Allah The Source of Light

This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah. Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them. And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. Indeed, those who disbelieve - it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them - they will not believe.

[AL-BAQARAH Ch.2:V.2-5]

          Alhamdulillah, praise to Allah. He gives me another chance to write another entry after a very long rest. Actually it is not a rest, but I am busy with my university studies. After three weeks did not write any entry give me another challenge that is to get back the mood and also the idea. Before these, the ideas flowing and I also have set my mind on the next topic. But after a very long period the ideas not going to be the same as the first time think. Alhamdulillah, today He gives me a bit of leisure time to continue writing and dakwah.

          Today’s topic more on misunderstood in the Quran and also the misinterpretation of the Quran. These two lead to another misunderstood and misconception that is about Allah. It looks like I cannot get out from the topic of Allah yet because I see many things are still not clear. Maybe not all of us realised all these things, but there are people who are thinking something that out of our mind. Therefore the topic for today I got it from the debate of Dr Zakir Naik with William Campbell.

          For the second time (maybe), I will just tell you straight away my next topic after todays’. There will no suspense for the next one. We always say Allah can do everything, but there are going to be many contradiction with our statement. So the next topic is still about Allah. The title is likely Can Allah do everything? Let us look to our topic today.

Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers. And made the moon therein a [reflected] light and made the sun a burning lamp.

[NUH Ch.71:V.15-16]

          First of all, we are going to look on the views from William Campbell and after that, I will give the answer from Dr Zakir Naik on the misconception from William Campbell. It starts from ayah Quran saying that the moon or in Arabic qamar reflecting the light from the sun or in Arabic syams. The Quran already tells us about these more than 1400 years ago. But the modern science just found it, the moon does not producing its own light. Dr William Campbell said that, if we do research on the Quran we will find something that is not correct.

Blessed is He who has placed in the sky great stars and placed therein a [burning] lamp and luminous moon.

[AL-FURQAN Ch.25:V.61]

          In the Quran says that the moon borrow the light from the sun. This is based on the wordings used in Quran. Burning lamp (siraj) refers to sun and luminous or shining or reflected (munir or nur). We have to know all these wordings first before going deep into the discussion. I also present to you fellow readers a few ayahs from Quran that saying about moon and sun, about reflecting and also burning lamp. You can open the Quran and check the Arabic and also the translation of the ayahs.

And made [therein] a burning lamp.

[AN-NABA’ Ch.78:V.13]

          However, Dr William Campbell does not or maybe did not agree with those ayahs. This is because the words nur or munir do not mean reflection or something like that. He has his own views on the ayahs. He said that nur or munir can only be translated to shining, because at the time of Prophet Muhammad they understand the moon looks shining. He is interpreting the ayahs based on the time. He also gave a few more ayahs that do not describe the words. Here are some ayahs for you to check on it.

Then if they deny you, [O Muhammad] - so were messengers denied before you, who brought clear proofs and written ordinances and the enlightening Scripture.

[ALI IMRAN Ch.3:V.184]

And of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening book [from Him].

[AL-HAJ Ch.22:V.8]

Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].

[LUQMAN Ch.31:V.20]

And if they deny you - then already have those before them denied. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs and written ordinances and with the enlightening Scripture.

[FATIR Ch.35:V.25]

          In the above ayahs, we can find the words nur or munir that represent enlightening in English word. Dr William Campbell said that, both words do not describing reflection of light. He also said that it is more likely to mean the light itself. It means that the scripture producing its own light. However, for the sake of argument he wanted to agree that nur and munir mean reflecting and siraj means burning (producing own light). If that case, we will find a contradiction in another ayahs such as An-Nur Ch.24:V.35 with Al-Ahzab Ch.33:V.45-46.

O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And one who invites to Allah, by His permission, and an illuminating lamp.

[AL-AHZAB Ch.33:V.45-46]

          In the ayah of An-Nur Ch.24:V.35, Quran says that Allah is the nur. So is that means Allah reflecting light? If Allah reflecting light, who is the source of light? Al-Ahzab Ch.33:V.45-46 give us the shocking answer, Prophet Muhammad is the source of light and Allah reflecting his light. This is the biggest misconception by Dr William Campbell. After does not agree that the Quran already mention moon reflecting light from the sun, now he said that Allah reflecting light from Prophet Muhammad. Remember these things and the answer going to be in the next paragraphs.

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] 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 Knowing of all things.

[AN-NUR Ch.24:V.35]

          The answer is simple. Actually Allah is the nur and also siraj. It means that Allah producing His own light and also reflecting His light. Nur and munir that were representing the enlightening scripture is true that the scripture is reflecting the light. The scripture is reflecting the light from Allah. Allah is the knowledge and the knowledge is in the scripture. Therefore, it is clear that all those ayahs that mentioning the enlightening scripture mean that they are reflecting light from Allah.

          Then, how about Prophet Muhammad producing his owns light? Actual, in my point of view Prophet Muhammad does not producing his owns light. He becomes illuminating lamp because Allah makes him to be like a light on this world. If Prophet Muhammad has his owns light, it means he can give hidayah to his people to embrace Islam. But it does not happen. So Allah gives a bit of light to him and the light that he brings is the Quran.

          Allah producing His owns light and also reflecting His light. This is logical. For example the lamp we used today. It has reflector at the side to reflect the light produced by the lamp. Although we cannot actually know how Allah reflecting His light, but the example makes us clearer and we can imagine. In the ayah (An-Nur Ch.24:V.35) Allah already make it clear. Allah tells us His light like a niche within which is a lamp and the lamp is in the glass. We know glass can reflect light and refract light. But in this case the glass is reflecting the light. This ayah is very wonderful and beautiful, masyaAllah.

          For the conclusion, we have to study the Quran. Not only reading the Quran, we must also understand it. Look like Dr William Campbell, he is non-Muslim but he do research on the Quran, he study the Quran. But he studies to find the mistakes in the Quran. So we need to study the Quran so that we can help other people that do not understand Quran or misunderstand about the Quran to understand it better.

The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.

[AL-FATIHAH Ch.1:V.7]

~Pray For MH370~

~Pray For IM 529~

~Wallahua’lam~