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لَاۤ اِكۡرَاهَ فِى الدِّيۡنِۙ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشۡدُ مِنَ الۡغَىِّۚ فَمَنۡ يَّكۡفُرۡ بِالطَّاغُوۡتِ وَيُؤۡمِنۡۢ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدِ اسۡتَمۡسَكَ بِالۡعُرۡوَةِ الۡوُثۡقٰى لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا ؕ وَاللّٰهُ سَمِيۡعٌ عَلِيۡمٌ ٢٥٦
اَللّٰهُ وَلِىُّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا يُخۡرِجُهُمۡ مِّنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَى النُّوۡرِ وَالَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡۤا اَوۡلِيٰٓـــُٔهُمُ الطَّاغُوۡتُۙ يُخۡرِجُوۡنَهُمۡ مِّنَ النُّوۡرِ اِلَى الظُّلُمٰتِؕ اُولٰٓٮِٕكَ اَصۡحٰبُ النَّارِۚ هُمۡ فِيۡهَا خٰلِدُوۡنَ ٢٥٧
There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become distinct from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in ṭāghūt and believes in Allāh has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
Allāh is the Ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light Nur. And those who disbelieve - their allies are ṭāghūt. They take them out of the light Nur into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.
[Al-Quran 2:256-257, Translation: Saheeh International, edited in italics for clarity]
On the individual, there is no compulsion in religion (Deen). Those who believe in Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى , He takes them out from darknesses (الظُّلُمٰتِ) to the Nur (النُّوۡرِ), a special kind of radiation.
We know from Adam's prayer that they had put their Nafs in darkness by obeying Satan and eating from the forbidden tree:
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَاۤ اَنۡفُسَنَا وَاِنۡ لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَـنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَـنَكُوۡنَنَّ مِنَ الۡخٰسِرِيۡنَ
They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged darkened ourselves Nafs, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."
[Al-Quran 7:23, Translation: Saheeh International, edited in italics for clarity]
Though the word ظَلَمۡنَاۤ is generally translated as 'we have wronged', it shares the trilateral root with الظُّلُمٰتِ (Q2:257), and a clearer translation should be 'we have darkened'.
later on in Surah al-Araf, we also read that:
وَ اِذۡ اَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۡۢ بَنِىۡۤ اٰدَمَ مِنۡ ظُهُوۡرِهِمۡ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمۡ وَ اَشۡهَدَهُمۡ عَلٰٓى اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ ۚ اَلَسۡتُ بِرَبِّكُمۡ ؕ قَالُوۡا بَلٰى ۛۚ شَهِدۡنَا ۛۚ اَنۡ تَقُوۡلُوۡا يَوۡمَ الۡقِيٰمَةِ اِنَّا كُنَّا عَنۡ هٰذَا غٰفِلِيۡنَ ۙ ١٧٢ اَوۡ تَقُوۡلُوۡۤا اِنَّمَاۤ اَشۡرَكَ اٰبَآؤُنَا مِنۡ قَبۡلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةً مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡۚ اَفَتُهۡلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ الۡمُبۡطِلُوۡنَ ١٧٣ وَكَذٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الۡاٰيٰتِ وَلَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُوۡنَ ١٧٤
And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves their Nafs, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord Sustainer?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware." Or [lest] you say, "It was only that our fathers associated [others in worship] with Allāh before, and we were but descendants after them. Then would You destroy us for what the falsifiers have done?" And thus do We [explain in] detail the verses, and perhaps they will return.
[Al-Quran 7:172-174, Translation: Saheeh International, edited in italics for clarity]
All descendants of Adam's sons have been made witness over their Nafs, that Allah is their Lord Sustainer.
