Appearance
Sūrah al-Nūr, verses 35-36
اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاء وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ
Allāhu nūru as-samāwāti wa al-arḍ. Mathalu nūrihi ka-mishkātin fīhā miṣbāḥ, al-miṣbāḥu fī zujājah, az-zujājatu ka-annahā kawkabun durrīy, yūqadu min shajaratin mubārakah zaytūnah, lā sharqiyyatin wa lā gharbiyyah, yakādu zaytuhā yuḍī’u wa law lam tamsashhu nār. Nūrun ʿalā nūr, yahdī Allāhu li-nūrihi man yashā’, wa yaḍribullāhu al-amthāla li-n-nās, wa Allāhu bi-kulli shay’in ʿalīm. Fī buyūtin adhina Allāhu an turfaʿa wa yudhkara fīhā ismuh, yusabbiḥu lahu fīhā bil-ghudūwi wa al-āṣāl.
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is a niche wherein is a lamp—the lamp is in a glass, the glass as if it were a glittering star—lit from a blessed olive tree, neither eastern nor western, whose oil almost lights up, though fire should not touch it. Light upon light! Allah guides to His light whomever He wishes. Allah draws parables for mankind, and Allah has knowledge of all things. In houses Allah has allowed to be raised and wherein His Name is celebrated; He is glorified therein, morning and evening.
Context and significance
Verses 24:35–36, known as the Verse of Light, stand among the most profound in the Qur’an, uniting theology, metaphor, and worship. The passage opens with the declaration: “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth,” followed by a parable of niche, lamp, glass, and oil. This imagery conveys both universality—God as the ground of existence—and particularity, the illumination of faith within receptive hearts. The phrase “light upon light” suggests the harmony of human receptivity with the guidance of revelation.
The next verse grounds this vision in practice: divine light shines in “houses” exalted for God’s remembrance. These may be mosques, homes of believers, or even the Prophet’s household, all of which embody spaces where the radiance of worship and glorification overcomes distraction.
These verses raise fundamental questions: Is God’s light merely a metaphor for guidance, or an ontological truth about existence itself? Does the parable point primarily to the believer’s heart, or to sacred communal spaces? Are the “houses” to be understood universally as mosques, or specifically as the houses of the Prophet’s family? And how does divine transcendence relate to human experience of illumination?
Such questions make these verses a touchstone for theological, spiritual, and practical reflection.
What the exegetes say
At a glance
The question: Is God's 'light' a metaphor for the guidance He places in believers' hearts, or the very existence by which all things appear?
Abul Aʿlā MawdūdīReads light metaphorically as God being the source through whom everything becomes manifest and knowable, and as knowledge; in the parable the universe is the niche and God the lamp.
Ibn KathīrTakes it as God's guidance and governance of creation, and the parable as faith in the believer's heart, innate disposition joined with revelation; does not treat light as existence itself.
Fakhr al-Dīn al-RāzīRejects physical light: God is called light as the source of guidance, illumination and existence, self-manifest and manifesting all else, grasped only by analogy; the parable is guidance in hearts.
Al-QurṭubīTakes it as the principle of guidance, truth and manifestation rather than physical radiance; the parable is the believer's heart, where fiṭrah meets revelation as 'light upon light'.
ʿAllāmah ṬabāṭabāʾīHolds both: God's universal light is existence itself, by which all beings appear, while the parable depicts a special light of faith and gnosis given to receptive believers' hearts.
How each exegete answers the question, in one line. Click a name to read his reading in full.
Abul Aʿlā Mawdūdī
In his commentary on verses 24:35–36, Mawdūdī explains that when the Qur’an declares “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth,” it means that Allah is the source of all manifestation in the universe. Just as physical light reveals things that would otherwise remain in darkness, Allah is the ultimate cause through which everything in existence becomes knowable and meaningful. This description, he stresses, is not to be confused with physical light in the scientific sense, nor does it imply that Allah’s essence is limited to light. Instead, the word is used in its absolute and metaphorical sense: Allah is the One by whom all things are made manifest, and from whom all guidance originates.
