النُّورُ
An-Nur
The Light
What An-Nur Means
An-Nur is the Light of the heavens and the earth (24:35) — the One by whose light everything else is seen, guided and given life. The verse continues with the parable of a lamp in a niche, shining like a brilliant star. Scholars explain the name on more than one level: Allah is Himself light, He is the giver of every light, and He is the One who will make the earth itself shine with His light when the records are laid open on the Last Day (39:69). For the believer, darkness is therefore never only physical. Confusion and despair are darknesses of the heart, and their remedy is to ask the Light for light. This is what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did in the depths of the night, asking Allah to place light in his heart, his sight and his hearing (Sahih Muslim 763).
An-Nur in the Quran
۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is that of a niche, in which there is a lamp; the lamp is in a glass – the glass looks like a brilliant star – it is lit by (the oil of) a blessed tree, the olive, which is neither eastern, nor western. Its oil is about to emit light even though the fire has not touched it – (it is) light upon light. Allah guides to His light whomsoever He wills; Allah describes examples for the people, and Allah knows everything well.”
وَأَشْرَقَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ وَجِا۟ىٓءَ بِٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَقُضِىَ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
“And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the book (of everyone’s deeds) will be placed, and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought, and matters will be decided between them with justice, and they will not be wronged.”
What the Prophet ﷺ Taught Us
THE FOUNDATION OF THE 99 NAMES
“Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.”
“Ibn `Abbas reported: I spent a night with my maternal aunt (sister of my mother) Maimuna. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up during the night and relieved himself, then washed his face and hands and went to sleep.”
Calling Upon Allah by This Name
Allah Himself commands us to call upon Him by His beautiful names:
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ فَٱدْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ أَسْمَـٰٓئِهِۦ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
“For Allah there are the most beautiful names. So, call Him by them, and leave those who deviate in (the matter of) His names. They shall be recompensed for what they have been doing.”
Use the Prophet’s own supplication for this name: ‘Allahumma-j’al fi qalbi nuran, wa-fi basari nuran, wa-fi sam’i nuran — O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my sight and light in my hearing,’ and light on your right, your left, above you, below you, before you and behind you (Sahih Muslim 763). Ask An-Nur for this light when a decision is unclear or faith feels dim. Then walk towards His light: the Quran He sent as a light to be followed.
Quran translations: Mufti Taqi Usmani. Hadith texts and gradings: the Glory of Iman hadith library. Every reference on this page is from the Quran or from hadith graded Sahih or Hasan.