'Nur Ala Nur': A Commentary

The Light Verse in Surah An-Nur (24:36) has attracted much spiritual attention and commentary by eminent scholars and savants of Islam through the centuries, including a famous treatise by Imam Ghazzali (ra). The verse is widely seen as a beautiful metaphor of the profound, transformational impact the Faith in God brings about in the heart of a true believer. The illumination of the pious heart, brought through its God-gifted encounter with the Light of revelatory guidance, is a perfect spiritual promise Allah (swt) vouchsafes to His special servants and Friends in every era (Auliah of Allah). According to some commentators, the Verse alludes to the Divine Light vouchsafed to the Holy Prophet (sa) and his spiritual Khulafa, the Mujaddidin who come in every era of Islam to renew and reform the Muslim Ummah and to guide them on the pristine path of Faith. Indeed, based on the Qur'anic promise of perpetual spiritual guidance and Muhammadan blessings, the advent of a Khalifatullah as an Elect and High Representative of Allah is an occasion when the full brightness and splendour of the Faith becomes visible to the discerning minds- like we witness today in the person of Hazrat Imam Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah. 

Reproduced Below is a commentary on the Light Verse made by Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian, in the Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Part III: 

The Light of Faith in the Heart of a Servant 

God is the Light of the heavens and earth. His Light is like this: there is a niche, and in it a lamp, the lamp inside a glass, a glass like a glittering star, fuelled from a blessed olive tree from neither east nor west, whose oil almost gives light even when no fire touches it–light upon light– God guides whoever He will to his Light; God draws such comparisons for people; God has full knowledge of everything– shining out in houses of worship. God has ordained that they be raised high and that His name be remembered in them, with men in them celebrating His glory morning and evening: men who are not distracted, a either by commerce or profit, from remembering God, keeping up the prayer, and paying the prescribed alms, fearing a day when hearts and eyes will turn over. God will reward such people according to the best of their actions, and He will give them more of His bounty: God provides limitlessly for anyone He will. (Surah An Nur, 24:36-39)

'Khalifatullah': A Divine Blessing- III

The Promise of Allah to the Prophet & the Believers

It is by sheer grace of Allah that He has enabled me – armed me with the opportunity, courage and knowledge – to explain this subject to you in more details so that in the century you live in, this present century, you cannot say that you did not receive the message and that nobody gave you explanations, or did not enlighten you on the subject.

So, as the Khalifatullah of this era, I do the work that I have [been ordained] to do, and it is Allah Who guides and directs me to give those very important message because tomorrow when you present yourself before your Creator, you will not be able say you weren’t aware of anything. You will not be able to say, “No one said anything; I did not receive the message.” You will not be able to say this to your Creator! I am doing the work that Allah (swt) has given me, according to divine instruction and now it is up to you to take the responsibility to either accept or reject the message. It is up to you whether you accept it or turn your back on the divine message. Each one of you will be responsible for his action, on the Day of Retribution when each will be accountable to the Creator. In this temporal world, we are all travellers, we are temporary in this world; so we have to think a little bit about the afterlife, because it’s life after death that will be permanent for us.

Now I quote a verse found in Surah An-Nur, the Chapter “The Light” (24: 56), where Allah says: “He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them”. Similarly in Surah Al-Maida (5: 4), Allah also said, “This day I have perfected for you your religion, and have completed My favour upon you and have approved Islam for you as religion.”

'Khalifatullah': A Divine Promise- II

The Promise of Allah to the Prophet & the Believers- 2

By the grace of Allah I continue the second part of the sermon that I started last week. It is a very important subject for all of humanity in general and also for all Muslim brothers and sisters around the world as a whole and especially for all Ahmadis in general. If we study Surah An-Nur (Light) correctly, it is indeed a Surah which gives light to all people and especially to all Muslims and to all Ahmadis as well, because Allah (swt ) says:

« Wa’adalluhul lazina aamanuu minkum wa’amiilus-swalihati layastakhli fannahum fil arzi kamastakhlafallazina min qablihim. »

“Allah has promised to those of you who believe [in His oneness and His message], and do good works, that He will surely make them Caliphs [Successors or Heirs] on earth, just as He made Caliphs (from among) those who came before them.” (Surah Al-Nur 24 : 56).

So, without a doubt, this is a chapter that projects [gives] extraordinary light, and thus you cannot then say that you do not understand its verses or that you see nothing [of its clear meanings and explanations]. Allah (swt) shows us very clearly that in the Muslim Community also He will send His Caliphs (successors) just as He sent Caliphs in the community of Musa (Moses) (as), such as Harun (Aaron), Yushaa (Joshua), Dawud (David) and Sulaiman (Solomon) - May God’s peace be upon them all, and these Caliphs are even mentioned in the Holy Quran. They are not caliphs elected by man. So, this verse means that there will be caliphs with the same titles as the prophets before [their advent].

In a Hadith found in Mishkat, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) explains this verse clearly where he says [this is a long Hadith - I only mention part of it]: “Takuunun-nabuwatu fikum mashaa allahu… Summa takuunu khilafatun alaminhajin nabuwat summa takuuno mulkan ‘azzan… Summa takuno alan minhajin nabuwate summa sakata.”

Translation: Prophethood will remain among you as long as it pleases Allah (swt); then the caliphs based on prophethood will be instituted and then there will be the reign of wicked and tyrannical kings ... and then there will come again caliphs based on the system of prophethood [after the prophet]. That’s all. [He stops with these words]. (Mazahir’ul Haq, Vol. IV; pg. 26)

'Khalifatullah': A Divine Promise

The Promise of Allah to the Prophet & the Believers

“O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) the Day that Allah will not disgrace 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 You have power over all things’.” (Surah At-Tahrim, 66 : 9)

In light of this Quranic verse, I present to you a Hadith where Hazrat Abu Dharr and Hazrat Abu Darda (ra) reported that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said that: On the Day of Judgment I will recognize my people. The Sahaba (companions) asked him: O Prophet of Allah, how will you recognize your people? Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: 'I will recognize you by the light that will be before you'.

Therefore, in the world there are those who have the light of Imaan (faith) and on the day of judgement this light will be before them and on their right.

When you read Chapter ‘The Light’, i.e., Surah Al-Nur, Verse 56, where Allah (swt) says:

“Allah had promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear: They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything with Me. Then whoso is ungrateful after that, they will be the rebellious.”

This has always been the way of Allah, a practice that He has demonstrated since the existence of man, that it is Allah (swt) Himself Who raises His Chosen Messenger, His Prophet, His Khalifatullah as this verse makes us understand. And Allah says in this verse that it is a promise that He makes to those who believe and do good works. 

Surah An-Nur: A Commentary

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam- Kerala has just published a new Book in Malayalam: ‘Surah An-Nur: A Commentary’. The present book, originally written in English by  Hadhrat Ummul Mu’mineen Fazli Amena Varsally (International Sadr Saheba- Siraj Makin), is translated into Malayalam by Fauzia Jamal-Zain Saheba, Na’ib Sadr- Siraj Makin, South Kerala. 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. The present translation is an important contribution to Qur’anic studies in Malayalam and a vital addition to the growing literature of the Jamaat in Kerala.

Read the Introduction to the Malayalam Edition Below:

‘Surah An Nur’ constitutes the 24^th 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.