The Parable of Allah’s Nur is Nur of Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)
Quran states:
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اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The "Parable" of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things. (Quran 24:35)
Qadhi Iyad (Rahimuhullah) explains "Parable" of Allah's Nur in detail in his maginificent work of Seerah called Ash-Shifa
و قال الله تعالى : الله نور السماوات والأرض مثل نوره كمشكاة فيها مصباح المصباح في زجاجة الزجاجة كأنها 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 الأمثال للناس والله بكل شيء عليم [ سورة النور / 24 : الأية 35 ] .
قال كعب ، و ابن جبير : المراد بالنور الثاني هنا محمد عليه السلام و قوله تعالى مثل نوره أي نور محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم .
و قال سهل بن عبد الله : المعنى : الله هادي أهل السموات و الأرض ، ثم قال : مثل نور محمد إذ كان مستودعاً في الأصلاب كمشكاة صفتها كذا ، و أراد بالمصباح قلبه ، و بالزجاجة صدره ، أي كأنه كوكب دري لما فيه من الإيمان و الحكمة يوقد من شجرة مباركة أي من نور إبراهيم . و ضرب المثل بالشجرة المباركة و قوله : يكاد زيتها يضيء أي تكاد نبوة محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم تبين للناس قبل كلامه كهذا الزيت
و قيل في هذه الآية غير هذا . و الله أعلم
و قد سماه الله تعالى في القرآن في غير هذا الموضع نوراً و سراجاً منيراً ، فقال تعالى : قد جاءكم من الله نور وكتاب مبين [ سورة المائدة / 5 : الآية 15]
و قال تعالى : إنا أرسلناك شاهدا ومبشرا ونذيرا * وداعيا إلى الله بإذنه وسراجا منيرا [ سورة الأحزاب / 33 : الأية 45 ـ 46 ]
Translation: Allah says: Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not-- light upon light-- Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things.(Surah Nur, 24. Ayah 35)
Ka’b al-Ahbar (ra) and Ibn Jubayr (ra) said: By the second light He means Muhammad (Peace be upon him).Allah said “The Likness of his light” this refers to the Nur of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
Sahl bin Abdullah (ra) said that it means that Allah is the “guide” of creation in heavens and the earth, he then said:Like the Light of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) when it is lodged in the loins (of his forefathers) like a niche. By the Lamp he means his heart. The glass is his breast. It is as if it were a glittering star because of the belief and wisdom it contains, kindled from a blessed tree, i.e. from the light of Ibrahim (a.s). He makes a comparison with the blessed tree and He says: “Its oil would nearly shine” i.e. Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam)’s prophecy is evident to the people even before he speaks just like the oil.
A lot more is said about this ayat, and Allah knows the best about it, elsewhere in the Quran Allah calls his Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) a Light and a LIGHT GIVING LAMP. He says: “A Light and a clear book have come to you from Allah (5:15), Allah also says: “We sent you as a witness, a barrier or glad tidings and a warner, one who calls to Allah with his permission and a Light-giving Lamp (33:46)
Reference
►Ash-Shifa bi Tarif al Haquq al Mustafa, Page No. 6
Imam Ibn Kathir (Rahimuhullah) says under this ayah
وقال شمر بن عطية: جاء ابن عباس إلى كعب الأحبار فقال: حدثني عن قول الله تعالى: { يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىۤءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ } قال: يكاد محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم يبين للناس، ولو لم يتكلم أنه نبي؛ كما يكاد ذلك الزيت أن يضيء
Translation: Ibn Abbas (ra) went to Ka’b al-Ahbar (ra) and asked him to explain the Allah's saying: {whose oil is well-nigh luminous}, Ka'b (ra) said: It is an (example of) Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) i.e. He is evident to people as Prophet even if he had not declared his Nubuwah, just like the olive oil glows even without being lit
Reference
►Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Volume No.3, Page No. 490, under 24:35
Imam al-Baghwi (Rahimuhullah) explains:
فقال بعضهم: وقع هذا التمثل لنور محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال ابن عباس لكعب الأحبار: أخبرني عن قوله تعالى: { مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ } فقال كعب: هذا مثل ضربه الله لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم، فالمشكاة صدره، والزجاجة قلبه، والمصباح فيه النبوة، توقد من شجرة مباركة هي شجرة النبوة، يكاد نور محمد وأمره يتبين للناس ولو لم يتكلم أنه نبي كما يكاد ذلك الزيت يضيء ولو لم تمسسه نار.
Translation: Some (scholars) said: This similitude refers to Nur of Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam), Ibn Abbas (ra) asked Kab al-Ahbar (ra) to explain Similitude of Nur, at which he replied: Allah has mentioned his Prophet (Peace be upon him) as a parable in this ayah, Mishkat refers to the chest of Prophet (saw), Glass refers to his heart, and Misbah refers to his Nabuwah and the wording “whose oil is well-nigh luminous” means that even if Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had not declared himself a Prophet still his Nur would have glowed proving to people that he is a Nabi
Reference
►Ma’lim at Tanzil by Imam Baghawi, Under 24:35
Imam Ibn Jarir at-Tabri (rah) explains Similitude of Allah’s Nur as:
جاء ابن عبـاس إلـى كعب الأحبـار، فقال له: حدثنـي عن قول الله: { مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كمِشْكاةٍ } قال: الـمشكاة وهي الكَوّة، ضربها الله مثلاً لـمـحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، الـمِشكاة { فِـيها مِصْبـاحٌ الـمِصْبـاحُ } قلبه { فِـي زُجاجَةٍ الزُّجاجَةُ } صدره الزجاجة { كأنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيّ } شبه صدر النبـيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بـالكوكب الدريّ،
….
، { يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِىءُ } يكاد مـحمد يبـين للناس وإن لـم يتكلـم أنه نبـيّ، كما يكاد ذلك الزيت يضيء
Translation: Ibn Abbas (ra) presents the explanation of Kab al-Ahbar (ra) as: {The parable of his light is as there were a niche} Niche here refers to a lantern, this example which Allah has given is of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that he is a Lantern which contains light, {And within it a lamp} meaning his heart{and lamp enclosed in a glass} meaning his chest { the glass as it were a brilliant star}The chest of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is explained through parable of glowing star…. { whose oil is well-nigh luminous} means that even if Prophet (saw)had not declared himself a Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) still his (Nur) would have glowed proving to people that he is a Nabi
Reference
►Tafsir at-Tabri, under 24:35
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) explaines the “Parable” of Allah’s Nur as:
مثل نوره نور محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم في أصلاب آبائه على هذا الوصف إلى
Translation: The Parable of Allah’s Nur is Nur of Muhammad (Salallaho alaihi wasalam) which was present in the loins of his forefathers [Reference:Tanwir al Miqbas, Min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, Page No. 376, Published by Maktaba al Asriyyah, Beirut, Lebanon]
Continuing the Tafsir: It is also said that the verse means: the likeness of the light of Muhammad in the loins of his forefathers is like this, up to Allah's saying (… kindled from a blessed tree). He says: the light of Muhammad in Abraham was an upright religion (olive tree), and Abraham was neither Jew nor Christian (neither of the East nor of the West), the works of Abraham would almost glow forth in the loins of his forefathers like this (would almost glow forth (of itself)), up until Allah's saying (kindled from a blessed tree) He says: as if it is the light of Muhammad (pbuh) and if Abraham was not a prophet, he would still have this light (though no fire touched it); it is also said that the latter passage means: Had Allah not honored Abraham, he would not have had this light; it is also said: if Allah had not honored His believing servant with this light, he would not have had it.
Please note: Tanwir al Miqbas is only quoted to provide a corroborating reference
Imam Suyuti said in al-Riyad al-aniqa: Ibn Jubayr and Ka`b al-Ahbar said:
"What is meant by the second light is the Prophet because he is the Messenger and the Expositor and the Conveyor from Allah of what is enlightening and manifest." Ka`b said: "Its oil well nigh would shine because the Prophet
well nigh would be known to the people even if he did not say that he was a Prophet, just as that oil would send forth light without a fire."
Among those who said that the meaning of " مَثَلُ نُورِهِ" -- the likeness of His Light -- is the Prophet Muhammad, upon him blessings and peace:
►Ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his Tafsir (18:95),
►Suyuti in al-Durr al-manthur (5:49),
►Zarqani in Sharh al-mawahib (3:171),
►al-Khafaji in Nasim al-riyad (1:110, 2:449),
►al-Nisaburi in Ghara'ib al-Qur'an (18:93) said: "The Prophet is a light and a light-giving lamp."
►al-Qari in Sharh al-shifa' said: "The most apparent meaning is to say that what is meant by the light is Muhammad."
