Allah guides to His light whom He pleases] — He says: the likeness of the children who come into being from you is like olive oil, which is pressed out of the olive. یَکادُ زَیْتُها یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ عَلی نُورٍ یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ — He says: 'They are close to speaking with prophethood, even though no angel has been sent down upon them.'"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Fudayl ibn Yasar said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about اللهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth], and he replied: "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, is exactly so." I asked about مَثَلَ نُورِهِ [a likeness of His light]. He said: "It refers to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)." I said: "کَمِشْکَاةٍ [as a niche]?" He said: "It is the breast of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)." I said: "فِیهَا مِصْبَاحٌ [in which is a lamp]." He said: "In it is the light of knowledge, meaning prophethood." I said: "الْمِصْبَاحُ فِی زُجَاجَةٍ [the lamp is in a glass]?" He said: "It is the knowledge of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), which flowed to Ali (peace be upon him)." I said: "کَأَنَّهَا [as it were]." He said: "Why do you recite کَأَنَّهَا?" I said: "May I be your ransom, then how should I recite it?" He said: "کَأَنَّهُ کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ [as it were a brightly shining star]." I said: "یُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَکَةٍ زَیْتُونَةٍ لَا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لَا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western]." He said: "It refers to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), who is neither a Jew nor a Christian." I said: "یَکَادُ زَیْتُهَا یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُورٌ [the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not, light]." He said: "It is close that knowledge should come out of the mouth of the scholar of the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) before he opens his tongue about it." I said: "نُورٌ عَلَی نُورٍ [light upon light]." He said: "One Imam after another Imam."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): مَثَلُ نُورِهِ کَمِشْکاةٍ فِیها مِصْباحٌ [a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp]; the knowledge is in the breast of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. And زُجاجَةٍ [glass]; the breast of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). کَأَنَّها کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ یُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَکَةٍ زَیْتُونَةٍ [as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree]; the light of knowledge. لا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [neither eastern nor western]; from Ibrahim, Khalil al-Rahman, to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah; to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). لا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِیَّةٍ; he is neither a Jew nor a Christian. یَکادُ زَیْتُها یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ عَلی نُورٍ [the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not, light upon light]; it is close that the scholar of the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) should speak of the knowledge before it is asked of him.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Talha ibn Zayd narrates: Imam Sadiq, from his father (peace be upon them), narrated regarding the interpretation of the verse: اللهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth]: "Allah the Exalted began with His own light. مَثَلُ نُورِهِ [A likeness of His light] — it is the likeness of Allah's guidance in the heart of the believer. کَمِشْکَاةٍ فِیهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ [As a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp]: the mishkat (niche) is the inside of the believer, the lantern is the heart of the believer, and the lamp is the light which Allah has cast into the heart of the believer." Regarding: یُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَکَةٍ [Lit from a blessed tree] he said: "The tree is the believer himself. زَیْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [An olive-tree, neither eastern nor western] — this tree stands firm upon a level mountain that has neither east nor west, so that if the sun rises it rises upon it, and if it sets it sets upon it. یَکَادُ زَیْتُهَا یُضِیءُ [The oil whereof almost gives light] — the light which Allah has placed in the heart of the believer is about to shine forth, even if he has not spoken. نُّورٌ عَلَی نُورٍ [Light upon light] — that is, an obligation upon an obligation and a sunnah upon another sunnah. یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن یَشَاء [Allah guides to His light whom He pleases] — Allah guides to His obligations and His sunnahs whomever He wills. وَیَضْرِبُ اللهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ [And Allah sets forth parables for men] — and this is a parable which Allah has struck for the believer." Then he said: "The believing person moves in five lights: his entrance is light, his exit is light, his knowledge is light, his speech is light, and his return on the Day of Resurrection to Paradise is light." I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "O my master, may I be your ransom! They say: 'like the light of the Lord'?" He said: "Subhan Allah! Allah is far above such attributes. Nothing is like Allah, and Allah Himself has said: فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ [So do not strike likenesses for Allah]. (Nahl/74)"

