Read
the Introduction
to the Malayalam Edition Below:
‘Surah
An Nur’
constitutes the 24th
chapter of the Holy Qur’an. The chapter is named after the Divine
Attribute of Light (Nur)
indicated in the Light Verse (v.36). Focussing on Allah’s
relationship to the humans, the chapter declares that Every Light
that is visible in the universe and in human souls is a bounty of
Allah’s Grace and Mercy. As the Source of all Lights, mercies and
laws; Allah provides illuminating guidance in this chapter for the
believers- men, women and children- clarifying several social and
legal questions.
The initial verses of the chapter contain injunctions that punish illicit sexual intercourse and lay out evidentiary standards for finding a person guilty of this crime. In this context, discussing the false rumour- an accusation of misconduct- against Lady A’ishah (ra) and the response of the Muslim community to this baseless slander, the Word of God denounces the levelling of false charges or scandals in society in the strongest of terms. Since the misuse of sexuality and unregulated behaviour can wreck havoc to our spiritual and social life, the Divine Light recommends a framework of regulations, promoting refined conventions of mutual interaction: rules governing the visiting of one another’s homes; modesty and dress in the context of the proper comportment between men and women who are unrelated to one another, and the proper decorum with regard to domestic privacy.
The initial verses of the chapter contain injunctions that punish illicit sexual intercourse and lay out evidentiary standards for finding a person guilty of this crime. In this context, discussing the false rumour- an accusation of misconduct- against Lady A’ishah (ra) and the response of the Muslim community to this baseless slander, the Word of God denounces the levelling of false charges or scandals in society in the strongest of terms. Since the misuse of sexuality and unregulated behaviour can wreck havoc to our spiritual and social life, the Divine Light recommends a framework of regulations, promoting refined conventions of mutual interaction: rules governing the visiting of one another’s homes; modesty and dress in the context of the proper comportment between men and women who are unrelated to one another, and the proper decorum with regard to domestic privacy.
The
chapter alludes that it is by avoiding the pitfalls of inappropriate
personal and social relations by following the light in the teachings
here that true believers can rise to a state that allows them to
perceive the Divine Light and thereby guide others who are groping in
the darkness of ignorance. While the Ayat-ul-Nur
(Light
Verse) in this chapter contrasts God’s Light to the darkness in
which the disbelievers find themselves engulfed, the
Ayat-ul-Istkhilaaf
(Verse on Divine Vicegerency- v.56) promises the light of perpetual
guidance to the true believers, through the advent of the
Khulafatullah-
the spiritual heirs of the Holy Prophet (sa)- in every era of Islam,
like we witness today in the person of Imam-
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir
Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.
In
2008, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International published the
English Translation and Commentary of ‘Surah
An Nur’ by
Hadhrat
Ummul Mu’mineen Fazli Amena Varsally Saheba
(International Sadr-
Siraj Makin).
This
important treatise contains a treasure trove of spiritual insights
and practical guidance useful for all believers who use their
God-gifted faculties to study and reflect on the Word of God,
Alhamdulillah.
The
present translation by Fauzia
Jamal- Zain Saheba
is an important contribution to Qur’anic studies in Malayalam and a
vital addition to the growing literature of the Jamaat in
Kerala, and we sincerely hope that it opens up avenues of
appreciation and Divine illumination for all those who read the book
in Malayalam, Insha-Allah,
Aameen.