16 16 In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Dispenser of Mercy. 16 16 Published by : Tel +97126265151 [email protected] Printing & Binding: Printing Group [email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ISBN: 978-9948-36-806-9 First edition 1441 H. - 2020 ©All rights reserved to Al Hosn Research & Studies Centre No part of this book maybe reproduced or transmitted including printing, publishing, photocopying, or storing by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission from the publisher. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Chapter of an-Nur the chapter of an-Nur 5 The Chapter of an-Nur In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Dispenser of Mercy J I H G F E D C B A This is a Surah We have sent down and made obligatory: We have sent down clear revelations in it, so that you may take heed [1] (The Quran, an-Nur: 1) The name of this chapter is an-Nur(1) (literally, light)(2) and on examining the subject named or addressed by the chapter of an-Nur, you will find light pervading it from every side. I am not saying its verses, nor am I saying its words, but rather light pervades its every letter. Why? They said because an-Nur (light) is among the [onomatopoeic] words whose pronunciation points to their meaning, and defines them more than any other definition. Consequently, people recognize an-Nur simply through the pronunciation of this word. Light is not defined except by the true nature of that which it performs, namely being that by which visible things become apparent, and by which creation is revealed. If not for this light, we would see nothing. Therefore, light is known by its characteristic property which grants you the ability to see visible things, as proven by the fact that you would not be (1) The chapter of An-Nur is number twenty-four in the order of the Noble Quran; in the eighteenth part. It was consensually agreed that it was revealed in Medina, as stated by Al-Qurtubi in his Tafsir (vol. 6, p. 4693). It was revealed after the chapter of An-Nasr, and before the chapter of Al-Hajj. It is chapter number seventeen in the chronological order of the Medinan revelations. See: Al-Itqan fī `Ulum Al-Qur’an by As-Suyuti (vol. 1, p. 27). The number of the verse of this chapter is sixty-four. (2) Al-Qurtubi said in his Tafsir (vol. 6, p. 4693): ‘The main objective of this chapter is to mention the rules of chastity and moral safeguards for honor.’ ’Umar ibn Al-Khattab Allah be pleased with him also wrote to the people of Kufa, saying: ‘Teach your women the chapter of An-Nur.’ 7 EL SHA'RAWY REFLECTIONS / vol- 16 able to see them if they were in a dark place. Thus, light is not seen, but through it we see things. Likewise, Allah the Exalted is the Light of the heavens and earth, illuminating them for us, but we cannot see Him the Exalted. But are all things visible? Are there not among them things that can be heard, smelled, and tasted? Yes they say, but visible things constitute the first proof of all these experiences and the occurrence of events. Since all the proofs of existence are visible; we see them first; then when you hear, or smell, or feel, or distinguish heavy from light, or near from far, these are all derivative of what exists in you after embracing that belief that Allah is the One Who created you and created all things for you. So whenever you look at the light, you will find that light is a sensory perception, by which you see all things. In the past, people used to believe that a human being sees things by means of rays emanating from the eye and then falling on the object and so you see it. This was what people believed until the Islamic scientist, Al-Hasan ibn Al-Haytham, came and disproved this theory. He said that the rays come out from the visible object to the eye, and then you see it, and not the other way around. As proof of this, he pointed out that if the object was in darkness and you in the light, you still would not see it. Thus if the rays truly emanated from you, you would have seen it. In light of this theory, we can understand Allah’s Words: ‘…and made the daylight for seeing…’ (al-Isra’: 12). It allows seeing because the rays come from there, so it is what makes things visible. But what is the utility of this sensory light to the human being, the vicegerent (khalifa) of Allah on the earth? When you see things, you are able to interact with them in a useful manner that provides you with their benefits and protect you from the harm they contain. If you could not see things, you would not be able to interact with them; otherwise, how could you walk in a dark place filled with harmful things, such as snakes or broken glass? Without physical light, you do not know where to place your feet, or to take the good aspects of a thing and avoid its bad aspects. Similarly, if you walk into a dark place, without guidance, you would inevitably collide with someone stronger than you, who would then knock you down, or someone weaker than 8 The Chapter of an-Nur you, whom you would knock down. Therefore, the True Lord Glorified is He called the law and way that guides you along the path of life a light. In absence of the Allah-given natural light, people devise sources of light according to their varying capacities and environments, beginning with lamps and gas lanterns. People vary widely even in this area – up until the era of electricity, florescent and neon bulbs, and various other lighting sources. This is at night. But once the sun rises, everyone extinguishes his lights and lanterns. Why? This is because the Lamp of Allah has shined and thus everyone equally receives its light without distinction. Likewise with the spiritual light which is the light of the law that Allah provides regarding any issue that requires guidance; turn off any lamps of human guidance besides it. It is not fitting that you should seek the aid of any light when the light of your Lord is available. Rather, you ought to seize the initiative and take as much as you can from the light of your Lord. For just as you take the sensory light provided by Allah and with it dispense with all other lights, follow the Light of Allah in moral values, follow the Light of Allah in your traits of character and in your transactions and in your behaviour, and this will allow you to dispense with any man-made lights and laws. Do you not see how Nimrod was left dumbstruck when Ibrahim (Abraham) peace be upon him cut short his dispute and confronted him with the irrefutable evidence when he told him: ‘“Allah brings the sun from the east; so bring it from the west.” The disbeliever was dumbfounded…’ (al-Baqara: 258). The True Lord the Exalted pours forth His Light and His Attributes of Perfection upon His creation whom He has appointed as His vicegerents on earth. So He says: ‘…I am putting a successor on earth…’ (al-Baqara: 30). The vicegerency on earth (khilafa) is not intended to be a single generation which Allah has created and appointed as His representatives on earth until the occurrence of the Final Hour; rather, the vicegerent is generations and descendants following upon one another, one dies and another is born in continuous chains of offspring, not the self-same persons. The vicegerent will not succeed in his vicegerency unless he proceeds in it in accordance with the intention of the One Who appointed him to this role. The main failing that people show in exercising their role of vicegerency on 9 EL SHA'RAWY REFLECTIONS / vol- 16 earth is that they consider themselves to be the original leaders rather than appointed vicegerents. For a true vicegerent of Allah should keep this post of vicegerency upmost in his mind and should always look back and refer to the original source, and learn exactly what the One who appointed him as vicegerent desires of him. The True Lord the Exalted established for Himself a vicegerent on earth to manifest through him the signs of His Power and the attributes of His Perfection. Allah Glorified is He is the Powerful, Allah is the Knowledgeable, Allah is the Wise, Allah is the Self-Sufficient, Allah is the Merciful, Allah is the Forgiving, etc. Allah gives of His Attributes and freely bestows some of them upon His creation and His vicegerents on His earth. He gives you power of His Power, mercy from His Mercy, and sufficiency in all things from His Abundance. Yet, the quality itself remains in His Hand; if He wills, He can take it away. Do you not see how the strong can become weak and how the rich can become poor? This is so that we might know that we are not self-endowed with these qualities, and that these gifts are not innate in us; rather, they are bestowments from Allah the Glorious and Exalted. For this reason, we are obliged to use them in accordance with His Intention. So when your Lord has given you power, He has poured it forth on you so that you may pour it forth to others.