In Surah Al-Nur, we read that Allah is the Nur (Q24:35) of the skies and earth, and five ayaat later, we read that He grants Nur to whom He Wills:
اَوۡ كَظُلُمٰتٍ فِىۡ بَحۡرٍ لُّـجّـِىٍّ يَّغۡشٰٮهُ مَوۡجٌ مِّنۡ فَوۡقِهٖ مَوۡجٌ مِّنۡ فَوۡقِهٖ سَحَابٌؕ ظُلُمٰتٌۢ بَعۡضُهَا فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٍؕ اِذَاۤ اَخۡرَجَ يَدَهٗ لَمۡ يَكَدۡ يَرٰٮهَاؕ وَمَنۡ لَّمۡ يَجۡعَلِ اللّٰهُ لَهٗ نُوۡرًا فَمَا لَهٗ مِنۡ نُّوۡرٍ ٤٠
Or [they are] like darknesses within an unfathomable sea which is covered by waves, upon which are waves, over which are clouds - darknesses, some of them upon others. When one puts out his hand [therein], he can hardly see it. And he to whom Allāh has not granted light Nur - for him there is no light Nur.
[Al-Quran 24:40, Translation: Saheeh International, edited in italics for clarity]
Sun is a light that has been worshipped by many people across history, and even in the present day. Secular science also presents the Sun as the source of all life on Earth. The creation narrative of polytheistic beliefs finds many overlaps with secular science.
In Surah anNaml, we read about the Sun-worshipping people of Saba who were ruled by a Queen. When Prophet-King Solomon (Sulaiman عليه السلام) hears about it, he commands her to come in submission to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ... Finally, when she submits and comes to the Kingdom of Prophet-King Solomon (Sulaiman عليه السلام), she realises that she had been putting her Nafs in darkness by worshipping the Sun, and submits to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى along with Prophet-King Solomon (Sulaiman عليه السلام):
فَلَمَّا جَآءَتۡ قِيۡلَ اَهٰكَذَا عَرۡشُكِؕ قَالَتۡ كَاَنَّهٗ هُوَۚ وَاُوۡتِيۡنَا الۡعِلۡمَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِهَا وَ كُنَّا مُسۡلِمِيۡنَ ٤٢ وَصَدَّهَا مَا كَانَتۡ تَّعۡبُدُ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِؕ اِنَّهَا كَانَتۡ مِنۡ قَوۡمٍ كٰفِرِيۡنَ ٤٣ قِيۡلَ لَهَا ادۡخُلِى الصَّرۡحَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَاَتۡهُ حَسِبَـتۡهُ لُـجَّةً وَّكَشَفَتۡ عَنۡ سَاقَيۡهَا ؕ قَالَ اِنَّهٗ صَرۡحٌ مُّمَرَّدٌ مِّنۡ قَوَارِيۡرَ ۙ قَالَتۡ رَبِّ اِنِّىۡ ظَلَمۡتُ نَـفۡسِىۡ وَ اَسۡلَمۡتُ مَعَ سُلَيۡمٰنَ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ ٤٤
So when she arrived, it was said [to her], "Is your throne like this?" She said, "[It is] as though it was it." [Solomon said], "And we were given knowledge before her, and we have been Muslims [in submission to Allāh]. And that which she was worshipping other than Allāh had averted her [from submission to Him]. Indeed, she was from a disbelieving people." She was told, "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a body of water and uncovered her shins [to wade through]. He said, "Indeed, it is a palace [whose floor is] made smooth with glass." She said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself Nafs, and I submit with Solomon to Allāh, Lord of the worlds."
