Mohammad Elshinawy – Light Upon Light

			After welcoming my brothers and sisters to the house of Allah azza wa jal for another privilege the
privilege of being Muslim and in his house on another Friday, another Juma worshipping as our
Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did,
		

			my brothers and sisters,
		

			at the heart of Surah, to know which is the 24th chapter of the Quran, the chapter on lights chapter
on a note of the light at its heart, and its centerpiece is what is known as I had to know this
verse of light, from which the surah gets its name.
		

			This surah
		

			builds around this concept of light and then emphasizes the most important form of light, which is
the light of guidance that Allah privileges people with the light of guidance in the hearts of the
believer in that verse of light, where the light of guidance is discussed and described for us,
Allah azza wa jal begins it by saying, Allah Who knew somehow it will or Allah is behind all of the
Light of the heavens and the earth. In other words, there is no light nor any possibility of light
without him subhanho wa Taala were it not for him, there would be no physical light, there would be
no sun, to light up the earth and light up this galaxy of ours. And were it not for him, the most
		

			important light would be absent, the light of Hidayat the light of guidance in our hearts. And that
is why that area of light begins with this and then ends with yet the law huli nori he mania SHA,
Allah guides to His light, whomever he wishes, while the rebula who will emphatically nurse and
Allah strikes parables similar to his examples for people meaning for the understanding of people.
And so let us go through that example that this idea and surah was named after, after Allah is the
Light of the heavens and the earth. Here is an example of his light of guidance which he guides when
he wishes to, he says methylone od he the example of his light
		

			can be scattering fi hams back is like the example of a Mischka. I Mischka is like that, in dense in
the wall, the old fashioned architecture would have like a little niche or a chamber or a hole in
the wall where you place those lamps, those oil lamps that burn and from it from its angle and from
its protection, the light is able to stay and shine into the rest of the room. The example of
Allah's lights in the heart of the believer is like the example of this indent in the wall.
		

			I'll miss fee here Mischka. This niche
		

			has a lamp in it.
		

			This lamp is covered by glass can be scattered this indent fee hammers BA in it there's a lantern
I'll miss battlefield Sujatha this lantern is covered by a glass in Casey as Zhu Jia Jia to Cana Cal
Kevin doody, this lamp with the glass encasement it is radiating so brightly it looks like something
not from this world. It looks like a shining star that we look at that just marvel at that night.
This radiant lamp looks like a pearly white shining star can I know who killed Kevin Dury? You heard
this lamp again is fueled by what means shadows sheduled our T Mobile rocket in zaytuna. The lamp is
fueled by the oil the olive oil that comes from a blessing olive tree LaShana Thea teen wala orbia
		

			that is neither Eastern nor Western. It's not on one of the two sides of the mountain where it only
gets light for half of the day. And so it's oil is not the best oil. It's on a mountain top or in a
straight plateau the best tree that gives the best oil that is the oil that fuels this lamp. This is
the example going further.
		

			Yeah, Canada is a too high you will do allow them term Setsuna it's
		

			oil almost gives off its own light. If you've ever seen really pure organic olive oil it it is like
a mirror. It almost looks like it's illuminated. Almost looks like it has its light on it's glowing
on its own. It's the oil is so pure and so valuable. And so high quality that it almost gives off
its own light.
		

			And then Allah concludes the parable by saying neutron Allah Nora, and then this lamp radiates from
that Light upon light.
		

			So what is this extensive example? Many of the early Muslims Sahaba and the scholars of Sierra
		

			After them said that this indent in the wall this Mischka. This chamber in the wall is the heart of
every person. Okay, this lantern that is encased in glass. This is the heart of the believer in
particular. Everyone has a heart but the believers heart is special. The believers heart is encased
in glass, strong, transparent, radiant, like a pearly white star like something otherworldly. And
this lamp itself is fueled by the best, most pure form of olive oil. And this oil is a symbol of the
fitrah. The human being has a pure nature, Allah created us originally pure and inclined to purity,
we can almost shine on our own. We can almost recognize truth and guidance on our own by our nature.
		

			But then when the way of Allah comes when Allah guides us through His revelation, then we get full
clarity. And we get full guidance, it becomes Light upon light, the light of revelation, igniting
the light of fitrah and this compounded lights, now this person transforms into a rightly guided
believer, may Allah azza wa jal make us and do that.
		

