Allah is the light of the skies and the earth. The likeness of His light is like an enclosure with one opening in which there is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as if it were a brilliant shining planet,(the lamp) is lit from a blessed olive tree, neither eastern nor western, whose oil is almost inflammable although fire has not (even) touched it, light upon light, Allah guides to His light whom He wills and Allah sets forth similitudes for mankind and Allah is the Knower of everything.
The word ‘Noor’ is used for moon light which does not contain heat like the sun light for which the word ‘Ziya’ is used Chapter:10 Verse 5. ‘Mishkaat’ is a shelf-like space in a wall or pillar. Misbaah means a lamp in which a fuel burns to give light and heat, in this case the fuel is a highly inflammable olive oil which is not localized. ‘Zujajah’means a glass and ‘Kawkab’ in view of its association with the sun and the moon (Chapter:12 Verse 4) would mean a planet. A planet is an opaque body reflecting light where as a star is self luminous like a lamp. ‘Durriyyun’ means shinning, therefore ‘Kawkabun Durriyyun’ would mean an opaqe planet reflecting light, like a mirror made of glass. In this similitude, it appears that the shelf – like space in a wall or a pillar is lined by mirrors which reflect the light of the lamp just like the head lights of a car, the bulb inside which is enclosed in a reflecting conical surface. In a closed room, there is light over light i.e. the reflected light added to the original light makes the environment very bright. We can see only through the reflected light. Moon light is the external ‘Noor’ and the guidance contained in the Quran is internal ‘Noor’ which gives rise to belief, certainty, piety etc. External Noor makes objects of this world clear whereas internal Noor makes the hereafter clear. Internal Noor sometimes radiates from the faces of pious people. This internal Noor is found in Mosques where Allah (SWT) is remembered day and night by men whom worldly occupations do not stop from His remembrance because of their fear of the consequence of evil and hope for their forgiveness and reward from Allah (SWT)