The Verse of Light
Surah An-Nur, verse 35: Arabic text, word by word, transliteration, translation and audio
- Surah 24 · An-Nur
- Verse 35
- Juz 18
- Page 354
- 1 min 40 s to listen
- 48 words
- 36 tajweed rules
The Verse of Light: verse 35 of Surah An-Nur (surah 24), in juz 18, page 354 of the Madani Mushaf. 48 words, 1 min 40 s of listening with al-Husary. Here: the Arabic text with color-coded tajweed, word by word with audio for each word, transliteration, translation and meaning.
The Arabic text of the Verse of Light
۞ 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 ﴿٣٥﴾
allāhu nūru s-samāwāti wal-arḍ | mathalu nūrihī kamishkātin fīhā miṣbāḥ | al-miṣbāḥu fī zujājah | az-zujājatu ka'annahā kawkabun durriyyuy yūqadu min shajaratim mubārakatin zaytūnatil lā sharqiyyatiw walā gharbiyyatiy yakādu zaytuhā yuḍī'u walaw lam tamsas-hu nār | nūrun ʿalā nūr | yahdi llāhu linūrihī may yashā' | wayaḍribu llāhu l-amthāla lin-nās | wallāhu bikulli shay'in ʿalīm
Recitation: al-Husary (al-Mushaf al-Mu'allim)
In the transliteration, “|”: the reciter stops; “·”: sakt, a brief cut without taking a breath.
The Verse of Light word by word
Tap ▶ to hear the word in context.
| No. | Word | Transliteration | Meaning | Listen | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ٱللَّهُ | allāhu | Allah | — | |
| 2 | نُورُ | nūru | (is the) Light | — | |
| 3 | ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ | s-samāwāti | (of) the heavens | Hamzat al-WaslLam ShamsiyyahMadd Tabee'ee | |
| 4 | وَٱلْأَرْضِ | wal-arḍ | and the earth | Hamzat al-Wasl | |
| 5 | مَثَلُ | mathalu | (The) example | — | |
| 6 | نُورِهِۦ | nūrihī | (of) His Light | Madd Tabee'ee | |
| 7 | كَمِشْكَوٰةٍ | kamishkātin | (is) like a niche | Unpronounced letterMadd Tabee'eeIkhfa | |
| 8 | فِيهَا | fīhā | in it | — | |
| 9 | مِصْبَاحٌ | miṣbāḥ | (is) a lamp | — | |
| 10 | ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ | al-miṣbāḥu | the lamp | Hamzat al-Wasl | |
| 11 | فِى | fī | (is) in | — | |
| 12 | زُجَاجَةٍ | zujājah | a glass | — | |
| 13 | ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ | az-zujājatu | the glass | Hamzat al-WaslLam Shamsiyyah | |
| 14 | كَأَنَّهَا | ka'annahā | as if it were | Ghunnah | |
| 15 | كَوْكَبٌ | kawkabun | a star | Ikhfa | |
| 16 | دُرِّىٌّ | durriyyuy | brilliant | Idgham with Ghunnah | |
| 17 | يُوقَدُ | yūqadu | (which) is lit | — | |
| 18 | مِن | min | from | Ikhfa | |
| 19 | شَجَرَةٍ | shajaratim | a tree | Idgham with Ghunnah | |
| 20 | مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ | mubārakatin | blessed | Madd Tabee'eeIkhfa | |
| 21 | زَيْتُونَةٍ | zaytūnatil | an olive | Idgham without Ghunnah | |
| 22 | لَّا | lā | not | — | |
| 23 | شَرْقِيَّةٍ | sharqiyyatiw | (of the) east | Idgham with Ghunnah | |
| 24 | وَلَا | walā | and not | — | |
| 25 | غَرْبِيَّةٍ | gharbiyyatiy | (of the) west | Idgham with Ghunnah | |
| 26 | يَكَادُ | yakādu | would almost | — | |
| 27 | زَيْتُهَا | zaytuhā | its oil | — | |
| 28 | يُضِىٓءُ | yuḍī'u | glow | Madd Muttasil | |
| 29 | وَلَوْ | walaw | even if | — | |
| 30 | لَمْ | lam | not | — | |
| 31 | تَمْسَسْهُ | tamsas-hu | touched it | — | |
| 32 | نَارٌ | nār | fire | Idgham with Ghunnah | |
| 33 | نُّورٌ | nūrun | Light | — | |
| 34 | عَلَىٰ | ʿalā | upon | — | |
| 35 | نُورٍ | nūr | Light | Idgham with Ghunnah | |
| 36 | يَهْدِى | yahdi | Allah guides | — | |
| 37 | ٱللَّهُ | llāhu | Allah guides | Hamzat al-Wasl | |
| 38 | لِنُورِهِۦ | linūrihī | to His Light | Madd Tabee'ee | |
| 39 | مَن | may | whom | Idgham with Ghunnah | |
| 40 | يَشَآءُ | yashā' | He wills | Madd Muttasil | |
| 41 | وَيَضْرِبُ | wayaḍribu | And Allah sets forth | — | |
| 42 | ٱللَّهُ | llāhu | And Allah sets forth | Hamzat al-Wasl | |
| 43 | ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ | l-amthāla | the examples | Hamzat al-WaslMadd Tabee'ee | |
| 44 | لِلنَّاسِ | lin-nās | for the mankind | Lam ShamsiyyahGhunnah | |
| 45 | وَٱللَّهُ | wallāhu | And Allah | Hamzat al-Wasl | |
