Surat An-Nur

Salaams all,

InshaAllah, you are all doing well. I've been very busy the last few months with work. I've just completed my 7th month at my current job (at a law firm), and things are finally starting to make sense (you'd think that after 3 years of law school, I would have learned some of this stuff, but really, I didn't). It's been tough, but inshaAllah, it will continue to get better. Unfortunately, I won't be able to meet up with those of you going to chicago (I have to attend a wedding that same weekend that I can't miss). But for those of you who are going - have a great time. I'd like to share a verse with you all from Surat An-Nur, which I thought was very beautiful:

الله نور السماوات والأرض مثل نوره كمشكاة فيها مصباح المصباح في زجاجة الزجاجة كأنها كوكب دري يوقد من شجرة مباركة زيتونة لا شرقية و لا غربية يكاد زيتها يضيء و لو لم تمسسه نار نور على نور يهدي الله لنوره من يشاء و يضرب الله الأمثال للناس و الله بكل شيء عليم

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything.

The tafsir on this verse is pretty detailed and you can find it here if you want a better understanding: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ABewley/nur.html
theres also additional commentary here:
http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=659

Azim