“Noor”: Mystery of Creation
Muhammad Feroz Khan
Noor means light. The core source of this “Noor” is Allah. There is no doubt Allah subhanahu Ta’ala has created all existence from His Noor. We can say strongly that our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam is the noor of Allah. This is not so called noor that we describe in general sense. Our Prophet is the core noor of Allah Zalla Shanuhu. In the Holy Quran Mazid, Hadith Sharif, and in so many reliable books and many Shahaba-e-Rasool, Mufassir-Quran, Muhaddisin, Faqui, Alim-Walama, Pir Mashaek, Gaws, Kutub, Abdhal, Oli-Awlia without hesitating has declared that Rasool Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam is the core noor of Allah Zalla zalaluhu.
In the Light of Glorious Qur’an
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the Light of Allah, something a believer can say because the Qur’an affirms it in the verse.
يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنْتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٍ قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ نُورٌ وَ كِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ
“O people of the Book! There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary). There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book (Qur’an 5:15).
The great Mufassir of Quran Allama Alusi (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) writes under this Ayah:
عظيم وهو نور الأنوار والنبـي المختار صلى الله عليه وسلم
Translation: He is the great Light of Lights (Nur ul Anwaar) and Nabi al-Mukhtar (i.e. given power by Allah to make Laws) [Al-Alusi in Ruh al Ma’ni under 5:15]
In the Light of Beautiful Hadiths Hadith #1
ورأت أمي حين حملت كأنه خرج منها نور أضاءت له بصرى من أرض الشام
Translation: Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “When my mother gave birth to me a Nur emerged from her which lighted up the castles of Syria [Imam al-Bayhaqi in Dala’il an-Nubuwwa Volume No.1, Page No. 83, Imam al-Haythami in Majma az Zawa’id 8:221, Hadith No. 13842, where he declared the Hadith to be Hassan and said that there are other Shawahid which further strengthen it]
Hadith#2
وذكر القاضي عياض عن الشفاء أم عبدالرحمن بن عوف أنها كانت قابلته وأنها أخبرت به حين سقط على يديها واستهل سمعت قائلا يقول يرحمك الله وإنه سطع منه نور رؤيت منه قصور الروم
Translation: Qadhi Iyaad (Rahimuhullah) mentioned in Ash-Shifa through the reference of Umm Abdur Rahman bin Awf (Radiallahu Anhu) that she was a Dai during the time when Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was born. She explains that when Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came into her hands from the body of his mother, she heard him saying: Ya Rahmak Allah and (from the body of Prophet) a Nur emerged and she saw that it illuminated the Palaces of Rome Reference.
►Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 165
Hadith#3
أن آمنة بنت وهب قالت لقد علقت به تعني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فما وجدت له مشقة حتى وضعته فلما فصل مني خرج معه نور أضاء له ما بين المشرق إلى المغرب
Translation: Amina bin Wahb (Radiallahu Anha) explained that before the birth of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) when she was experiencing labor pains, she saw that a Nur emerged from her body which illuminated the east and west. Reference
►Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 164
Hadith #4
عن العرباض بن سارية صاحب رسول الله أنه قال سمعت رسول الله يقول إني عبد الله وخاتم النبيين وإن آدم لمنجدل في طينته وسأخبركم عن ذلك دعوة أبي إبراهيم وبشارة عيسى بي ورؤيا أمي التي رأت وكذلك أمهات النبيين يرين وإن أم رسول الله رأت حين وضعته نوراً أضاءت له قصور الشام
Translation: Hadrat Arbas bin Sariyah (Radiallahu Anhu) the companion of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying: I am Abdullah (Slave of Allah), and last of all prophets, (I was a Prophet) when Adam was mingled in the mud, I inform you that I am the dua of my father Ibrahim (Alaihis Salam) the tiding of Isa (Alaihis Salam), and the dream of my mother which mothers of other prophets also used to see, My mother saw that she gave birth to a Nur which illuminated the castles of Syria Reference
►Imam Baihaqi in Dalail an Nabuwwa, Volume No. 1, Page No. 80
Shahabi-e Rasool (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
When RasoolAllah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam had passed away, the following Na’ats were recited. Imam Ibn Sa’ad writes, Hassaan Bin Thaabit RadhiAllahu ‘anhu recited: “Who can compare to the one who was Noor, the one from whom light was extracted. There were blessings in his commands and he was our guide and Warner. He was such a Noor that his light shone upon the whole of the creation. The person who has shown us the path of this blessed (Noor) attained success. He was the light, he was the Noor. It is his footsteps that we follow, and after Allah, he was our ears and eyes.’
