Sūra XXIV.: Nūr, or Light.

Section 5

35. Allahu nooru alssamawati waal-ardi mathalu noorihi kamishkatin feeha misbahun almisbahu fee zujajatin alzzujajatu kaannaha kawkabun durriyyun yooqadu min shajaratin mubarakatin zaytoonatin la sharqiyyatin wala gharbiyyatin yakadu zaytuha yudee-o walaw lam tamsas-hu narun noorun AAala noorin yahdee Allahu linoorihi man yashao wayadribu Allahu al-amthala lilnnasi waAllahu bikulli shay-in AAaleemun

35. God 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!
God doth guide
Whom He will
To His Light:
God doth set forth Parables
For men: and God
Doth know all things.

36. Fee buyootin athina Allahu an turfaAAa wayuthkara feeha ismuhu yusabbihu lahu feeha bialghuduwwi waal-asali

36. (Lit is such a Light)
In houses, which God
Hath permitted to be raised
To honour; for the celebration,
In them, of His name:
In them is He glorified
In the mornings and
In the evenings, (again and again),

37. Rijalun la tulheehim tijaratun wala bayAAun AAan thikri Allahi wa-iqami alssalati wa-eeta-i alzzakati yakhafoona yawman tataqallabu feehi alquloobu waal-absaru

37. By men whom neither
Traffic nor merchandise
Can divert from the Remembrance
Of God, nor from regular Prayer,
Nor from the practice
Of regular Charity:
Their (only) fear is
For the Day when
Hearts and eyes
Will be transformed
(In a world wholly new),—

38. Liyajziyahumu Allahu ahsana ma AAamiloo wayazeedahum min fadlihi waAllahu yarzuqu man yashao bighayri hisabin

38. That God may reward them
According to the best
Of their deeds, and add
Even more for them
Out of His Grace:
For God doth provide
For those whom He will,
Without measure.

39. Waallatheena kafaroo aAAmaluhum kasarabin biqeeAAatin yahsabuhu alththam-anu maan hatta itha jaahu lam yajidhu shay-an wawajada Allaha AAindahu fawaffahu hisabahu waAllahu sareeAAu alhisabi

39. but the Unbelievers,—
Their deeds are like a mirage
In sandy deserts, which
The man parched with thirst
Mistakes for water; until
When he comes up to it,
He finds it to be nothing:
But he finds God
(Ever) with him, and God
Will pay him his account:
And God is swift
In taking account.

40. Aw kathulumatin fee bahrin lujjiyyin yaghshahu mawjun min fawqihi mawjun min fawqihi sahabun thulumatun baAAduha fawqa baAAdin itha akhraja yadahu lam yakad yaraha waman lam yajAAali Allahu lahu nooran fama lahu min noorin

40. Or (the Unbelievers’ state)
Is like the depths of darkness
In a vast deep ocean,
Overwhelmed with billow
Topped by billow,
Topped by (dark) clouds:
Depths of darkness, one
Above another: if a man
Stretches out his hand,
He can hardly see it!
For any to whom God
Giveth not light,
There is no light!

Next: Section 6 (41-50)