Choosing the light
How to escape darkness and choose the light
Surat Ibrahim opens with the verse:
الٓر ۚ كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ
Alif, Lam, Ra. This is a book We have sent down to you, so that you may deliver the people, with the will of their Lord, out of all sorts of darkness into the light, leading them to the path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy [14:1]
The disjointed letters
The opening of Surah Ibrahim starts with what are known as al hurouf al muqatta’ah, disjointed letters: Alif Lam Ra. There are many opinions about these, but the most commonly agreed upon is that only Allah knows what they mean.
There are a few Madani surahs which start with disjointed letters, such as Surat al-Baqarah, but the majority of them appear in Makkan surahs, including this one.
Kitab
The next part of the ayah says ‘[This is] a book (kitabun)‘ . The book is not identified; the ayah doesn’t say ‘the book’ – it could be any book. But it is clear from the context that Allah is talking about the Quran.
One of the characteristics of Makkan surahs is that they talk about the message and the messenger, as the Quraysh were doubting both of these. Allah wanted to confirm that this is not Muhammad’s ﷺ work, but His book alone.
Sent down to us
Allah uses the verb anzalnahu, “We sent down”, using the royal ‘We’ to emphasise His majesty. Anzala means to send down; He is saying that this book is not an earthly creation, but has been sent from outside, from a different realm.
The Quran often asks us to look up at the sky and the planets. When we explore the universe, we find that we and even our whole galaxy is insignificant compared to the whole system. And yet Allah has given us the honour of revealing a book to us – He emphasises anzalna ilayk, sent down to you.
This is also meant to strengthen the position of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who was being accused of fabricating things and being a madman or sorcerer. Allah was defending him by confirming the revelation came from Him.
Note that “We sent it down” is a verb of action. Revelation is not passive information; it is an act. And it comes to us through a chain of delivery: from Allah to Jibril, from Jibril to the Prophet ﷺ, from the Prophet ﷺ to the Companions, and from the Companions to all people after them. If revelation is action, then the people of revelation must also be people of action. We are required to enter the circle of this revealed action so that we may leave the circles of darkness and carry the light.
“To you” is firstly to the chosen Prophet ﷺ. But it also reaches you, the listener. There is a tone of selection here. Whoever receives this Book and activates it in their life has entered the circle of selection. The aim is guidance and transformation.
Deliverance from darkness
Allah then says that the purpose of the revelation is to deliver people from darkness into light. Kharaja is another verb of action. It carries the meaning of extraction: pulling something out from within something else. It is not merely to inform people, but to move them, transfer them, and change their direction across time and space. Following the revelation will help you leave the place where you are and transition to somewhere else, be it physical, metaphorical, or spiritual.
“The people” shows the universality of the message. This is not limited by ethnicity, class, or era. It is for all humanity.
Choose the light
Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) had a beautiful dua asking Allah to place light in everything he did.
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ لِي فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا، وَفِي لِسَانِي نُورًا، وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا، وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ شِمَالِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ نُورًا، وَمِنْ خَلْفِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ فِي نَفْسِي نُورًا، وَأَعْظِمْ لِي نُورًا
O Allah, place light in my heart, and on my tongue light, and in my hearing light and in my sight light, and above me light, and below me light, and to my right light, and to my left light, and before me light and behind me light. Place light in my soul and amplify for me light. [Muslim]
The word adh-dhulumat appears many times in the Quran. It is usually translated as “darkness”, but in the Arabic it always appears in plural form, never singular. By contrast, an-nur, light, is always singular. This is because there is only one truth, but many false paths that can mislead you.
Misguidance is layered like night. It blocks sight, confuses judgement, and causes stumbling. The causes of these darknesses include arrogance, stubbornness, inherited tradition, culture, fear of society or companions, and following misguiding leaders and influencers.
People are drowning in many layers of darkness, whether because of arrogance, stubbornness, whims, peer pressure, among a multitude of other reasons, and Allah has sent His book to help pull them out with the truth.
“Into the light” comes in the singular because truth is one. It is clear and evident for the one whose natural disposition has not been corrupted.
Light or darkness, it’s your choice. Although the ayah says it’s by the will of Allah, this only means that wherever you direct your intention – towards darkness or towards light – He will open that way for you. You are still accountable for the decision.
When we read, follow and spread the Quran, we are living in the light of Allah. When we do the opposite, we are in darkness.
“By the permission of their Lord” reminds us that nothing escapes His decree. Yet when the heart turns towards action with sincerity, Allah brings action into existence and opens the way.
“To the path of the Mighty” means to the path of the One who cannot be overcome. “The Praiseworthy” means the One who is worthy of praise in Himself, and worthy of praise for His blessings, gifts, and favour.
We ask Allah to enable us to see His light, follow it and live by it, and make all of us a light. Ameen
Delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim on Ramadan Night 3. Transcribed by Hana Khan