الله نور السماوات والارض مثل نوره كمشكاة فيها مصباح المصباح في زجاجة الزجاجة كانها كوكب دري يوقد من شجرة مباركة زيتونة لا شرقية ولا غربية يكاد زيتها يضيء ولو لم تمسسه نار نور على نور يهدي الله لنوره من يشاء ويضرب الله الامثال للناس والله بكل شيء عليم

۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

When I was reading the tafsir of Surah An-Nur 24:35 by Abd al-Rahman al-Sa’di, something really struck me. It made me think about how the Qur’an is everywhere around us. Almost every Muslim household has a copy of the Qur’an. Many people recite it every day. Some people read it only in Arabic without understanding, and some read it and also understand the meaning.

But then this verse made me realize something deeper: the Qur’an being present is not the same as its light entering the heart.

Allah says that He is the Light of the heavens and the earth, and that His light is like a lamp placed in a niche. When scholars explain this, they say that the light here is the light of faith and the Qur’an that Allah places in the heart of a believer.

And this made me think  if the Qur’an is available to everyone, then why does its light only shine in some hearts?

The tafsir explains that the difference is the state of the heart. Some hearts are pure, sincere, and receptive to Allah’s message. When the guidance reaches such a heart, the person accepts it with humility. They do not try to twist Allah’s words or only follow what is convenient for them. Instead, when they receive the message, they submit to it and try to live according to it in whatever situation Allah has placed them.

That is when the light of faith begins to shine in the heart.

But if someone hears the message and keeps resisting it, or accepts some parts and rejects others, then the Qur’an may be present in their life but its light does not truly enter their heart.

Then Allah gives another beautiful example in the verse. He mentions that the lamp is lit from a blessed olive tree, and its oil is so pure that it almost glows even before the fire touches it.

When I read the explanation of this part, it became even more beautiful.

Scholars explain that the olive tree mentioned here is in a place that receives sunlight throughout the day  it is neither only in the east nor only in the west. Because it receives sunlight from both directions, the olives become very healthy and the oil becomes extremely pure.

And olive oil itself burns very cleanly and brightly compared to other oils.

So Allah is showing us an image: the oil is so pure that it almost shines on its own. But when the flame touches it, the light becomes even brighter.

And the scholars say this is similar to the heart of a believer.

Some hearts are naturally sincere and inclined toward truth. They are humble, they are not filled with arrogance, and they genuinely want guidance. That kind of heart is like that pure olive oil.

So when the guidance of the Qur’an reaches such a heart, it ignites something inside it. The light of revelation meets the purity of the heart, and the result is exactly what Allah describes in the verse: “light upon light.”

The light of the believer’s natural disposition combined with the light of Allah’s guidance.

And that is when a person truly comes out of darkness into light.

 Allah’s Book is light, His law is light, and faith itself is light. But for that light to shine within us, the heart has to be sincere enough to receive it. When a person approaches the Qur’an with humility and submission, the light of Allah begins to illuminate their heart and guide their life. Subhan Allah ☹️😑

#AnNur #reflection #Guidance #Quran #Allah  

Allah’s Book is light, His law is light, and faith itself is light. But for that light to shine within us, the heart has to be sincere enough to receive it.

May Allah fill our hearts with Light, and may He place Light in front of us, Light behind us, Light to our left! 

Without Allah we are in darkness. Allah's Quran is a Light and we use it to see the way out of the suffocating cave that is this life into His Grace!

JUZ 18
SURAH AN NUR - The Light That Protects Your Purity

The Divine laws that are embedded in this Surah aim to build a social system that protects the honour of the individual in all aspects.

The protection starts from something as mundane as a gaze. An unlawful gaze is the pre cursor of uninhibited desires.
 Even the simple act of asking permission before entering a person's personal space is part of divine law. This ensures a person's privacy is respected and to prevent any unwelcomed desires from arising should someone barge into someone else's private space.

