In Juz' 18 we find Surah al-Nur. Most of this surah actually deals with relationships between men and women as well as guidelines for modesty. Nestled in between is ayat al-nur (24:35).
God 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 is as a shining star kindled from a blessed olive tree, neither of the East nor of the West.
Its oil would wellnigh shine forth, even if no fire had touched it.
Light upon light.
God guides unto His light whomsoever He will, and God sets forth parables for mankind,
and God is Knower of all things.
I've been thinking a lot about different forms of knowledge and have recently felt that, as a community, we need to do better to honor the knowledge inherent in each one of us---but especially, in the youth. We are often so focused on observable, "objective" knowledge that other knowledge becomes discounted. Ayat al-Nur touches upon this inherent knowledge , or Divine knowledge, when it discusses the oil which kindles the light. As mentioned in the ayah, the oil would shine even if the fire hadn't touched it.
Among the commentators discussed in The Study Quran, the one who stood out the most was al-Ghazzali.
According to the authors, "for al-Ghazzali, the niche, glass, wick, tree, and pil all represent levels of perception and consciousness, which he describes as lights in the sense that they are that by which things are known" (p.879).
Then they go on to describe these different levels of knowing that al-Ghazzali connects the ayah with:
"The niche represents the physical sense that receive light passively" (p.879). This is usually the level we value the most and associate with the scientific method. Yet, al-Ghazzali notes this as a passive receiving of knowledge.
"The glass represents the imagination, which, like clay transformed into glass, is purified through spiritual discipline" (p.879). Beautifully, imagination is also a way of knowing which is harnessed through spiritual practice. Whereas, we tend to think of imagination as a wild-beast, best left untamed, al-Ghazzali sees it as a way of knowing which gains clarity through a lens attained through spiritual practice.
"The lamp (lighted wick) symbolizes the soul's power to understand meanings and ideas" (p.880).
"The blessed olive tree represents the power of meditation, each branch giving rise to two branches, which each give rise to more" (p.880). I am so curious about this because I often think of the knowledge found in meditation to be to one singular truth so the idea of two branches branching out even further, is curious and intriguing.
"The oil that would well-nigh shine forth is the knowledge and consciousness possesd by the prophets and great "friends of God" (awliya), which is almost self-awakening, though it does require the kindling of revelation and inspiration from God" (p.880). I love this idea of self-awakening. I am inspired to read more from Al-Ghazzali about why/how this is a self-awakening because I think there is much we can learn about how to honor each other with the knowledge inherent in us, just ready to be awoken.
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