Section 5 ...

The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a glittering star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it.

Light upon light, Allah guides unto His Light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth similitudes for mankind, and Allah is All-Aware of all things." Commentary: 'Light' is something that is itself bright and causes the brightness of other things. In Islamic culture, several things have been mentioned as 'light', including: The Holy Qur'an, tradition, knowledge, wisdom, faith, guidance, Islam, the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), and the Infallible Imams (a.s.).

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: "Nothing I saw unless I saw Allah before it, after it, and along with it."[^1] Concerning the Pure Essence of Allah a famous Persian poet says: When I look at desert, I see You. When I look at sea, I see You. Whatever I look at, mountain and plain, I see a sign of Your elegant stature. For commenting on the above verse, there have been said many words, and commentators, philosophers, and Islamic mystics have discussed a lot.