وَلَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ آيَاتٍ مُبَيِّنَاتٍ وَمَثَلًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿۳۴﴾ اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿۳۵﴾

﴾34﴿ Wa laqad anzalnaaa ilaikum Aayaatim mubaiyinaatinw wa masalam minal lazeena khalaw min qablikum wa maw'izatal lilmuttaqeen
﴾35﴿ Allaahu noorus samaawaati wal ard; masalu noorihee kamishkaatin feehaa misbaah; almisbaahu fee zujaajatin azzujaajatu ka annahaa kawkabun durriyyuny yooqadu min shajaratim mubaarakatin zaitoonatil laa shariqiyyatinw wa laa gharbiyyatiny yakaadu zaituhaa yudeee'u wa law lam tamsashu naar; noorun 'alaa noor; yahdil laahu linoorihee mai yashaaa'; wa yadribul laahul amsaala linnaas; wallaahu bikulli shai'in Aleem

﴾34﴿ And indeed, We have sent down to you clear signs and examples of those who came before you, and an admonition for the God-conscious
﴾35﴿ Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light (in the heart of a believer) is like a niche within which is a lamp. The lamp is within a glass; the glass as if it were a brilliant 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 All-Knowing of everything

[34] In this verse, there is encouragement to act upon the Noble Qur’an in general, and upon this surah in particular.
That is, the rulings within it are clear and evident, and the stories of past nations are mentioned as lessons.
It also contains words of admonition and advice.
Acting upon it leads to the attainment of piety (taqwā).
(مُبَيِّنَاتٍ)—The word bayyināt is mostly used in the context of belief-related rulings, while mubayyināt is used for practical actions and deeds.
(مَثَلًا)—This refers to the mention of the punishment of the disobedient, serving as a warning.
(مَوْعِظَةً)—This points to the glad tidings for the pious.
[35] From this verse to verse (47) is the fourth section.
In it is the declaration of tawḥīd (oneness of Allah), along with the example of the monotheist who calls toward tawḥīd while possessing the qualities of the people of light, and glad tidings are given to them.
Then, two examples of the people of darkness are mentioned—disbelievers and polytheists.
After that, five rational proofs are presented, and at the end, there is encouragement.
Verse (25) is known as Āyat al-Nūr (The Verse of Light).
Its connection to the previous content is that once the darkness—referring to corrupt actions and morals—is repelled, now encouragement is given toward light.
Similarly, after forbidding the evil traits of the impure, the qualities of the pure are now mentioned.
Explanation: The wording of this verse is (اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ)—“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.”
Nūr is one of Allah’s Beautiful Names (asmāʾ ḥusnā)—without likening or comparing Him to the creation.
It signifies that the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all within them, their regulator and sustainer, and the one who grants guidance—is Allah alone.
In this role, no one shares with Him.
This is the declaration of tawḥīd, in response to the slander spread by the hypocrites against the people of tawḥīd.
Their aim is to extinguish the light, but they will never succeed.
The last example in the verse shows that no one can oppose this light.
The lamp that God Himself ignites
whoever blows on it, his beard will burn.
(مَثَلُ نُورِهِ)—This “light” is different from the earlier mentioned “light,” because here it is mentioned with a possessive form (idhāfah), and the possessed (muḍāf) is distinct from the possessor (muḍāf ilayh).
Therefore, this light refers to the guidance of tawḥīd and faith that comes from Allah into the heart of the monotheist.
Then, since this believer calls others to tawḥīd and faith, this light becomes well-known in the world.
(لَا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ)—This means the tree is not located entirely in the east, where it would always be under the sun, nor fully in the west, where it would always be in shade.
Rather, it is in a balanced, middle-ground location, or near the east where light reaches it early, or near the west where shade quickly departs.
It is situated in a place where its oil is pure and refined.
Explanation of the Example:
The chest of the believer is like a niche (mishkāt), and the heart of the believer is like glass (zujājah).
The glass has three qualities:
1. It is neither too hard like stone nor too soft like clay.
2. It is clear.
3. It is transparent, allowing light to pass through.
Similarly, the heart of the believer is soft and gentle toward fellow believers—“humble to the believers, stern to the disbelievers” (Qur’an).
It is firm against disbelievers—“severe against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves.”
The believer’s heart is pure and free from doubts and misconceptions, and due to its clarity, righteous actions and divine wisdom shine within it.
Faith and belief in the heart of the believer are like the lamp (miṣbāḥ), which is the source of light.
(كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ)—It shines within the glass like a bright, radiant star.
Similarly, faith in the believer’s heart is a means of guidance in the darkness.
(يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ)—Just as a lamp is lit from pure olive oil, the believer’s faith is nourished by the knowledge of the Qur’an and hadith.
Faith based only on blind imitation is prone to doubts and lacks permanence.
But the faith that is rooted in Qur’an and Sunnah is pure and enduring.
Just as the olive tree grows in a balanced land, the Qur’an was revealed in the sacred land of Ḥijāz—which is neither of the eastern empires nor the western.
(يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ)—Its oil is so pure that it almost gives off light even without being touched by fire.
Similarly, the knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah is so clear and pure that even if someone does not believe in it, it remains radiant and evident.
(نُورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ)—Just like the brilliance of the oil and the glow of the flame combine, likewise, when the Qur’an and Sunnah are joined with rational evidence, the result is complete and perfect faith.
The likeness is this: such light—described with all these qualities—overcomes all darkness and shines brightly even from a distance.
And since it is enclosed in glass, it is protected and difficult to extinguish.
Likewise, the monotheist who has begun his call to tawḥīd based on the light of Qur’an and Sunnah becomes well-known across lands, loved by believers.
People come to him to seek the light of religion, and he prevails over all opponents with proof and awe.
His opponents are powerless to counter him, and they cannot extinguish his light.
(يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ)—Allah grants this kind of guidance and light to whomever He wills from among His chosen servants.