Aqwaal (sayings) of great Imams and Scholars
1. Imam Fakhr ud din Razi (Rahimuhullah)
He is ranked amongst top most Mufasireen of Ahlus-Sunnah and Muslims in the east, west, north and south all accept him to be a great commentator of Qur’an. He said:
أن الملائكة أمروا بالسجود لآدم لأجل أن نور محمد عليه السلام في جبهة آدم.
Translation: The Angels were ordered to perform sezda to Adam (Alaihis salam) because there was Nur of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in forehead of Adam (Alaihis salam) Reference
►Imam Fakhr ud din Razi in Tafsir ul Kabir, Volume No. 2, Page No. 302
2. Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (Rahimuhullah)
Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (Rahimuhullah) said: Ibn Sabih (Radiallahu Anhu) said that the shadow of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not fall on ground , because the “PROPHET WAS NOOR”
Reference
►Al Khasais ul Kubra of Imam Suyuti, Volume No. 1, Page No. 169
Imam Jalal ud-din Suyuti (Rahimuhullah) did not refute this in his magnificent book on Merits of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Had there been a hint of Shirk in this concept then Imam Suyuti (Rahimuhullah) would have strongly refuted this report.
3. Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahimuhullah)
Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahimuhullah) said: You are the Nur from which even the moon of 14th night receives light, and from your Noor is the sun shining. Reference
►Qasida al Noman, Page No. 23
4. Mullah Ali Qari (Rahimuhullah)
Mullah Ali Qari (Rahimuhullah) beautifully said:
الأوّل الحقيقي هو النور المحمدي على ما بينته في المورد للمولد
Translation: The first reality is the “NUR-AL-MUHAMMADI” as I have mentioned in my book Al-Mawrid lil-Mawlid [Mullah Ali Qari in Mirqat, Sharh al Mishqaat (1/289), Published by Dar ul Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon]
5. Mujaddad Alf Thaani (Rahimuhullah)
Mujaddad Alf Thaani (Rehmat’Ullah Alaih) said: It should be known that creation of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is not similar to other mankind, rather nothing in the created world resembles the way he were created, because Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is created from (created) Nur of Allah, just as Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) mentioned himself. Reference
►Maktubat Mujaddad Alf Thani
6. Sheikh Muhadith Haq Dhelvi (Rahimuhullah)
Sheikh Muhadith Haq Dhelvi (Rehmat’Ullah Alaih) said: The source of creation, universe, creation of Adam is Noor of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), hence It has come in Sahih hadith that the first thing which Allah created was My Nur.
►Madarij ul Nabuwah, Volume No.2, Page No. 2
7. Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani (Rahimuhullah) said in his book Sirr-al-Asrar:
سر الأسرار إلى عبد القادر الجيلاني ، معي الآن مقطع منه فيما يتعلق بهذه الفقرة، يقول: ‘ اعلم وفقك الله لما يحب ويرضى، لقد خلق الله تعالى روح محمد صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أولاً: من نوره وجماله،
Allah created the Ruh of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) from his Nur of beauty [Al-Sirr al Israr]
8. Khwaja Abdur Rahman Chowrovi revealed in his book Majmoo’ah-e- Salawaat-e-Rasool (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
Hereafter great Allah put face to face your (Rasool صلى الله عليه وسلم) that bright pearl like luminous noor. After that your (Rasool صلى الله عليه وسلم) pea-hen noor when saw in the mirror that you are a very beautiful uneven infrastructure, then Rasool صلى الله عليه وسلم) ashamed to Allah and did shijda five times.
►Majmoo’ah-e- Salawaat-e-Rasool (صلى الله عليه وسلم), Volume No.1, Para No. 1 In conclusion we can say overwhelmingly that Rasool (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the noor of Allah Subhanu Ta’ala. If there is any doubt about this theme, may Allah give him/her hedayat so that he can realize the real path of Islam. Therefore I want to conclude this by the world famous naat of Sheikh-e-Ahle Sunnat wal Jamat Imam Ahmad Reza Khan Fazele Barelavi:
Tere Nasle Pak o Mae Hay Bassa Bassa Noor Ka Thoo Hay Ayn-e-Noor Thera Sabgharana Noor Ka