۞ 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. 35 They worship in houses which Allah has bidden to be exalted and His name to be remembered therein; they hallow Him therein in mornings and evenings 36 By men not distracted from the remembrance of God either by trade and commerce or buying and selling, who stand by their devotional obligations and pay the zakat, who fear the day when hearts and eyes would flutter with trepidation 37 That Allah may recompense them the best for that which they worked and may increase unto them of His grace, and Allah provideth for whomsoever He will without measure. 38 And (as for) those who disbelieve, their deeds are like the mirage in a desert, which the thirsty man deems to be water; until when he comes to it he finds it to be naught, and there he finds Allah, so He pays back to him his reckoning in full; and Allah is quick in reckoning; 39 or they are as shadows upon a sea obscure covered by a billow above which is a billow above which are clouds, shadows piled one upon another; when he puts forth his hand, wellnigh he cannot see it. And to whomsoever God assigns no light, no light has he. 40