Then, there's the prerequisite of  4 witnesses before any accusation of elicit relationships is considered valid. This is to uphold  the honour and dignity of every single member of the community.

In the midst of all these canonical discourse, Allah SWT brings a beautiful parable of Light. The beloved verse of Light Upon Light. The only Light that will guide the human back to his Fitrah.

 Only by humbling our egos to Allah's SWT Laws, will we return to our pure and natural inclination to Good, hence, ascending to a higher plane of honour and purity.

#juz18   #purity  #tiadaduayangsama

This is one of my favorite aayat of Quran. Every time I recite and ponder and reflect on this, a new dimension of meaning opens up. Ayah starts with Allah is the light of skies and earth. And at the end Allah says Allah guides whoever he wants to his light. This made me think—Allah’s signs in the form of physical light (sun, moon, stars, etc.) are visible to everyone, yet why does one still require guidance to truly recognize Him? The answer came to me while watching a documentary about the universe in which leading physicists and scientists were talking about light and creation of the universe but still went on to say they were atheists and did not believe in any God. What an oxymoron ! Indeed, Allah said 'guided' not 'see '. People can see all these signs and creations and still be misguided and not really 'see' the light. May Allah keep us all guided.

The Oneness!

Tawheed.

A profoundly spiritual, deeply transformative, and sacred journey.

Most people do not take the time to truly reflect. They do not dive into the depths of understanding and realization.

This lack of depth leads them to mistake mere words—what they read, hear, or intellectually grasp—as the destination itself.

But in truth, these are only the provisions one gathers before embarking on the actual journey.

The journey itself is profoundly deep and unspeakably joyful. If we read closely, we catch fleeting glimpses of this joy in the writings of the earliest scholars—those who truly tasted it.

It is then that we realize: studying can turn anyone into a degree-holding scholar in the eyes of the masses, but becoming an heir to the Prophets—an ‘Alim in the truest sense—is something else entirely.

It is a lifelong devotion, a pursuit of the soul.

As I was saying—

Tawheed is not merely an abstract doctrine but a sacred journey, one that unfolds in the depths of the heart and soul. Perhaps we have yet to embark upon it the way the first generation did.

Much more could have been said.

Yet, I find myself stopping here—because, in truth, words cannot convey it.

Perhaps, as you read, by Allah’s will, you will come to realize much of it on your own.



Masha'Allah. Jazakallah khair for sharing this very deep and a timely reflection. And I completely agree that it's a lifelong journey, a journey whose depths never ends.

I myself have been learning and reflecting on some of the names and attributes of Allah SWT and one thing I noticed is that the more I try to understand His attributes (not necessarily Tawheed only), the more I start to to realize how ineffable and unreachable the nature of Allah is for our minds to grasp. And indeed, as Allah says about Himself, 'And there is none like unto Him' (112:4).

Insha'Allah, I will share some of those reflections as time goes on, but it will take more time because it's quite difficult to put them into words, and secondly I don't even know where to start on this subject.

I've shared one reflection recently, however, on one of Allah's attributes, Ash-Shakkur (The Most Appreciative):
https://quranreflect.com/posts/33797
..

I believe there are different kinds of darkness that resemble the darkness of night. When this darkness envelops the skies, streets, and homes, there is another, more abstract form that you can't truly see but can sense. It surrounds us constantly. This kind of darkness seals our hearts and deprives us of hope and guidance. It takes the form of grief, loss, poverty, jealousy, abandonment, heartbreak, divorce, death, sickness, loneliness, joblessness, delayed marriages, miscarriages, and more. In the face of all these forms of darkness, I have found just one cure, one source of light: seeking refuge with Allah.

There is a house in the neighborhood that has a Hindu idol in the front yard. The owner has put a light in front of it so that at night the light will shine on the idol and make it visible. Everything that is worshiped besides Allah needs to be lifted, raised, carried, or lit to be noticed. However, Allah is Allah. That's it. He doesn’t need me, you, or anything else to raise Him.

