Surah An-Nūr (The Light) is the 24th chapter of the Qur'an. It contains 64 verses (āyāt) and is a Medinan surah, meaning it was revealed after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ migrated to Medina. This Surah was revealed in atime when the polytheists of Makkah had been badly defeated militarily and have unleashed a scheme to belittle the Muslims' morality and accusing them through slanders. That is why this Surah emphasises on ensuring modesty, especially in dress and behavior and laying down special instructions for women to protect their chastity.
The very opening verse is a places immense responsibility on every beleiver to abide by the instructions contained therein:
سُوۡرَةٌ اَنۡزَلۡنٰهَا وَفَرَضۡنٰهَا وَاَنۡزَلۡنَا فِيۡهَاۤ اٰيٰتٍۭ بَيِّنٰتٍ لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُوۡنَ
(24:1) This is a surah which We have revealed, and which We have made obligatory; We have revealed in it clear instructions1 so that you may take heed.
That is people must take everything that the sūrah includes for deep pondering for it contains social manners and morality that are ordained in the same way as mandatory punishments. We need to remember here that such manners and morality are deeply rooted in human nature, but people tend to overlook them because of deviant social pressures and easy temptations. Hence, the divine revelations God has bestowed from on high place them back before people’s eyes, explaining the clear logic of undistorted human nature.
Why is it called Surah An-Nūr?
It is named "An-Nūr" (النور) after the famous verse Ayat an-Nur (Verse 35), which metaphorically describes Allah as the "Light of the heavens and the earth."
This verse serves as a spiritual and thematic centerpiece of the chapter, highlighting the guidance, clarity, and moral illumination provided by divine revelation.
What does Surah An-Nūr teach the world?
Surah An-Nūr addresses several critical ethical, social, and spiritual lessons, making it one of the Qur'an's most comprehensive chapters on personal and societal conduct. Here's a breakdown of its key messages:
- 1. The Light of Allah (Verse 35)
- Allah is described as the ultimate source of light, guidance, and truth.
- It encourages people to seek spiritual enlightenment through the Qur'an and righteous living.
- The imagery used connects physical light with inner moral clarity.
- 2. Modesty, Morality, and Social Decency
- Strong emphasis is placed on modesty, especially in dress and behavior.
- Men and women are both instructed to lower their gaze and guard their modesty (verses 30-31).
- Women are instructed to cover their beauty in public, introducing guidelines on hijab and dress.
- 3. Chastity and the Protection of Honor
- Condemns false accusations of adultery (zina), especially through the story of the false slander against Aisha (RA).
- Establishes the punishment for slander (80 lashes) and stresses the need for four witnesses to prove adultery (verse 4).
- This promotes honor, privacy, and justice in society.
- 4. Laws on Family and Privacy
- Lays out rules for entering homes and respecting others' privacy (verse 27).
- Encourages families to give freedom and dignity to servants and slaves, including promoting their education and marriage (verse 33).
- Addresses how to handle family life, marriage, and consent.
- 5. The Believers’ Community: Describes the qualities of a believing society, which is centered on:
- Mutual respect
- Obedience to Allah and His Messenger
- Purity in thought and deed
- Collective responsibility for upholding good conduct
- 6. Light vs. Darkness
- The chapter contrasts divine light (truth, purity, guidance) with spiritual darkness (sin, slander, hypocrisy).
- It metaphorically presents the believer as someone drawn to the light, while the hypocrite or disbeliever is left in layers of darkness (verses 39-40).
What does it tell the modern world? Surah An-Nūr provides timeless moral guidance on:
- Respecting privacy in the age of surveillance and social media
- Maintaining honor and dignity in a time of widespread scandal and slander
- Balancing modesty and personal freedom
- Seeking truth and light in a world full of moral confusion
- Creating ethical, respectful communities
Thus, Surah An-Nūr is a blueprint for a morally conscious society, emphasizing purity, honor, and the centrality of divine guidance. It uses the metaphor of light to inspire individuals to pursue truth, integrity, and inner illumination through the teachings of Allah.
Every verse of this Surah needs to be deeply pondered upon for a beleiver needs to be cleansed of all ills of character and ensure a very high conduct of morality. Herein under are some of the selected verses from the Surah already published for the exclusive study of our readers and understanding the core message contained therein.
- Do Not spread gossip, for in the sight of Allah it is a serious matter - verse 15
- Painful chastisement for those who spread indecency among the believers - verse 19
- Cursed are those who accuse chaste believing women - verse 24
- Social Etiquettes of Islam: Say (O Prophet) enjoin believing men to cast down their looks - verse 30
- Special instructions for Muslim women: Do not reveal your adornment - verse 31
- Where does Noor (light) of Allah Descend and Upon Whom - verse 36
- A powerful metaphor in Al Qur’an describes the false hopes and delusions of disbelievers - verse 39
In time we will add more verses / ayat for information of our guidance. However, those wanting to read the exegesis / detailed explanation of Surah An Nur may use the follwoing links to for the Exegesis of Chapter 24. Surah An Nur:
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our reference page: Selected verses from Selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for reading more selected verses from selected surahs of Al-Qurʾān.
Fore more selected verses from Al-Qurʾān Please refer to our Selected verses from Sūrahs of Qur'an to highlight important topics with detailed explanation and Reference Page on Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
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