Skip to content
MyDeenTools

An-Nur (The Light)

Verse 35of 64

۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌۭ دُرِّىٌّۭ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍۢ مُّبَٰرَكَةٍۢ زَيْتُونَةٍۢ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌۭ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍۢ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ﴿٣٥

Translation (Sahih International)

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.

Word-by-word meaning

۞ ٱللَّهُal-lahuAllah
نُورُnūru(is the) Light
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِl-samāwāti(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚwal-arḍiand the earth
مَثَلُmathalu(The) example
نُورِهِۦnūrihi(of) His Light
كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢkamish'katin(is) like a niche
فِيهَاfīhāin it
مِصْبَاحٌ ۖmiṣ'bāḥun(is) a lamp
ٱلْمِصْبَاحُl-miṣ'bāḥuthe lamp
فِى(is) in
زُجَاجَةٍ ۖzujājatina glass
ٱلزُّجَاجَةُl-zujājatuthe glass
كَأَنَّهَاka-annahāas if it were
كَوْكَبٌۭkawkabuna star
دُرِّىٌّۭdurriyyunbrilliant
يُوقَدُyūqadu(which) is lit
مِنminfrom
شَجَرَةٍۢshajaratina tree
مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍۢmubārakatinblessed
زَيْتُونَةٍۢzaytūnatinan olive
لَّاnot
شَرْقِيَّةٍۢsharqiyyatin(of the) east
وَلَاwalāand not
غَرْبِيَّةٍۢgharbiyyatin(of the) west
يَكَادُyakāduwould almost
زَيْتُهَاzaytuhāits oil
يُضِىٓءُyuḍīuglow
وَلَوْwalaweven if
لَمْlamnot
تَمْسَسْهُtamsashutouched it
نَارٌۭ ۚnārunfire
نُّورٌnūrunLight
عَلَىٰʿalāupon
نُورٍۢ ۗnūrinLight
يَهْدِىyahdīAllah guides
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah guides
لِنُورِهِۦlinūrihito His Light
مَنmanwhom
يَشَآءُ ۚyashāuHe wills
وَيَضْرِبُwayaḍribuAnd Allah sets forth
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAnd Allah sets forth
ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَl-amthālathe examples
لِلنَّاسِ ۗlilnnāsifor the mankind
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
بِكُلِّbikulliof every
شَىْءٍshayinthing
عَلِيمٌۭʿalīmun(is) All-Knower

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Parable of the Light of Allah`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said:اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.) means, the Guide of the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth. Ibn Jurayj said: "Mujahid and Ibn `Abbas said concerning the Ayah:اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ(Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.) He is controlling their affairs and their stars and sun and moon.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

Share this verse with others

WhatsAppX

These tools are free because of generous Muslims.

$10/month keeps this platform free for 50,000 people. Every visit earns you reward — Sadaqah Jariyah.

Support this project