Here it is that man moves with the light and guidance of Allah...

Here it is that man moves with the light and guidance of Allah, speaks with the light and guidance of Allah, takes his stands based on the guidance and light from Allah, and walks amidst the people with the light and guidance of Allah. The verses that point to this second aspect of the soul are as follows: 1. “Is he who was lifeless, then We gave him life and provided him with a light by which he walks among the people, like one who dwells in a manifold darkness which he cannot leave?” [^6] 2.

“O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah and have faith in His apostle. He will grant you a double share of His mercy and give you a light to walk by, and forgive you, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.” [^7] This light based on which the believers establish their relations with the people and move with it among them, be it in politics, business, or in rest of their affairs, is in fact the light of Allah which He sends to His servants.

He, the Exalted, says: “…and one whom Allah has not granted any light has no light.” [^8] The role of the heart in the process of receiving and giving out guidance is that of an arbitrary. It receives this light from Allah and then directs with it man’s power of sight, hearing and the rest of his organs.

And this is a sign of the heart being healthy and sound; it receives the Qur’an and gives out the Qur’an, similar to the fertile soil which takes in light, air and water, and gives out good fruits. Mentioning one of the characteristics of the Qur’an, Imam ‘Ali (‘a) says: “The Book of Allah by which you see, speak and listen.” If the soundness of the heart is lost, then it would be devoid of the power of receiving the Divine light and of manipulating man’s actions.

Hence, it would be unable to receive the descending Qur’an from Allah, thus losing the power of directing man to raise the ascending qur’an toward Allah through maintaining prayer ( salat ) and supplication. And this is the state of the obscurity of the heart ( inghilaq al-qalb ). Allah, the Exalted, says: “Deaf, dumb, and blind; they will not come back {to the right path}” [^9] A deaf and blind person is not able to receive any call or light, and thus he is unable to speak also.

With regard to the Banu Isra’il, Allah says: “Then your hearts hardened after that, so they are like stones, or even harder…” [^10] Indeed a stone cannot receive any light, air or water, rather it rejects all that comes toward it of these things. Subsequently, it does not give out any fruit.