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Our likeness in the Book of Allah is like the niche, and that niche is set within a lantern; so we are the niche — فِیهَا مِصْبَاحٌ [in which is a lamp]; the lamp is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). Up to His saying, the Exalted: لَّا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [Neither eastern nor western] — that is, neither of unknown lineage nor unrecognised. یَکَادُ زَیْتُهَا یُضِیءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ [The oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not — light]: what is meant is the Quran. نُّورٌ عَلَی نُورٍ [Light upon light] — that is, an Imam after another Imam. یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن یَشَاء [Allah guides to His light whom He pleases] — the light is Ali (peace be upon him); Allah guides to our wilayah whomever He loves. It is incumbent upon Allah to raise up the one who loves us with a radiant face, a shining proof, and a manifest argument before Allah.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Our likeness in the Book of Allah is the likeness of a niche. So we are the niche, and the niche is the opening; فِیهَا مِصْبَاحٌ [in which is a lamp], and the lamp is in a glass, and the glass is Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). کَأَنَّهَا کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ یُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَکَةٍ [As it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed tree] — that is Ali (peace be upon him). زَیْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِیَّةٍ یَکَادُ زَیْتُهَا یُضِیءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَی نُورٍ [An olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not, light upon light] — that is the Quran. یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن یَشَاءُ [Allah guides to His light whom He pleases] — He guides to our wilayah whomever He loves.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that he said [regarding how to perform the prayer of need]: "When it is Friday, perform ghusl ... and offer two rak'ahs of prayer ... then raise both your hands towards the sky ... and say: ... O Light! O Light of the heavens and the earth! You are as You have described Yourself in Your Book (the Quran) and upon the tongue of Your Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and Your word is the truth, You are Blessed and Exalted, and You said — and Your word is the truth: اللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ کَمِشْکاةٍ فِیها مِصْباحٌ الْمِصْباحُ فِی زُجاجَةٍ الزُّجاجَةُ کَأَنَّها کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ یُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَکَةٍ زَیْتُونَةٍ لا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِیَّةٍ یَکادُ زَیْتُها یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ عَلی نُورٍ یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ وَ یَضْرِبُ اللهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللهُ بِکُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیمٌ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not — light upon light — Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things]. O Allah! So guide me to Your light."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): O Ali (peace be upon him)! نُورٌ [Light] is my name. And مِشْکاةٍ [niche], O Ali, is you. مِصْباحٌ الْمِصْباحُ [the lamp, the lamp] are Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them). الزُّجاجَةُ [the glass] is Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him). کَأَنَّها کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ [as it were a brightly shining star] is Muhammad ibn Ali (peace be upon him). یُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ [lit from a tree] is Ja'far ibn Muhammad (peace be upon him). مُبارَکَةٍ [blessed] is Musa ibn Ja'far (peace be upon him). زَیْتُونَةٍ [olive] is Ali ibn Musa (peace be upon him). لا شَرْقِیَّةٍ [neither eastern] is Muhammad ibn Ali (peace be upon him). وَ لا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [nor western] is Ali ibn Muhammad (peace be upon him). یَکادُ زَیْتُها [the oil whereof almost] is Hasan ibn Ali (peace be upon him). یُضِیءُ [gives light] is al-Mahdi (peace be upon him).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): I am a branch from the branches of the olive-tree, and a lantern from the lanterns of the House of Prophethood and the family of the Prophet, and one nurtured by the emissaries of Allah, and one raised by the noble, pure ones, and a lamp from the lamps of the niche of my light, in which light is light, and the enduring chosen essence in the lineage of the outstanding leaders of my Lord.

