Author: Dorcas
<Quran> Surah 2:257 Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the evil ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (For ever).
Previously we shared about believing in Allah’s teaching from the Quran. Surah 2: 257 talks about light and darkness. How are light and darkness described in the Quran? Let us read Surah 39:22
Is one whose heart Allah has opened to Islam, so that he has received Enlightenment from Allah, (no better than one hard-hearted)? Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against celebrating the praises of Allah! they are manifestly wandering (in error)!
Allah opens one’s heart, so that he will submit to Him; so that he can accept, can follow the light which is from his Lord. What is that light?
Surah 24:35 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.
Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth, He is the light Himself. It is mentioned in the <Injil> that God is light, the first part of 1 John 1:5 mentions that “God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all”. The Quran often uses ‘light’ to describe Allah; Surah 28:71 Say: See ye? If Allah were to make the night perpetual over you to the Day of Judgment, what god is there other than Allah, who can give you enlightenment? Will ye not then hearken?
What do heaven and earth remind you? Outer space, universe, stars, what else? What is the role of night sky and stars in the universe? Navigation, guide people’s direction, otherwise man will be led astray and the consequence is death. Similarly, Allah is the light; this light will guide people to Himself, so man can walk in the light.
There is a lighthouse beside the ocean; you can see it from dozens kilometers away; when you see the lighthouse, you will see hope; lighthouse emits light, and light gives guidance to man towards the direction of life; without light there will be darkness everywhere. As mentioned in the Quran:
Surah 24: 40 Or (the Unbelievers’ state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds: depths of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth not light, there is no light!
Study on the word ‘light’:
Surah 5: 15 – 16 O people of the Book! There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book, Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight.
Surah 5: 44 It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah’s will, by the rabbis and the doctors of law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah’s book, and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.
Surah 5: 46 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
Surah 42: 52 And thus have We, by Our Command, sent inspiration to thee: thou knewest not (before) what was Revelation, and what was Faith; but We have made the (Qur’an) a Light, wherewith We guide such of Our servants as We will; and verily thou dost guide (men) to the Straight Way,-
Surah 14: 1 Alif. Lam. Ra. A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light – by the leave of their Lord – to the Way of (Him) the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise!-
We can see from the above surah that light and scriptures are often put together, these scriptures include the Torah and the Injil. To obey Allah’s scriptures is to walk in the light; likewise, the believers who obey the scriptures and the truth will become light.
Surah 33: 45- 46 O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and Warner, – And as one who invites to Allah’s (grace) by His leave, and as a lamp spreading light.
The above surahs evidently describe that these prophets call people to turn to Allah upon the command of Allah, they guide people into the light. Of course, it is also mentioned in the Quran, not only prophets were given this mission but the believers (people who revere and submit to Allah) too should spread this light, to draw people to turn to Allah. Certainly, the light that they spread is from Allah; this light is given by Allah:
Surah 66: 8 O ye who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance: In the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow,- the Day that Allah will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their Light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say, “Our Lord! Perfect our Light for us, and grant us Forgiveness: for Thou hast power over all things.”
What kind of people are these? They are sincere, they are the witnesses:
Surah 57: 19 And those who believe in Allah and His messengers- they are the Sincere (lovers of Truth), and the witnesses (who testify), in the eyes of their Lord: They shall have their Reward and their Light. But those who reject Allah and deny Our Signs,- they are the Companions of Hell-Fire
Sometimes, light is being used to describe sign and clear proof:
Surah 21: 48 In the past We granted to Moses and Aaron the criterion (for judgment), and a Light and a Message for those who would do right,
Surah 57: 9 He is the One Who sends to His Servant Manifest Signs, that He may lead you from the depths of Darkness into the Light and verily Allah is to you most kind and Merciful.
Summary: What is Light?
- Refers to Allah;
- Refers to scriptures
- Refers to Allah’s messengers, believers
- Refers to the signs and clear proofs given by Allah
Are these answers satisfactory? What is the function of light? Why does Allah want to allow you and me enter into the light? The opposite of light – darkness, what does it refer to?
Surah 2: 17 Their similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see.
Man can see nothing in the dark. They do not know the way, the direction; they are like a blind man. Just as described in the Quran, Surah 2:18 Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path).
Surah 22: 46 Do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts.
This is not about their naked eyes cannot see, but it is about the eyes of the hearts in their breasts that are blinded, cannot see. Allah wants us to ponder deeper: Are the eyes of our hearts blind? Are we already in the darkness and cannot see anything?
What is the connection between the eyes of our hearts and entering into light? What causes them not able to see?
Surah 2: 15-16 Allah will throw back their mockery on them, and give them rope in their trespasses; so they will wander like blind ones (To and fro). These are they who have bartered Guidance for error: But their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction,
These people are rebellious, not following the path of truth. Only when we understand these, then we can avoid making the same mistakes as they did. What causes them not able to see? Not able to see what?
Let us take a look at the outcome of these people.
Surah 7: 64 But they rejected him, and We delivered him, and those with him, in the Ark: but We overwhelmed in the flood those who rejected Our signs. They were indeed a blind people!
The consequence of people whose eyes of the hearts in their breasts are blinded is death. Where are they blinded? What is it that they cannot see? It is mentioned here they denied the messenger, Noah; they could not see that the messenger is Allah’s representative. They would not listen to what he said; to deny messenger is to deny Allah.
Why does Allah hope to guide you and me into the light?
Surah 5: 16 Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight.
Light is parallel with the way of peace and safety and straight path from this surah, and the end of this path is Paradise. Thus, light is to guide people to enter into the way of Paradise; light itself is the way; enter into light is to embark on the way to Paradise, which is also the way of life. Then, what about darkness? It is the way to destruction, pointing to Hell.
How does Allah guide people into the light? Through the scriptures, prophets and His signs etc., to enable man to walk from heavy darkness towards His light. Darkness and light is a comparison with death and life, darkness and light sometimes appear together in the Quran. This is a comparison of life, light is the life bestowed by Allah, it is Allah’s inner quality. Allah uses it to guide man so that man can have His life – life of light. The Quran also mentions that people who have the light is a bright lamp, he will be the witness, he will bear witness for Allah, he can also lead people to walk towards the light of Allah.
From the studies of the Quran, Surah 2: 257, we know: Allah desires to guide those who are willing to let go their own desires, their own mastership. People with rights; they are willing to let Allah be the master of their lives. Only this kind of people can be led by Allah, to guide them from the life of blindness and darkness to enter into light, the path of life to obtain life. On the contrary, those who consider themselves very good; want to be their own masters and unwilling to let Allah becomes the Lord of their lives; they are clearly lost and in darkness, they cannot see that they are walking on the path that leads to death, they are a group of people who lose their lives.
Those who are willing to lay down their mastery rights and let Allah be the master of their lives, they will let go their own interest to follow Allah and the light; to follow the scriptures given by Allah, to follow life, to follow Allah’s messengers, to follow the clear signs of Allah, to walk in peace which is the path of life. Are you willing to enter into this life of light given by Allah?
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Note: All Al-Quran verses are sourced from English Translation of Al-Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, with thanks.