Mawdūdī also notes that “light” here carries a second meaning—knowledge. Without Allah, there is only the darkness of ignorance, which leads to corruption and misguidance. True knowledge of reality and the right path can come only through Him.
To illustrate this, the Qur’an presents a parable: Allah is likened to a lamp placed in a niche, with the universe itself being that niche. The glass shade represents the veil of Divine manifestation: it is transparent and radiant, yet too intense for human perception. The lamp is fueled by the finest oil of a blessed olive tree, “neither of the east nor of the west,” symbolizing the perfect brilliance of Divine light—self-sustaining, not dependent on anything external. This image conveys that Allah’s light is the most complete and radiant, illuminating all existence.
Mawdūdī stresses that the metaphor should not be taken literally, as if Allah depends on an external source of fuel. Rather, the olive and the oil serve to emphasize the brilliance of the lamp in the parable. The key elements are the niche, the glass, and the lamp, all pointing to the inexhaustible, all-pervading nature of Divine light.
Yet not all are able to perceive it. Just as a blind man cannot distinguish daylight from darkness, so too those who lack inner perception remain oblivious to Allah’s light, even while it encompasses them. The ability to perceive this light is itself a gift of God, given only to those who sincerely seek Him, fear His displeasure, and value His remembrance above worldly distractions.
The commentary then turns to the mention of “houses” in which Allah’s name is remembered. Some commentators take this to mean mosques, while others interpret it as referring also to the homes of believers. Mawdūdī leans toward the broader interpretation, noting that in Islam worship is not confined to sacred buildings alone, for every house of a believer can be a place of God’s remembrance.
In the end, Mawdūdī highlights that Allah’s light is accessible only to the deserving—those who keep their hearts alive with His remembrance, pursue His pleasure over fleeting worldly gains, and strive toward the eternal life of the Hereafter. When Allah bestows His bounties, He does so without measure, but whether a person benefits depends on their inner sincerity and openness to the Divine light.
Source: The Meaning of the Qur’an, vol. 8, trans. Ch. Muhammad Akbar, ed. A. A. Kamal (Lahore: Islamic Publications), commentary on Q. 24:35-36.
Ibn Kathīr
Ibn Kathīr presents one of the most profound depictions of divine guidance in the Qur’an. He begins with the verse “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth”, explaining that this does not merely describe physical light, but rather Allah’s role as the guide and sustainer of all creation. The heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, are dependent upon His Light, which governs their order and direction. Reports from Ibn ʿAbbās, Mujāhid, and others clarify that by this Light, Allah illuminates the affairs of the cosmos, including the sun, moon, and stars, and that He is the source of spiritual illumination for humanity.
The parable of divine Light is then unfolded. Allah likens His Light, or His guidance placed in the believer’s heart, to a niche containing a lamp. Ibn Kathīr notes two possible readings: that the pronoun refers to Allah’s guidance itself, or that it refers to the believer whose heart receives that guidance. In either case, the parable conveys purity, brilliance, and clarity. The niche is likened to the chest of the believer, the lamp to the flame of faith and knowledge, and the glass to the clarity and refinement of this faith—shining like a precious star. The lamp is fueled by pure oil from a blessed olive tree, perfectly positioned to receive sunlight throughout the day, such that its oil would almost glow without fire. This represents the natural inclination toward truth in the believer’s heart, which, when combined with revelation, produces “Light upon Light.” The Qur’an and faith strengthen one another, neither complete without the other. Thus, divine guidance is portrayed as both an innate capacity and a revealed gift, harmonized in the believer’s heart.
Ibn Kathīr then highlights that this illumination is not universal but selective: “Allah guides to His Light whom He wills.” Guidance is bestowed upon those whom Allah chooses, as confirmed by a report from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr describing how Allah created creation in darkness, then cast His Light upon them, guiding those touched by it.