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Abbas ibn Hilal said: I asked Imam Rida (peace be upon him) about the verse: اللهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth], and the Imam (peace be upon him) said in reply: "Allah is the Guide of the people of the heavens and the people of the earth. In the narration of al-Barqi it is stated: He is a guidance for whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the earth."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Imam Husayn (peace be upon him): One day a Jewish man came into the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and asked: "What benefit is there in using the letters of the alphabet?" At that time Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) was present in his noble company. The Prophet of Allah said to Ali (peace be upon him): "Answer him!" So he raised his hands in prayer and said thus: "O my Lord, assist him and make him firm!" Then Ali (peace be upon him) said: "Every one of the letters is a name from the names of Allah." Then he continued thus: "As for the alif; اللَّه [Allah]; there is no god truly worthy of worship except Him, the One who gives life and sustains and preserves all existing things. ... The nun; نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ [the light of the heavens and the earth]; is a glimmer from the radiance of the Throne of His majesty."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): They asked the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) about the categories of light (nur) in the Quran. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Nur is the Quran, and Nur is one of the names of Allah the Exalted, and Nur is brightness, and Nur is the moon, and Nur is the brightness [of the face] of the believer, which is [the result of] the believer's following [of the Imams], through which he will be clothed in light on the Day of Resurrection. And Nur, in several places in the Torah, the Injil and the Quran, is Allah's proof over His servants, which is the infallible person (al-ma'sum). And Allah has said in Surah al-Nur: اللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ کَمِشْکاةٍ فِیها مِصْباحٌ الْمِصْباحُ فِی زُجاجَةٍ الزُّجاجَةُ کَأَنَّها کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ یُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَکَةٍ زَیْتُونَةٍ لا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِیَّةٍ یَکادُ زَیْتُها یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ نُورٌ عَلی نُورٍ یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ وَ یَضْرِبُ اللهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللهُ بِکُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیمٌ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not — light upon light — Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things]. So the مِشْکاةٍ [niche] is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), the مِصْباحٌ [lamp] is his successor and the other Imams (peace be upon them), the الزُّجاجَةُ [glass] is Fatima (peace be upon her), the شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَکَةٍ [blessed tree] is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and the کَوْکَبٌ دُرِّیٌّ [brightly shining star] is al-Qa'im (peace be upon him) who is awaited, the very one who will fill the earth with justice. Then Allah the Exalted said: یَکادُ زَیْتُها یُضِیءُ وَ لَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نارٌ [the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not], meaning a speaker will speak by it. Then Allah the Exalted said: نُورٌ عَلی نُورٍ یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ یَشاءُ وَ یَضْرِبُ اللهُ الْأَمْثالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَ اللهُ بِکُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیمٌ [light upon light — Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things]. Then Allah the Mighty and Majestic said: [This luminous lamp is] in houses which Allah has permitted [the walls of] which to be raised [so that they may be safe from the tampering of devils], and in which His name is mentioned, and in which He is glorified morning and evening * by men whom neither trade nor barter distracts from the remembrance of Allah, and the establishing of prayer, and the giving of alms. (Nur/36–37) These people are the [rightful] successors of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): After the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), Allah the Exalted sent a messenger to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) to console them. They heard his voice but did not see him. Among what he said as consolation was this: "Allah has made you the Ahl al-Bayt of His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and has entrusted His knowledge to you, and has made you the inheritors of His Book [the Quran], the chest of His knowledge, and the support of His might, and has struck for you a likeness from His light."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): "فَآمِنُوا بِاللهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ النُّورِ الَّذِی أَنْزَلْنا [So believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light which We have sent down] (Al-Taghabun/8). O Aba Khalid! By Allah, the Light is the Imams (peace be upon them) from the Family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) until the Day of Judgement. By Allah, they are the Light of Allah which He has sent down, and by Allah, they are the Light of Allah in the heavens and the earth. O Aba Khalid! By Allah, the light of the Imam in the hearts of the believers is more radiant than the shining sun in the daytime; and by Allah, they illuminate the hearts of the believers, and Allah conceals their light from whomever He wills, so their hearts become dark. O Aba Khalid! By Allah, no servant loves us and takes us as guardians until Allah purifies his heart, and Allah does not purify the heart of any servant unless he submits to us and enters into peace with us. So when he has entered into peace with us, Allah keeps him safe from the severity of the reckoning and secures him from the great terror of the Day of Judgement."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): He was asked about the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: اللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ کَمِشْکاةٍ فِیها مِصْباحٌ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp]. He said: "This is a parable and an example that Allah has struck for us and set forth; therefore the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Imams (peace be upon them) are among the signs of Allah and His proofs, by means of which one is guided towards Tawhid (the Oneness of Allah) and the interests of the religion, the laws of Islam, the sunnahs (traditions) and the obligatory duties; and there is no power except through Allah, the High, the Great."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): مَثَلُ نُورِهِ [A likeness of His light]; this refers to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). فِیهَا مِصْبَاحٌ [in which is a lamp]; the lamp is knowledge itself, and الْمِصْبَاحُ فِی زُجَاجَةٍ [the lamp is in a glass]; this is Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), who is the bearer of the knowledge of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family).

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Abu Salma said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) say: "On the night I was taken up on the Mi'raj, Allah the Majestic said to me: آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَیْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ [The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord] (al-Baqarah/285). I said: وَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ [and the believers]. He said: 'You have spoken truly, O Muhammad. Whom have you appointed as successor for your Ummah?' I said: 'The best of them.' He said: 'Ali ibn Abi Talib?' I said: 'Yes, my Lord!' He said: 'O Muhammad, I cast a glance upon the earth and chose you from among its inhabitants, and I derived your name from My own name, such that in no place is My name mentioned except that your name is mentioned with Me. So I am al-Mahmud (the Praised) and you are Muhammad. Then I cast another glance and chose Ali from it, and I derived a name for him from My own name — I am al-A'la (the Most High) and he is Ali. O Muhammad, I created you, and Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them) from an outline of My own light, and I presented your wilayah (guardianship) to the inhabitants of the heavens and the earths. Whoever accepted it will be counted with Me among the believers, and whoever denied it will be counted with Me among the disbelievers. O Muhammad, if a servant among My servants were to worship Me until he was cut off and became like a worn-out waterskin, and then came to Me denying your wilayah, I would not forgive him until he acknowledged your wilayah. O Muhammad, would you like to see them?' I said: 'Yes, my Lord.' Then He said: 'Turn to the right of the Throne.' When I turned, suddenly I saw Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, Husayn, Ali, Muhammad, Ja'far, Musa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and al-Mahdi (peace be upon them) in a halo of light, standing and engaged in prayer, and al-Mahdi (peace be upon him) was in their midst, shining like a star of pearl. Then He said: 'O Muhammad, they are the Proofs, and this one, the riser and avenger of blood, is from your progeny. O Muhammad, by My Might and Majesty, he is the binding Proof (hujjah) for My friends and the one who takes vengeance from My enemies.'"

