Ayat an-Nur

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The Ayat an-Nur (Arabic: "the Sign of Light" or "the Verse of Light") is the 35th line of the 24th sura of the Qur'an, Sura an-Nur. The verse is renowned for its remarkable beauty and imagery, and perhaps more than any other verse lends itself to mystical or esoteric readings of the Qur'an.

"God is the Light of the heavens and the earth;

The likeness 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 glittering star;

Lit from a Blessed Tree;

An Olive, neither of the East nor of the West;

Whose oil wellnigh would shine, even if no fire touched it;

Light upon Light; God guides to His Light whom He will.

And God strikes similitudes for men, and God has knowledge of everything".

Often employed by Sufis and Muslim Philosophers, the Light Verse testifies of God as the "Light of the heavens and the earth". The short metaphor which follows, is both visual enough to be grasped by anyone, and yet suggests realms of meaning beyond any literal reading of the Book. This verse is also the primary source of one of the 99 Names of God of God: an-Nur,(النور) "The Light".

Commentators on Ayat an-Nur

External links

Tafsir on Ayat an-Nur: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ABewley/nur.html
Theophanies and Lights in the Thought of Ibn 'Arabi:http://www.ibnarabisociety.org/articles/osmanyahya.html

Ayat an-Nur

Commentators on Ayat an-Nur

External links

See also