| God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is that of a niche in which there is a lamp. The lamp is enclosed in a glass. The glass is as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed olive tree, neither of the East nor of the West, whose Oil is almost luminous even without being touched by fire. Light upon light! God guides to His light whom He chooses, and God coins parables for people, and God knows all things. (Surah 24:35) |
In the cold and dark winter days of Northern Europe, light and the return of it after mid-winter is especially welcome. At the same time, as people used to modern technology, we hardly ever take the time to contemplate on it. After all, when it is dark we just press a switch. So what?
The parable of God's light in the Qur'an is admittedly taken from the "old days" where candles and oil lamps and the like were used and it was quite a ceremony to light them and protect them from draught. Now take a candle or an oil lamp in a dark room and put it in the middle of the table. You might be able to read by its light if you sit next to it and let it fall directly on your book but it would not give much light to the rest of the room and there would be a big dark shadow behind you. In order to light up the room, people used to place the light source into a niche in the wall that reflects and spreads the light. That is what lampshades are used for with electric bulbs: they serve both as a screen and a reflector.
In this verse, God's light is compared to a lamp in a niche that reflects its light. It is contained in a "glass like a glittering star". Now wait a minute: wouldn't God's light be self-sufficient? Why, therefore, all those things around it?
Looking directly at a light source is not a good idea at all. Depending how strong it is, you wouldn't really be able to see anything because of its brightness and it could even be damaging for the eyes. We therefore use lampshades and the like that both conceal and reveal the light source and protect the eyes. Normally we do not look at the light source but at the numerous things that the light makes visible by "enlightening" them. If this applies to physical light, it is the more true, in a metaphorical sense, for spiritual light. It enlightens not physical bodies but deepens one's perception, giving insight and understanding. Trying to look at it too directly, however, can damage one's perception, causing spiritual blindness and delusion. God's light is therefore best approached carefully through the things that it makes visible.
In the commentaries on the Qur'an, the parable has been explained in various ways. God's light is situated at the centre of the niche of creation. Every single created being reflects a ray of the Creator's light in different shades and shapes and colours. The Qur'an often points out the diversity of minerals, plants, animals and human beings as bearing witness for the One Creator. It is exactly in the variety that we are told to look for the One Source of all Being. The glass would then be Man who contains, as it were, all rainbow colours of the divine light, both concealing and revealing them in varying degrees.
Another explanation is on the level of the microcosm. Man is the niche, ideally reflecting God's light that is situated in its centre. Its rays are various human characteristics corresponding to God's ninety-nine Most Beautiful Names that shine forth in a way that they can be experienced by others as they are unfolded and revealed in a person's words and actions: mercy, wisdom, justice, patience and many others. The glass would then be the heart as the centre of understanding and encounter with others, including the encounter with the Ultimate Other.
The oil of the "blessed tree", the essence of the Light, can neither be located in the East nor in the West. It is beyond time like an ancient, deeply rooted olive tree. It is in lâ makân, in the non-place, not confined by the limitations of dimensions, not to be pinned down in space, but present everywhere. It is luminous, as it were, without the fire of passion that consumes rather than enlightens.
Light upon Light! Mystics used to see God's light everywhere around them and describe the experience of the gradual unveiling of it in their teachings and poetry. Prophetic individuals used to make the light visible to others by reflecting it in their personalities, thereby providing guidance "from the darkenesses to the light". There are many differen ways to the One Light. The first step, however, is in an case to differentiate between light and darkness, knowledge and ignorance, justice and injustice and to direct one's attitude and actions towards fairness, kindness and sincerity.
God provides guidance to those whom He finds ready and worthy for it. This does not happen at random. The parable is meant to guide people who are open to insight. Selfishness and narrowmindedness gradually dull the "glass" of the heart and prevents the light from shining through. Attitudes like that are sometimes compared with bad companions that lead from the light into the darknesses of ignorance and injustice, obscuring our view against others, both our fellow human beings and other living beings, and their needs. Turning towards others and sharing their joy and sorrow gives life to the heart and understanding to the mind.
We can start our journey by opening our eyes and becoming aware of the spark of light in each of our fellow human beings.
All praise is due to God who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkenesses and the light.(Surah 6:1)
You who have faith, remember God in frequent remembrance and glorify Him morning and evening. It is He who sends blessings on you and so do His angels, that He may bring you out from the darknesses into light, and He mercyful to the faithful. (Surah 33:41-43)
God, place light into my heart and light into my soul, light on my tongue, light into my eyes and light into my ears. Place light on my right side, light to my left side, light behind me and light in front of me, light above me and light under me. Place light into my nerves and light into my flesh, light into my blood, light into my hair and light into my skin. Give me light, strengthen my light, let me be light.
The supplication in the last paragraph has been transmitted from the Prophet Muhammad.
(c) Halima Krausen, 2005