The Messenger (peace be upon him and his family): Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said: When I was taken up to the heaven, I looked at the leg of the Throne and saw written by means of light: "There is no god but Allah the One, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family); I have supported him through Ali (peace be upon him) and aided him by means of him"; and I saw the light of Hasan, Husayn (peace be upon them) and Fatimah (peace be upon her), and I saw in three places Ali, Ali, Ali (peace be upon them), and Muhammad, Muhammad (peace be upon them), and Ja'far, Musa, Hasan (peace be upon them) and al-Hujjah (peace be upon him), who was shining among them like a brightly shining star. I said: "O Lord! Who are these whose names You have joined with Your own name?" He said: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), they are the successors and Imams after you; I have created them from your clay. Blessed is he who loves them, and woe to him who hates them. Through them I send down the rain, and through them I reward and punish." Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) raised his hand toward the heaven and made supplications; I heard him saying: "O Lord, place knowledge and understanding of religion in my children and my children's children, and in my sowing and the sowing of my sowing."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): What is meant by the tree of light and blessing is the twelve Imams, who are from the oil of the blessed olive tree. وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ [And the accursed tree]; what is meant by the accursed tree is Banu Umayyah.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): I am a branch from the branches of the fruitful tree of prophethood, and a lamp from the lamps of the household of the messengership; nurtured by the angels and raised in the pure embrace of noble men, and one of the lamps hung in the chamber of light, and one chosen from the enduring legacy of the prophets until the Day of Resurrection.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ishaq ibn Jarir said: A woman from among the Shia asked me to bring her into the presence of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him). I sought permission from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) for her, and the Imam (peace be upon him) granted her permission. That woman went to the Imam (peace be upon him) together with a maidservant she had and said to him: "O Aba Abdillah! What did Allah mean by زَیْتُونَةٍ لا شَرْقِیَّةٍ وَ لا غَرْبِیَّةٍ [an olive-tree, neither eastern nor western]?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said to her: "O woman! Allah the Exalted did not set forth parables for the tree; rather, He set forth parables for human beings."

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): O people! Reflect! Allah the Glorified chose Adam, Nuh, the family of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and the family of Imran, who were descendants and [a lineage] in which [in terms of purity, piety and merit], some were taken from others, and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing [and He is aware of their efforts in the path of His mission]. (Aal-e-Imran/34) We, the Ahl al-Bayt, are from the descendants of Adam (peace be upon him); we are of the household of Nuh (peace be upon him); we are among the chosen ones of Ibrahim (peace be upon him); we are the offspring of Ismail; we are the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family); we are among you like the raised heaven, the spread earth, the shining sun, and the olive tree of which [the Quran says]: neither eastern nor western, its oil is blessed — the very tree of which the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family) is the root and Ali is the branch. By Allah, we are the fruit and produce of that tree. Whoever clings to one of the branches of this tree finds salvation, and whoever turns away from it will go to Hell.

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Among the counsels of Adam (peace be upon him) to Hibatullah was this: "Eat olives! For it is from a blessed tree."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Eat olive oil and rub it on your bodies, for it is from a blessed tree.

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): یَهْدِی اللهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن یَشَاء [Allah guides to His light whom He pleases]; the meaning is that Allah knows that whomever He loves, He guides him to our wilayah.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): As for the parables mentioned in the Quran, such as this word of Allah: and the good word — He has likened it to a good tree (Ibrahim/24). And this word of Allah: What they spend in this lowly life of the world is like a burning wind that strikes the tillage of a people who have wronged themselves [and have sown out of place and out of season] and destroys it. Allah has not wronged them, but rather they wrong themselves (Al Imran/117). And such as this word of Allah: اللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ کَمِشْکاةٍ فِیها مِصْباحٌ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp] ... And Allah the Glorified has set forth these parables in the Quran for human beings so that they may take a lesson from them and, in return for these parables, carry out the obedience and submission that Allah has asked of them; and parables like these are plentiful in the Quran.

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Abu Yusuf al-Mu'assab said: I said to Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): "I complain to you of the trouble in my eyes, for I have become night-blind; kindly teach me something." He said: "Write this verse: اللهُ نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ [Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth] three times in a vessel and wash it off and pour it into a bottle and apply it as kohl to your eyes." I applied less than a hundred applications of kohl until my eyes became sounder than they had been at first.