| 46 | بِكُلِّ | bikulli | of every | — | |
| 47 | شَىْءٍ | shay'in | thing | — | |
| 48 | عَلِيمٌ | ʿalīm | (is) All-Knower | Madd at a stop |
The Verse of Light in English
Allāh is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp; the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allāh guides to His light whom He wills. And Allāh presents examples for the people, and Allāh is Knowing of all things.
i.e., the source and bestower of light and enlightenment.
His guidance in the heart of a believing servant.
Literally, "a burning wick," which is the essence of a lamp.
The meaning of the Verse of Light
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth, and the Guide of all those in them. The example of His light in the heart of a believer is like a closed niche which contains a lantern. The lantern is in a bright glass, as though it is a shining star like a pearl. The lantern is lit by the oil of a blessed tree, which is the olive tree. Nothing conceals the tree from the sun, neither in the morning nor in the evening. The oil is about to glow, due to its purity, even though a fire has not touched it; imagine how it will be when it touches it? The light of the lantern is on the light of the glass. Likewise is the heart of the believer when the light of guidance shines in it. Allah enables whomever He wishes amongst His servants to follow the Qur’ān. And Allah makes things clear through their likenesses, by giving examples. And Allah is Knowing of everything, nothing being hidden from Him.
Your turn: recite the Verse of Light
Tajweed rules in the Verse of Light
| Rule | Count | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Hamzat al-Wasl | 8 | |
| Idgham with Ghunnah | 7 | |
| Madd Tabee'ee | 7 | |
| Ikhfa | 4 | |
| Lam Shamsiyyah | 3 | |
| Ghunnah | 2 | |
| Madd Muttasil | 2 | |
| Idgham without Ghunnah | 1 | |
| Madd at a stop | 1 | |
| Unpronounced letter | 1 |
Memorize the Verse of Light
Split at the Mushaf’s pause marks.
- Part 1 ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
- Part 2 مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ
- Part 3 ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ
- Part 4 ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ
- Part 5 نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ
- Part 6 يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ
- Part 7 وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ
- Part 8 وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Which word is missing? 1/3
ٱللَّهُ … ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
Which word is missing? 2/3
ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّىٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ … شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ
Which word is missing? 3/3
وَٱللَّهُ … شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Frequently asked questions
Where in the Quran is the Verse of Light?
In Surah An-Nur (surah 24): verse 35, juz 18, page 354 of the Madani Mushaf.
How many words are in the Verse of Light?
The Verse of Light: 48 Arabic words, counted word by word in the Mushaf text.
How long does it take to listen to the Verse of Light?
Listening to the Verse of Light takes 1 min 40 s with al-Husary's teaching recitation (al-Mushaf al-Mu'allim), slower than a usual recitation.
Which tajweed rules are in the Verse of Light?
On this page, 36 rules are color-coded in the Verse of Light. The most frequent: Hamzat al-Wasl (8), Idgham with Ghunnah (7) and Madd Tabee'ee (7).
How can I check my recitation of the Verse of Light?
Open its surah in the Tilawa app and recite the Verse of Light out loud: the app follows every word, then shows you what to work on, pronunciation and tajweed, with the correct recitation to replay.
Keep reading
- Read the verse in Surah An-Nur
- Juz 18
- The Verse of Light in the Mushaf, page 354
- The Quran: all 114 surahs
Other famous verses
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