			And so there's so much that can be gleaned from this beautiful parable of the lights in the hearts
of the believer, you know, of the first things that a person can pull from this is a question for
themselves. You know, how powerful is my lamp? How strong is the glass around my lamp? You know,
notice glass, glass has two qualities. It is solid, it is solid, it doesn't break the way other
things may break glass, many times especially reinforced the glass is very hard to penetrate. But at
the same time, it is not a stone, it is transparent. And so this is the believer, the believer
leaves his life with clarity on things. At the same time, he has the strength and confidence to
		

			confront life as it is. You know, this is why it is one of the great scholars of Islam. He said he
went with a number of you know, confusions intellectual doubts that shaitan may present people that
you know, listen to Shavon may present about the faith, how do you deal with them.
		

			And even the team, you know, Allah gave him extremely powerful Quranic advice, really, he said, You
need to make sure that your heart is like a glass panel, not like a sponge that soaks up every
doubt, every criticism, every allegation against the feet, every confusion, he says, You have to be
able to see the criticism, see the doubt, regarding the faith. And you see it, your head is not in
the sand, but it just, it slides off, it doesn't penetrate. Because if you if you take it all in, if
you absorb it in, you may not be able to get it out again.
		

			And so to see things from a safe distance, as they are without being polluted by them without being
compromised by them. He said that is the heart of the believer, and that is the approach of the
believer.
		

			You know, you're not going to have an answer, by the way to every last doubt your opponent will
think of, especially when your opponent is che thought.
		

			And so the idea is to not be fazed by that doubt to get to the strength of faith, the strength of
guidance, or I don't need an answer, I have enough certainty that I don't need to respond to every
doubt. I am confident and strong. There's a response.
		

			Because these things are not just you know, philosophy and you know, popular thought shaitan can
come to a person and say how is God being fair in this decision of mine? Why did I have to go
through that in my life?
		

			And then he may come another time and say, couldn't God do X, Y and Z.
		

			But you say when the believer has the light of guidance in his heart, he is unfazed by these things.
He knows that Allah is the supreme and he knows that Allah is the wise, not in a way that is just
very information in a way that has transformed him into being unbreakable. at the hands of these
these doubts. You know, interestingly, some people also are shaking with fear, with fear that what
if Islam ends, like the other religions and all of the propaganda against Islam, the believer knows
that Allah said his religion is also light, by the way, the same way the light of the sun, nobody
can put it out the light of Allah Zoda no one's going to be able to end it. So that confidence is
		

			there and they are immune.
		

			And so this has something to do
		

			Keep close always, that how strong and how much clarity do I have another lesson very quickly
regarding the the symbolism, the representation of the believers hearts with glass, is that glass
allows for two way travel of the light. The light of Allah can enter your heart when your heart is
pure.
		

			And the light of Allah azza wa jal can emanate, you see the Sahaba, when their hearts were so pure,
they received the light of Allah in the best way, and they couldn't sit still, they had to share
that light with others, they were now not just recipients have the light of guidance, they were a
source of guidance for the world around them. And so how much guidance Do you share? How much
guidance Do you impart on others? Maybe it might be a good time to remind me and you that we have an
open house in this masjid, where people have done so much of the task for us. Can we just share the
information and extend an invite with a personal touch to our friends and neighbors to bring them
		

			here? How much of that radiates inside you? I need to share this with the world.
		

			And also do you stain your glass? Think about that as well. This glass protects the light from being
blown out you know when you lift the glass off of the lantern, the wind removes it removes the
burning lamp it puts it extinguishes the flame. And so every time we mess with the purity of our
glass or we remove the glass altogether, by the things we see on screens or on the ground, the
things we hear the things we do.
		

			How careful Am I to keep polishing that glass of mine that ensures that my right my my lights remain
strong and stable, not wavering, not subject to being put out. Important reflections and useful ones
out of gratitude for Allah explaining to us this mechanic of how we function subhanho wa Taala a
holy holy ha That was tough for Allah Allah Emily welcome.
		

			Al hamdu Lillahi wa Salatu was Salam ala Milena be about that Chateau La ilaha illallah wa ala
Cherie Kala, or shadow and Mohammed Abdullah, who whenever you who are solo
		

			one final thought about the light of Allah azza wa jal in our hearts and this example of how lights
upon light manifests for the believer, and for the people of faith
		

			is the fact that Surah to know
		

			is all about light, this surah in which we find this ayah is all about light. And what's interesting
is that this surah contains so many laws of Allah subhanho wa taala.
		

