the claim that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is Himself the light of the sun, the moon, and fire, no Muslim holds this view. However, Ibn Masʿūd is reported to have said, “The light of the heavens comes from the light of His Face.” This will be discussed in its proper place.

Some people mistakenly suppose that these lights have existed without beginning, claiming that they derive from the light of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Indeed, they say that these lights are Allah Himself. He has framed the dispute as being with those who say this. Yet the question of His being light in an unqualified sense remains: he mentions only two alternatives—either He is this perceptible light, or He is not light in any sense. Both views are false.