The following verse situates this Light within its rightful place: “In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised, in them His Name is remembered.” Ibn Kathīr explains that this refers to the mosques, which are Allah’s houses, established for His worship alone. They are to be kept pure from filth, idle talk, and inappropriate conduct, as reported from Ibn ʿAbbās and other early scholars.
Thus, Ibn Kathīr ties the two verses together: the parable of Light symbolizes the divine guidance that fills the believer’s heart, pure and radiant, while the mosques are the earthly locus of this Light, where it is nurtured through worship, prayer, and remembrance. The inner illumination of faith and the external sanctity of the mosque reinforce one another, embodying Allah’s declaration of “Light upon Light.”
Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged). Translated by Ṣafī al-Raḥmān. Vol. 7 (Chapter 24, Verses 35-36) Riyadh: Maktaba Dār-us-Salām, 2003.
Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī
Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī approaches the celebrated “Verse of Light” and its immediate continuation with a blend of philosophical reasoning, theological reflection, and linguistic scrutiny. He begins with the expression “Allāh is the Light of the heavens and the earth” (24:35), raising the fundamental question of how “light” can be ascribed to God. Light, in the common tongue, refers to the physical quality that makes objects visible, such as the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars. Rāzī rejects the notion that the divine essence could be a physical light subject to change and extinction, arguing instead that this must be understood in a more exalted sense. He proposes several lines of reasoning: that God is called “light” because He is the ultimate source of guidance, illumination, and existence, just as physical light enables perception and dispels darkness. The verse thus symbolically identifies God as the One through whom all realities become manifest.
The simile of the niche containing a lamp becomes, for Rāzī, a profound allegory. He analyzes each element: the niche symbolizes a locus prepared to receive light; the lamp represents the essence of guidance; the glass is likened to a shining star that diffuses radiance with purity; and the oil that “almost gives light even if untouched by fire” is interpreted as the purest substance, inherently disposed to illumination. The layering of light upon light signifies the superabundance and perfection of divine guidance, which flows to the hearts of believers through both innate disposition and revealed instruction. Here Rāzī fuses rational argument with mystical suggestion, stressing that divine light is both self-manifest and manifesting of others, and that human comprehension of it is necessarily analogical.
Turning to verse 24:36, “In houses which God has permitted to be raised and His name remembered therein”, Rāzī transitions from the abstract imagery of light to its concrete earthly manifestation. The “houses” are interpreted primarily as mosques, exalted places where the divine light finds its locus in worship and remembrance. He notes differing views among exegetes: some hold that the verse refers to specific sacred sites, such as the Kaʿba, Bayt al-Maqdis, or the houses of prophets, while others generalize it to all mosques where God’s name is magnified. The key point for Rāzī is that these are spaces elevated not merely in physical height but in sanctity, where divine remembrance banishes heedlessness and provides a tangible arena for the radiance described in the Verse of Light.
Source: al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr aw Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb, vol. 12 (Cairo: Dār al-Ḥadīth), commentary on Q. 24:35-36.
Al-Qurṭubī
Al-Qurṭubī treats these verses as a theological and spiritual map, combining linguistic analysis, transmitted reports, and deep reflection on the imagery used.
On the verse “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth” (24:35), al-Qurṭubī explains that divine light here is not to be reduced to a physical radiance but rather understood as the very principle of guidance, truth, and manifestation. God’s light is what brings clarity to existence, illuminates hearts with faith, and reveals realities otherwise veiled. For this reason, he cites both poetic examples of light as metaphor for knowledge and beauty, and prophetic traditions that interpret divine light as the guidance residing within believers’ hearts.
Regarding the elaborate parable, Al-Qurṭubī dissects each element of the imagery presented. The niche is likened to the chest of the believer, a protected place where light can be concentrated. The lamp within it represents faith itself, burning brightly. The glass, transparent yet firm, symbolizes the heart: pure, polished, and capable of refracting divine illumination in all directions. He notes that the description of the glass as a brilliant star points to the clarity and intensity of this inner light when the heart is sound.
