(35) “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The likeness of His light is that of a niche containing a lamp. The lamp is in a glass, and the glass is as though it were a brilliant star, kindled from a blessed olive tree, neither eastern nor western, whose oil would almost glow even if no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guides whom He wills to His light. Allah sets forth parables for people, and Allah has knowledge of all things.”

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth,” both physical and spiritual. This is because He, Most High, is Light in His Essence, and His veil—which, were it not for His gentleness, the splendors of His Countenance would burn all His creation reached by His sight—is light. Through Him the Throne, the Footstool, the sun, the moon, and light itself are illuminated; and through Him Paradise is illuminated.

Spiritual light likewise derives from Allah: His Book is light, His law is light, and the faith and knowledge in the hearts of His messengers and believing servants are light. Were it not for His light, layers of darkness would accumulate. Thus, wherever His light is absent, there are darkness and constriction.

“The likeness of His light”—the light to which He guides, namely the light of faith and the Quran in the hearts of the believers—“is that of a niche,” meaning a recess “containing a lamp,” for the recess gathers the lamp’s light so that it does not disperse. “The lamp is in a glass, and the glass,” because of its purity and radiance, “is as though it were a brilliant star”—that is, shining like a pearl.

That lamp within the brilliant glass is “kindled from a blessed olive tree”; that is, it is kindled with olive oil, whose flame burns with exceptional brightness. It is not “eastern” only, in which case the sun would not reach it at the end of the day, “nor western” only, in which case the sun would not reach it at the [beginning] (1) of the day. When neither applies, it stands in the middle of the land, like the olive trees of Syria, ⦗569⦘ receiving sunlight at both the beginning and end of the day. It consequently flourishes, becomes wholesome, and yields purer oil. Hence He says that, because of its purity, “its oil would almost glow even if no fire touched it.” When fire does touch it, it shines intensely: “Light upon light”—the light of the fire together with the light of the oil.

The point of the parable Allah has set forth, and its application to the believer’s condition and Allah’s light within his heart, is that the innate nature upon which he was created is like pure oil. His innate nature is pure and receptive to divine teachings and prescribed deeds. When knowledge and faith reach him, that light blazes within his heart just as fire ignites the wick of the lamp. His heart is free of corrupt intent and misunderstanding Allah; when faith reaches him, it shines intensely because it is free of impurities. This resembles the purity of the brilliant glass. Thus, the light of innate nature, the light of faith, the light of knowledge, and clarity of understanding all converge within him—a light upon his light.

Because this comes from Allah’s light, and not everyone is suited to receive it, He says, “Allah guides whom He wills to His light”—those whom He knows to possess goodness and purity and who will be purified and grow through it.

“Allah sets forth parables for people” so that they may grasp what He conveys and understand, out of His kindness and goodness toward them, and so that truth may be distinguished from falsehood. Parables bring rational meanings closer by expressing them through perceptible things, enabling His servants to understand them clearly.

“And Allah has knowledge of all things.” His knowledge encompasses everything. You should therefore know that His setting forth parables is the act of One who knows the realities and details of all things and knows that these parables benefit His servants. You should devote yourselves to contemplating and understanding them, not to objecting to or opposing them, for He knows and you do not know.

Since the means by which the light of faith and the Quran is attained are most commonly found in mosques, He mentioned and extolled them, saying: