The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 364
CH. 24 Commentary: AN-NŪR The verse is a beautiful metaphor. It speaks of three things a lamp, a glass-globe (or chimney) and a niche. The divine light is stated to have been confined to these three things which combined together make its brightness and effulgence complete and perfect in every respect. (the lamp) is the very source of the PT. 18 inflammable to a degree which makes it (the oil) burst out into a flame even without being ignited. It is extracted from a tree which belongs neither to the east nor to the west. The verse may have another interpretation. The light mentioned in the verse may be taken to refer to the Holy Prophet because he has been spoken of as (light) in the Quran the niche) in the case المشكوة 5:16 is the globe of glass or الزجاجة ;light chimney which is over the lamp and which protects its light from being extinguished by the puff of wind and increases its brightness; and (the niche) preserves the light. The simile may aptly apply to an electric torch of which the constituent parts are the electric wires which give light, the bulb which protects the light and the reflector which spreads and diffuses the light and gives it direction. In spiritual terminology the three things, i. e. ad (the lamp), (the glass) and (the niche), mentioned in the verse, may respectively stand for divine light, God's Prophets who protect that light from being extinguished and add to its effulgence and brightness, and the Khalifahs or Successors of the Prophets who diffuse and disseminate the divine light and give it a direction and purpose for the guidance and illumination of the world. This interpretation is borne out and supported by the context inasmuch as towards its close the Surah speaks of the establishment of Khilafat among the Muslims. The verse further states that the oil used to light the lamp is of the highest possible purity and is would signify the heart of the Holy Prophet and (the lamp) his most pure and unsullied nature which is endowed with the best and noblest attributes and qualities and a (the glass) would signify that the divine light with his nature has been invested is as clear and bright as crystal. When the light of heavenly revelation descended upon the light of the Holy Prophet's pure nature, it shone with a twofold effulgence which in the words of the Quran has been described as "lights upon lights. " This light of Prophet was sustained by an oil which emanated from a blessed tree, which means that the Holy Prophet's light was not only bright and brilliant but abundant and stable and perpetual (as word signifies) and intended illumine both the east and the west i. e. the whole world. Further, the Prophet's heart was so pure and his nature gifted with such noble qualities that he was almost fit to discharge the duties of his great mission even before the light of Divine revelation had descended upon him. This is the significance of the words, "whose oil would well- nigh be ablaze even though fire touched it not. " 2278 was to