The lamp’s fuel comes from the oil of a “blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west.” Al-Qurṭubī reports multiple explanations here. Some interpreters take the tree as literal, representing a tree standing in an exposed place, equally touched by the sun’s rays from morning to evening, whose oil is therefore of the purest quality. Others treat it allegorically: the olive tree represents revelation itself, universal and unconfined by geography or lineage, “neither eastern nor western.” Its oil, so pure that it nearly shines without ignition, is likened to the innate disposition (fiṭrah) of human beings, inclined toward truth even before external revelation reaches them. Thus, when revelation and innate readiness meet, the result is “light upon light.”
Al-Qurṭubī emphasizes that this parable is not merely a literary flourish but a profound statement of God’s way with His creation. The believer’s heart, when purified, becomes a locus of divine light—illumination that guides its possessor and radiates outward to others. He recalls prophetic traditions that reinforce this reading, including the hadith, “The believer’s heart has a lamp lit by God’s light.”
The following verse (24:36) situates the parable of divine light in the concrete setting of the mosque. For al-Qurṭubī, this transition signifies that the ultimate earthly manifestation of divine light is in the spaces dedicated to God’s worship. He explains that “raised” can mean both physically built up and spiritually honored, purified of filth, and preserved from worldly corruption. Numerous hadiths are cited to stress the virtue of building and maintaining mosques, as well as the warnings against decorating them excessively with worldly ornaments.
Source: Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qur’ān (Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī), Vol. 15, under Surah al-Nur, Ayahs 35-36, Pub. by Al-Risalah Foundation, Beirut.
ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī
ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī presents the parable of divine light as one of the most profound allegories of the Qur’an, capturing both God’s universal illumination and His special guidance for the believers. He explains that God’s universal light is existence itself: all beings subsist through His illumination, just as physical light makes objects visible. Every created thing appears and is known through God’s self-manifestation, for He is “the light of the heavens and the earth”.
Yet, beyond this universal light, Ṭabāṭabāʾī emphasizes that the verse describes a special divine light, the light of faith (īmān) and knowledge (maʿrifah) bestowed upon the believers. This light illumines their hearts, directs their journey to God, and secures their felicity. The Qur’anic parable depicts this inner illumination through the imagery of the niche, lamp, glass, and oil. According to Ṭabāṭabāʾī, the niche symbolizes the focusing of divine light; the lamp is the believer’s heart; the glass signifies the purity, brilliance, and protection of this inner flame; the oil from a blessed tree “neither of the east nor of the west” reflects completeness, universality, and purity; and the phrase “light upon light” conveys the perfection and intensification of this illumination when the divine light joins with the believer’s readiness. Through this allegory, the Qur’an portrays how God guides those He wills*—*not arbitrarily, but by bestowing this light on hearts made pure and receptive.
Moving to verse 24:36, Ṭabāṭabāʾī explains that the “houses” in which this light shines are those sanctified by God for His remembrance, where His name is glorified morning and evening by people who are not distracted by trade or worldly preoccupation. He acknowledges narrations that identify these “houses” with mosques, as well as reports that apply the verse to the houses of the prophets, and specifically to the house of ʿAlī and Fāṭimah, which the Prophet himself described as one of the most excellent. However, Ṭabāṭabāʾī stresses that these narrations provide applications and examples of the verse rather than its exclusive interpretation: the essential meaning of the verse is broader, encompassing any house exalted by God’s permission and dedicated to His remembrance.
An important subtlety noted by Ṭabāṭabāʾī is the Qur’an’s emphasis on tasbīḥ (glorifying God’s transcendence) rather than ḥamd (praising His perfections). Since God is pure light*—manifest in Himself and manifesting all else—*the first step in true gnosis is to negate all imperfections and limitations in one’s understanding of Him. Only thereafter does one arrive at praise. Thus, the highlighting of tasbīḥ in these verses reflects the spiritual disposition of those who are prepared to receive divine light
Source: Al-Mīzān fī Tafsīr al-Qur'ān, Eng. Vol. 29 under Chapter 24, Verses 35-36 (Tawheed Institute, Australia).
