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24:32 Al-Nur 266
to draw attention to their hidden an admonition for the God-
ornaments. Believers, turn to fearing.
God, every one of you, so that 35 God is the light of the
you may prosper. heavens and the earth. His light
32
Marry those among you who may be compared to a niche
are single, and those of your containing a lamp, the lamp
male and female slaves who are inside a crystal of star-like
fit [for marriage]. If they are brilliance lit from a blessed olive
poor, God will provide for them tree, neither of the east nor of the
a
from His bounty, for God’s west. The [luminous] oil is as if
bounty is infinite and He is all ready to burn without even the
knowing. 33 Those who do not fire touching it. Light upon light;
have the means to marry should God guides to His light whom
keep themselves chaste until God He will. God draws such
grants them enough out of His comparisons for mankind; God
bounty. If any of your slaves has full knowledge of everything.
desire a deed of freedom, write it 36 [They worship] in the
out for them, if you find any houses which God has allowed
promise in them, and give them to be raised for the remembrance
some of the wealth God has of His name, morning and
given you. Do not force your evening, 37 people who are
[slave] maids into prostitution, not distracted by trade
in order to enrich yourself, when or commerce from the
they wish to preserve their
chastity. Yet if anyone forces a This is a metaphor with many
them, once they have been layers of meaning. ‘Light’ symbolizes
forced, God will be forgiving the guidance of God Almighty. ‘Niche’
34
and merciful to them. We have is man’s heart and ‘lamp’ is faith
(iman), sheltered in that niche. The
sent down clear revelations to image is elaborated by yet two more
you and the example of those points of reference: ‘crystal of star-
who passed away before you and like brilliance’ and ‘luminous oil’.