The worldly life is the abode of afflictions and is full of desires and doubtful matters, so one should be patient, as this patience proves the true love that one has for Allah The Almighty in times of afflictions and one’s contentment with the decree of Allah The Almighty, even if it is different from what he likes. There should be light to purify the soul to be worthy of entering the Home of Peace with the righteous. There should be light that removes darkness and marks the way so that the believer will be steadfast when afflictions befall him and obedient in fulfilling the orders of Allah The Almighty and avoiding what He forbade.
The believer remains strong and steadfast as he is totally convinced of the principles that he adopts. There is nothing greater than being connected to Allah The Almighty through patience and prayers as Allah The Almighty elevates the rank of the believer, forgives his sins and lights his way because of them. Prayers and patience are sources of both spiritual and material light:
1. Spiritual light is a divine light that can be recognized by the person's insight. An example of this kind of light is the light of faith, Quran, guidance, reason, heart, knowledge, acts of obedience such as the prayers, repentance and the light of old age.
2. Material light is a tangible light that can be seen by the eye and its effect becomes apparent on the faces of the believers and makes them more shining in this life and the Hereafter.
Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration.} [Quran 48:29]
• {It is He Who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light} [Quran 10:5]
• {Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He Wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.} [Quran 24:35]
The opinions of the scholars of Tafseer (exegesis) regarding the interpretation of {Allah Is the Light of the heavens and the earth}:
• ‘Ali ibn Abu Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said that this means The One Who Guides the people of the heavens and the earth.
• Ibn Jurayj narrated that Mujaahid and Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them, said that this part means that Allah The Almighty manages the matters in the heavens and the earth as well as their stars, sun, and moon.
• Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, may Allah be pleased with him, said that this part means the believer in whose heart Allah The Almighty has placed faith and the Quran, so Allah The Almighty gave the example of this believer and started by mentioning His Light then the light of the believer. Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, may Allah be pleased with him, used to recite this part as: {The example of the light of the one who believed in Him.} And, Ibn ‘Abbaas may Allah be pleased with them both, also read this part just like him.
• Adh-Dhahhaak may Allah have mercy upon him recited this part as: {Allah is The One Who lighted Heavens and earth}
• As-Suddi may Allah have mercy upon him said that it is with the light of Allah The Almighty that the Heavens and the earth became lighted.
• It was narrated in Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) when praying at night, used to say: "Allahumma laka Al-Hamd. Anta Qayyoom As-Samawaati wa Al-Ardhi wa man feehin, Anta Noor As-Samaawaati wa Al-Ardhi wa man feehin, wa lak Al-Hamd. (O Allah! Praise be to You! You are The Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. You are The Light of the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them. Praise be to You).”
The scholars' opinions regarding the interpretation of "{Light upon light} ":
• Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said that this part means the faith of the slave and his deeds.
• Mujaahid and As-Suddi may Allah have mercy upon them said that this means the light of fire and the light of oil.
• As-Suddi may Allah have mercy upon him said that when the light of fire and oil gather, they produce light and none of them can produce light without the other. This is similar to the light of the Quran and the light of faith when they gather -- none of them can exist without the other.
• Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the believer moves from one light to the other as his speech is light; his deeds are light, his entrance is light, his exit is light, and his final destiny on the Day of Judgment is to Paradise.
In this verse, Allah The Almighty presents the example of His guiding light in the heart of the believer as the light of the lamp that is lit from a blessed oil. Allah The Almighty knows in advance those who deserve to be guided among people and those who are wilfully disobedient. It is because of the justice of Allah The Almighty that He does not treat Muslims like the transgressors, or treat those who fear Him like the wicked ones. On the contrary, Allah The Almighty judges them according to the deeds that they do and the faith that they have.
Al-Albaani may Allah have mercy upon him said, "Faith and disbelief are optional matters that the slave can decide as Allah The Almighty does not force any one to follow either of them.
Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {So whoever wills -- let him believe; and whoever wills -- let him disbelieve."} [Quran 18:39] This is something that is observed and known as an indisputably established fact. If this had not been the case, then reward and punishment would have been futile and Allah The Almighty is Far Exalted above this.”
