“Their likeness is that of one who kindled a fire,” and the following verses. He also says:

“Allah is the Protector of those who believe,”

to the end of the verse. And He says:

“A Book which We have revealed to you so that you may bring people out of darkness into light.”

There are many verses on this subject.

This light, which the believer possesses in this world in proportion to the soundness of his deeds and beliefs, will become manifest in the Hereafter, as He Most High says:

“Their light will shine ahead of them and on their right,”

to the end of the verse. Here He mentions light immediately after His command to repent, just as He mentions it in Surah al-Nūr after His command to lower the gaze and His command to repent in His words:

“Turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, so that you may succeed.”

He mentions this after His commands concerning the rights of family members and spouses and matters relating to women. In Surah al-Hadīd, He says:

“On the Day you see the believing men and women, their light shining ahead of them and on their right,”

and the subsequent verses, up to His words concerning the hypocrites:

“The Fire is your refuge; it is your proper place—an evil destination!”

Thus He, glorified is He, tells us that the hypocrites will lose the light by which the believers had been walking. They will ask to draw some light from them, but will be prevented from doing so by a barrier erected between them and the believers. Likewise, when the hypocrites lost their light in this world, their likeness was that of someone who kindled a fire: when it illuminated everything around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness.

As for His words, “The woman and the man who commit unlawful sexual intercourse,” and the rest of the verse, He commands that they both be punished and made to suffer their penalty in the presence of a group of believers. This follows the offender’s own testimony against himself or the testimony of believers against him; for when a sin is committed openly, its punishment is