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DOES SURAH
MAIDAH 5:15 PROVE
THE PROPHET
MOHAMMED IS
NOOR (LIGHT)

BY ABDUL KAREEM
IBN OZZIE
 Sufi Ashari Maturidis say Allah refers to the prophet Mohammed as a
light (noor) that has come with the Quran in surah Maidah 5:15.
Allah said, “O people of the book! Indeed Our Messenger has
come to you making clear to you most of what you hid of
the Book and forgiving much; Indeed, there has come to
you a light and a clear Book from God” (Maidah 5:15)

The Sufi Ashari Maturidis have misunderstood what is meant by the

words ‘there has come to you a light’. These words refer to the
prophet Mohammed but they do not mean he is literal a light from
Allah and a human together.

These words refer to the prophet being the light of the message as he
brought with him the message of Islam which by the will of Allah he
brought the Arabs (the world and the jinn) out the darkness of kufr
(disbelieve) and into the light of Islam. Through his efforts to spread
Islam Allah guided and is still guiding whom he willed/wills from
among mankind and jinn.

Also these words refer to the prophet as being the light of the
guidance and not only the light of the message, because he was sent
by Allah as light of guidance to guide to mankind and the jinn to the
straight path through following his Sunnah. But the prophet also
brought with him a book (the Quran) which contained the message of
Allah (Islam) in it. This book contained in it the light of guidance for
those who followed him as the Quran is Allahs speech for mankind
and jinn to read, reflect, live by, explain, memorise and spread to all
of mankind and the jinn.

So the prophet is referred to as the light of guidance as he was the one

who the Quran was revealed to, he explained it, taught how to recite it
and how to read it properly, he showed us how to respect it, told us
the reward for following it and the punishment for completely
rejecting it or when a person neglects the commands in it by sinning
or by falling short in fulfilling the obligations Allah has demanded in
the Quran, but most importantly of all the prophet showed mankind
and the jinn how to implement the Quran in a persons daily life.

It is important to remember that light of the message and the light of

guidance are from Allah only.

The following verse after the one above explains and proves that
when Allah referred to the prophet as a light, he (Allah) only meant
that he is the light of guidance and the message. In the next verse
Allah says, “Allah guides all those who seek his pleasure to
ways of peace and he brings them out of darkness (of kufr)
by his permission unto light (believing in and living
according to the Quran) and guides them to a straight
path (following the prophet).” Surah Maidah 5:16.

Ibn Jareer Tabaree in his tafsir of surah Maiadah 5:15 he said,

“That is, 'light' refers to ‘Muhammad’ because people are guided by
him as they would be with light, this is according to Qatadah
(taabiee) and Al-Zajjaj selected it. And it is also said that it means
'the Quran' as that makes clear truth from falsehood – according to
Abi Ali Al-Jaba'ee but the first opinion is preferred.

Imam al-Qurtubi in hs tafsir of the same verse said, “That is (the

light referred to in the verse is) 'a radiance'. It is said to be 'Islam' and
it is (also) said to be 'Mohammad' according to al-Zajjaaj.” He also
said “He (Prophet Mohammed) brings them (mankind and jinn) out
of the darkness’s of kufr and ignorance to the noor (light) of Islam
and guidance".

Ibn Jawzi commented on Allahs saying (there has come to you a

light from Allah), Qatadah said ‘The meaning of Nur is: The Prophet
Mohammad and others say it is Islam (and third saying is it refers to)
Kitab al mubeen that is the Quran.’”
Fakhr ud din Al-Razi said about the verse “There are these
opinions: First is that 'light' symbolizes 'Mohammad' and 'the book'
symbolizes 'the Quran'; the second is that 'light' symbolizes 'Islam'
and 'the book' symbolizes 'the Quran'; the third is that 'light' and 'the
book' both refer to 'the Quran'.”

Therefore any Muslim who has readied the above will understand
that surah Maidah 5:15 does not refer to the prophet Mohammed as a
literal light from Allah. The verse refers to the Quran, Islam and the
prophet Mohammed as all being lights of guidance.
The Standing Committee for Academic Research and the
Issuing of Fatwas have stated, “The Prophet has noor (light) which
is the light of the message and guidance from Allah, through which
Allah guides whomsoever he will of his slaves. No doubt the light of
the message and of guidance comes from Allah.” Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa’imah, 1/310.