In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful.
The One Hundred and Twelfth Question: What are the attributes of the dominion of radiance?
The answer:
He, exalted is He, said in the Qurʾan that it is radiance and a reminder for the God-fearing. Whatever shines through the Qurʾan belongs to the dominion of radiance. Likewise, “He made the sun a radiance” [Yunus 10:5]. Whatever shines through the sun in this world, and whose entity is found through it, belongs to the dominion of radiance. Every light that gives radiance belongs to the dominion of radiance in respect of what the giver of radiance does not itself directly confront, whatever kind of light it may be. Its radiance is the shining with which there is no veil over what it unveils. Light is a veil. The Messenger of God, God bless him and grant him peace, said concerning the Real, exalted is He, “His veil is light,” and he said, “Light—how could I see Him?” Radiance is not a veil. Radiance is the effect of light, and it is shade, for the veil has turned the light into radiance. In relation to the veil it is shade, and in relation to the light it is radiance. Unveiling belongs to it insofar as it is radiance, and rest insofar as it is shade. The dominion of radiance is thus the dominion of unveiling, and therefore the dominion of knowledge; it is the dominion of rest, and therefore the dominion of mercy. Radiance combines mercy and knowledge. He, exalted is He, said concerning His favor to His servant Khidr, “We gave him mercy from Us” [al-Kahf 18:65],
Notes
Translator’s note TN3727-1: Nūr is rendered ‘light,’ ḍiyāʾ ‘radiance,’ and ẓill ‘shade.’ The argument distinguishes light that veils from its radiance that unveils, assigning rest and mercy to the same radiance considered as shade. The compressed clause about what the giver of radiance directly confronts is retained without supplying a physical theory.
