Abstract
The darkness of the night is a sign of the absence of enlightenment, and the layers of darkness that enshroud those who reject the message.
Full Text
وَآيَةٌ لَّهُمُ اللَّيْلُ نَسْلَخُ مِنْهُ النَّهَارَ فَإِذَا هُم مُّظْلِمُونَ
وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَّهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ
لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِي لَهَا أَن تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ
And a Sign for them is the Night: We withdraw therefrom the Day, and behold they are plunged in darkness;
And the sun runs his course for a period determined for him: that is the decree of (Him), the Exalted in Might, the All-Knowing.
And the Moon,- We have measured for her mansions (to traverse) till she returns like the old (and withered) lower part of a date-stalk.
It is not permitted to the Sun to catch up the Moon, nor can the Night outstrip the Day: Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).
[Al-Quran 36:37-40, Translation: Yusuf Ali]
Pieces of Night
The root letters ظ ل م used to form the word مُّظْلِمُونَ occurs 315 times across The Quran. It lends itself to the meanings of wrong, injustice and darkness. In Surah Yunus, ayat 21 informs us that everything humans are planning is being recorded. A few ayaat later, we read:
وَاللَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَىٰ دَارِ السَّلَامِ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
۞ لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَىٰ وَزِيَادَةٌ ۖ وَلَا يَرْهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمْ قَتَرٌ وَلَا ذِلَّةٌ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
وَالَّذِينَ كَسَبُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ جَزَاءُ سَيِّئَةٍ بِمِثْلِهَا وَتَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ مَّا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ عَاصِمٍ ۖ كَأَنَّمَا أُغْشِيَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ قِطَعًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مُظْلِمًا ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
But Allah doth call to the Home of Peace: He doth guide whom He pleaseth to a way that is straight.
To those who do right is a goodly (reward)- Yea, more (than in measure)! No darkness nor shame shall cover their faces! they are companions of the garden; they will abide therein (for aye)!
But those who have earned evil will have a reward of like evil: ignominy will cover their (faces): No defender will they have from (the wrath of) Allah: Their faces will be covered, as it were, with pieces from the depth of the darkness of night: they are companions of the Fire: they will abide therein (for aye)!
[Al-Quran 10:24-27, Translation: Yusuf Ali]
Layers of Darkness
If the darkness of the night is a sign of the absence of enlightenment, then Surah an-Nur describes layers of darkness that the وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا (those who reject the message and/or are ungrateful for it) are shrouded in:
أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ۚ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا ۗ وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ
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 hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth not light ( نُورًا ), there is no light (نُّورٍ ) !
[Al-Quran 24:40, Translation: Yusuf Ali; edited to retain word نُورًا and نُّورٍ]
From Darknesses to Enlightenment
Ayat-ul-Kursi (Q2:255) is perhaps one of the most famous comprehensive ayat of The Quran. It is followed by the ayat which declares that there is no compulsion in The Deen (لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ), and whoever holds the Rope of Allah has held on to the strongest handhold which never breaks! Then in the next ayat, we read:
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ
ۖ
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَوْلِيَاؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ ۗ
أُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light (النُّورِ).
Of those who reject faith the patrons are the evil ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness.
They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein (For ever).
[Al-Quran 2:257, Translation: Yusuf Ali; edited to retain word النُّورِ]
The Deen
The word deen is generally translated as religion. A literal rendition of the phrase الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ can be The Standing Laws. This is how I understand the deen, as defined in the following three ayaat:
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