When it is bright daylight, the creation is proclaiming His Oneness and praises. When it is dark outside, the sky and heavens are announcing His Oneness and praises. He is the Light of the heavens and the earth, He is the Most High, the Most Great.

MashaAllah, this is a wonderful post, with a beautiful ayah. JazakAllahu khair for sharing! ❤️

In Sūrah  An Nuur Allah talks about 2 opposing realities. The believers and the non believers.

I see this being played in the comments sections of social media platforms now; especially to the response of posts on the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

On the one hand the condition of the believer who has found the Light and is illuminated in Light.
As opposed to those who are under layers and layers of shadows and darknesses.

The new Muslim reverts share their illuminating moments with sincerity and are steadfastly adhering to their new found Faith. I cannot help but be in awe and wonder at their tenacity knowing I may not even have half of their enthusiasm nor commitment. 

Then, I come across vile hateful comments made against Allah SWT; against the Prophet SAW; against Islam and muslims. Nothing is spared in their rage against us.

As i gingerly engage them, i slowly realise that this hate  stems from ignorance and fear. Ignorance from having learned about Islam from propaganda materials and not reliable sources. I sense their deep fear of a Faith that challenges their lifestyle and the status quo as they know it. They turn in arrogance away from any invitation to the Truth; they flee from any attempt at respectful discourse. Choosing to remain in their layers of doubts and confusion; clinging on what they perceive to be the truth.

Sometimes, i end this non verbal volley with salutations of Peace as i feel the discussion wasn’t going anywhere. Then, there were a few occasions when i managed to de construct and debunk their statements. Usually, a short pause follows  after which they wish me well and take their leave.

Alhamdulillah 
Either way, i am thankful.
On the one hand,  I get an insight to their thought processes  and on the other, i get to use the little i know to try and pierce through the layers of darkness that surround them.

May Allah guide the lost souls who are genuinely searching 
Aamiin

#Gaza

As we watched the northern lights dance on our skies and light up our feeds this past weekend, I wondered what it would be like to see the Creator of the northern lights. The One Who is the source of all light Himself. 

As people drove up north or flew to wherever they could catch a glimpse, even for seconds - how excited will we be to one day be amongst those who will catch a glimpse of Him? 

As I saw images of northern lights covering the horizon in all their beauty, I imagined how it was for the prophet saw when his horizon was covered with the beauty of Angel Jibril and his light? What a sight that must have been. 

May Allah make us amongst those who are able to see Him in Jannah, in all His glory. And all His light. Aameen. 

As you and I chase the northern lights, all those who have been raised up from Palestine are now basking in His light. Light upon light. May Allah make us of those who stand on the right side of history. Aameen. 

' When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah will say, ‘Do you want anything more?’ They will say, ‘Have You not brightened our faces, admitted us to Paradise, and saved us from Hell?’ Then the veil will be lifted and they will not have seen anything dearer to them than looking upon their Lord, may He be Glorified and Exalted. This is what is meant by ‘even more.’' Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recited the verse:

'For those who have done good is the best reward and even more .' [Yunus 10:26]

Waiyyaki, glad it resonated with you Alhamdulillah!

ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ
To operate in this world our eyes need the correct light and that is only the light of Allah(نور). Without it we are blind. If we are not perceiving نور, then it is our fault because light  cannot be confined. Light illuminate where ever it is. Shadow is casted only when an obstruction is placed in its path. That obstruction is materialism in our case. Materialism has to be wiped out from the heart for the perception of the divine light.

I meant materialism in a broader sense which includes love of money, power, status and this love causes turbidity of the eye to an extent that the light of Allah cannot go in.
Thus, the word obstacles was used to denote the turbidity of the eye. 
As opposed to using the lense of the Quran to view reality, being materialistic is an obstruction to perceiving the truth.
😊

Reflexiones.: An-Núr 24:35