[Al-Quran 27:42-44, Translation: Saheeh International, edited in italics for clarity]
Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى 's Deen is to be established as the law of the land, globally. More on this at: Act(s) of Reform (عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ and عَمِلَ صَالِحًا)
On the individual level, each Nafs is in pledge. Those who sincerely accept the Deen of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى , establishing prayer and giving zakat, are promised the restoration of their Nur. In Surah alHadeed (Q57) and Surah atTahreem (Q66), we read:
يَوۡمَ تَرَى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ وَالۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ يَسۡعٰى نُوۡرُهُمۡ بَيۡنَ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ وَبِاَيۡمَانِهِمۡ بُشۡرٰٮكُمُ الۡيَوۡمَ جَنّٰتٌ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَاؕ ذٰلِكَ هُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِيۡمُۚ ١٢
يَوۡمَ يَقُوۡلُ الۡمُنٰفِقُوۡنَ وَالۡمُنٰفِقٰتُ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا انْظُرُوۡنَا نَقۡتَبِسۡ مِنۡ نُّوۡرِكُمۡۚ قِيۡلَ ارۡجِعُوۡا وَرَآءَكُمۡ فَالۡتَمِسُوۡا نُوۡرًاؕ فَضُرِبَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ بِسُوۡرٍ لَّهٗ بَابٌؕ بَاطِنُهٗ فِيۡهِ الرَّحۡمَةُ وَظَاهِرُهٗ مِنۡ قِبَلِهِ الۡعَذَابُؕ ١٣
يُنَادُوۡنَهُمۡ اَلَمۡ نَكُنۡ مَّعَكُمۡؕ قَالُوۡا بَلٰى وَلٰـكِنَّكُمۡ فَتَنۡتُمۡ اَنۡفُسَكُمۡ وَ تَرَبَّصۡتُمۡ وَارۡتَبۡتُمۡ وَغَرَّتۡكُمُ الۡاَمَانِىُّ حَتّٰى جَآءَ اَمۡرُ اللّٰهِ وَ غَرَّكُمۡ بِاللّٰهِ الۡغَرُوۡرُ ١٤
فَالۡيَوۡمَ لَا يُؤۡخَذُ مِنۡكُمۡ فِدۡيَةٌ وَّلَا مِنَ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡاؕ مَاۡوٰٮكُمُ النَّارُؕ هِىَ مَوۡلٰٮكُمۡؕ وَبِئۡسَ الۡمَصِيۡرُ ١٥
On the Day you see the believing men and believing women, their light Nur proceeding before them and on their right, [it will be said], "Your good tidings today are [of] gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein you will abide eternally." That is what is the great attainment.
On the [same] Day the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to those who believed, "Wait for us that we may acquire some of your light Nur." It will be said, "Go back behind you and seek light Nur." And a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment.
They [i.e., the hypocrites] will call to them [i.e., the believers], "Were we not with you?" They will say, "Yes, but you afflicted yourselves nafs and awaited [misfortune for us] and doubted, and wishful thinking deluded you until there came the command of Allāh. And the Deceiver [i.e., Satan] deceived you concerning Allāh.
So today no ransom will be taken from you or from those who disbelieved. Your refuge is the Fire. It is most worthy of you, and wretched is the destination."
[Al-Quran 57:12-15, Translation: Saheeh International, edited in italics for clarity]
Also, in Surah at-Tahreem, we read:
يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا تُوۡبُوۡۤا اِلَى اللّٰهِ تَوۡبَةً نَّصُوۡحًا ؕ عَسٰى رَبُّكُمۡ اَنۡ يُّكَفِّرَ عَنۡكُمۡ سَيِّاٰتِكُمۡ وَيُدۡخِلَـكُمۡ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ ۙ يَوۡمَ لَا يُخۡزِى اللّٰهُ النَّبِىَّ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مَعَهٗ ۚ نُوۡرُهُمۡ يَسۡعٰى بَيۡنَ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ وَبِاَيۡمَانِهِمۡ يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اَ تۡمِمۡ لَـنَا نُوۡرَنَا وَاغۡفِرۡ لَـنَا ۚ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ ٨
O you who have believed, repent to Allāh with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow [on] the Day when Allāh will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light Nur will proceed before them and on their right; they will say, "Our Lord, perfect for us our light Nur and forgive cover us. Indeed, You are over all things competent."
[Al-Quran 66:8, Translation: Saheeh International, edited in italics for clarity]
May Allah grant us Nur of guidance in this life so we can see guidance, accept it, and act upon it, and perfect our Nur for us on the Day of Resurrection, allowing us to dwell in His Gardens forever, with a Nafs that has been restored to its pristine state.
References & Links
The Sustainer of the Worlds (رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ)
Gamma Rays, Visible Light & The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Secular Science vs Creation Faith
The Serpent & The Snake: a Clear Sign