			The laws on what to do in this situation and that situation, and how to react to this and not react
to that in this way. So many laws. And the beautiful lesson that we need to realize here is that
everything Allah told us to do is a source of enlightenment for us, either in this world or the next
or both. And everything Allah prohibited us from is a source of light in this world or the next or
both. You see Allah's light being in our hearts is not just about the spiritual experience, you feel
that sense of togetherness with Allah, that sweetness of faith. No, it is about the light also that
Allah brings to society that brings to our life, you know, in the physical sense on the ground in
		

			the day to day. He educates us and enlightens us through that.
		

			So
		

			coming to the masjid and learning is how you bring Allah's light into your life. You know, what do
you think about when you come to the masjid brothers and sisters I want you to just bear with me for
a second. What do you think about what's what's your mindset like coming to the masjid for June 1 of
all to the issue? What is it? Because it should not just be about what you get out of the spiritual
devotion.
		

			It should also be about the education you get the Enlightenment you get by learning.
		

			You know interestingly Imam Malik Rahim Allah who taught in the masjid of the Prophet SAW Selim and
Medina that was his his life chair was there.
		

			He used to always tell the people lay Salah El movie castrati rewire it's not really about how much
you memorize well like in Alma neuron yeah Khalifa Allah who feel very bad. But you know, real
knowledge what knowledge is really about is this light that Allah puts in your heart, right?
Spirituality God consciousness, but that same Imam Malik spent his life educating people on the
details of our deen. In fact
		

			One of his if not his top student, Abdullah had no idea but Rahim Allah one time got up to pray a
Sunnah prayer and after the prayer as Imam Malik was going to begin his class
		

			and so Imam Malik stopped him and said to him sit down what you got up for this ritual devotion is
not more important than what you got up from. You're gonna miss the beginning of the class.
		

			So this is what we intend, you know, subhanAllah the summer is also winding down and people are you
know, phasing out of their summer routines back more into perhaps some structure. Make sure make
sure this presents in the masjid to learn Allah's deen and inculcate his light in your life is not
something you're absent minded about. The prophets Allah Allah who I sent him he would come to the
masjid and say what? He would say Allahu Allah. I'll be Nora Oh Allah. That was the door I have
coming to the masjid. Oh Allah place light in my heart. Watch Alfie seminary neuron placed light in
my ears and light in my eyesight in front of me behind me on my right and my left above me and below
		

			me, surround me with light. He would say that every time he was going to the masjid. Do you know
why? Because the message is where we devote ourselves and where we enlighten ourself. It's because
if I had to know that we were discussing in today's hutzpah, the i right after speaking about the
light of guidance that Allah puts in the hearts of those who chooses, he says, feeble youth in this
light can be found in heart in homes in houses of worship, the houses he commands and has erected
they're found in the massages. And the eye right after that it says in these houses, is rejected on
latterly him, T Jarrah men that are not distracted, not absent minded by their trade and buy their
		

			business from remembering Allah. remembering Allah is not just the vicar of the tongue, remembering
Allah learning how to be mindful of Allah in your actions in your practice that is the greatest
vicar of Allah azza wa jal, and then he says not distracted by Halal things, trade businesses halal,
not distracted by Halal things even from this treasure, this lighthouse of Allah where you
constantly need to pull from it because everything else is staining the hearts staining the glass
imposing the darkness. And so let that be an action item as well. Coming to Allah's house to learn
his book, through morning recitation sessions through Tejon Quran Institute, coming here, and
		

			learning through the nightly reminders coming to Allah's house and memorizing studying. Bringing
people here is of the ways for us to augment and amplify that light in our hearts. May Allah place
light in our hearts in yours, and place it in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. May
Allah azza wa jal place it in our graves and illuminate all of our graves for us. And may Allah make
us of those that have light shining with our right hands on the Day of Judgment, as he described in
the Quran, and not light emanating from our chests from our hearts on the Day of Judgment like he
described in the Quran. Oh Allah illuminates for us our path agenda and ease for us through our
		

			seeking of sacred knowledge, our path agenda as your Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam promised
Allah Houma aluminum and fauna When fat under the mat I limped into work for Lana, what's up
Madonna? Madonna? Muslimeen Well, I flew up to Lana hotel and Muslimeen wa sallahu wa salam ala Cana
b&m Muhammad Ali, he was ivh mine
		

			hola como lo egg