Read ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī’s full commentary in Tafsir al-Mizan: 24:35–46 on almizan.org ↗
Our reflection
This is our own reflection on the readings above. It is one way of reading the comparison, offered to encourage further thought rather than as the final word.
The “Verse of Light” (24:35) has inspired some of the richest commentary in the tafsīr tradition, and the four exegetes examined here illustrate different interpretive temperaments.
Mawdūdī frames the verse in didactic and moral terms. For him, “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth” signals that God is the source of all intelligibility, the One through whom reality becomes knowable. The parable of the niche, lamp, glass, and oil is read as an allegory for divine guidance illuminating the receptive heart. Extending to 24:36, he interprets the “houses” not only as mosques but also as homes where God’s name is remembered, suggesting that worship permeates both public and private life. His approach makes the verse accessible and ethically resonant, yet risks reducing its ontological claim—God as the very ground of existence—to a moral metaphor.
Ibn Kathīr, while also stressing accessibility, blends transmitted reports with spiritual reflection. He notes that “light” can mean both physical light—sun, moon, stars—and the inner illumination of faith. The parable is mapped onto the believer: the niche as chest, the lamp as faith, the glass as the clarity of heart, the oil as the innate disposition (fiṭrah) receptive to truth. When combined with revelation, this becomes “light upon light.” For Ibn Kathīr, divine light shines most clearly in mosques, the “houses” where believers nurture faith through prayer and remembrance. His tafsīr grounds illumination in communal piety but narrows the parable’s reach, leaning heavily on narrations without probing its deeper metaphysical resonance.
Al-Rāzī takes a philosophical route. He insists that physical light cannot literally be ascribed to God, since it is contingent; rather, “light” signifies God’s self-manifestation and His making all else manifest. Each image of the parable is given a layered meaning: the niche as receptivity, the lamp as essence of guidance, the glass as the purified heart, the oil as primordial potential. “Light upon light” becomes the conjunction of innate capacity with revealed knowledge. For Rāzī, the mosque is where this transcendence is embodied in practice, joining philosophical subtlety with lived devotion. Yet in refining the parable into philosophical categories, his approach risks abstraction and weakens the immediacy of the Qur’anic diction: “Allah is the Light” becomes metaphorical approximation rather than ontological declaration.
Al-Qurṭubī situates the parable in a juristic and spiritual frame. With linguistic precision and transmitted reports, he interprets the niche as chest, lamp as faith, and oil as fiṭrah complemented by revelation. Just as pure oil nearly shines on its own, the human soul inclines naturally to truth. For him, the “houses” are primarily mosques, which must be purified and elevated, kept free from worldly distraction. His tafsīr stresses the sanctity of communal worship and the role of mosques as loci of divine remembrance. Yet his emphasis on legal-theological detail leaves aside the ontological dimension of divine “light” as existence itself.
ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī offers the most integrative vision. He distinguishes between two lights: the universal light of existence, since all being is sustained by God’s manifestation, and the special light of faith and gnosis granted to believers. The parable illustrates how this illumination operates within the purified heart. Verse 24:36, with its emphasis on tasbīḥ (glorifying God’s transcendence), is decisive: only by negating imperfection in our conception of God can the heart truly receive divine light. Ṭabāṭabāʾī notes reports identifying the “houses” with the household of ʿAlī and Fāṭimah, but treats these as exemplary rather than restrictive. For him, the “houses” encompass every exalted place of remembrance, uniting universality with particularity. His commentary thus harmonizes ontological depth, symbolic imagery, and transmitted tradition.
Taken together, these tafāsīr reflect divergent emphases. Mawdūdī highlights ethical breadth but flattens metaphysical depth. Ibn Kathīr grounds illumination in narrations and mosques yet narrows the parable’s scope. Rāzī elevates it philosophically but risks abstraction. Al-Qurṭubī balances symbol and law but confines the imagery to pious instruction. By contrast, Ṭabāṭabāʾī unites universality and specificity, ontology and practice: God is the very light of existence, whose special guidance shines in purified hearts and radiates outward into houses where His name is exalted.
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