My reasons for accepting the Quran as having divine origins
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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 enclosed in Glass the glass as it were a brilliant star Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light Allah doth set forth Parables for men and Allah doth know all things. (Surah 2435)
The first post I made in a previous Islamic forum was about the Light verse, although the response wasn't quite what I had expected. On reading the following, what are your thoughts?
The high priests of Solomon's temple were anointed with olive oil, which was kept in the Holy of Holies, in front of which was the seven branched Menorah.
So in Surah 2435 we can see that The parable of His Light is as
a niche according to a Jewish legends, the anointing oil was kept on a small ledge in the Holy of Holies
and within it a lamp the symbolism of an oil lamp burning
the lamp is in glass the legends actually state that it was a golden jug, but glass could easily be used to describe such things in a vision (or else it could refer to the lamps in the Menorah itself, see below)
the glass as it were a brilliant star an ancient Jewish text, "the appearance of that oil is greater than the greatest light"
lit from a blessed tree, an olive The Bible describes a vision using temple symbolism (Zechariah 412) in which olive oil drips into a tree
neither of the east nor of the west Solomon's temple was orientated East-West, but it was not outside the main doors (in the east) nor in the Holy of Holies (in the west), but just in front of the Holy of Holies, as Surah 5314 says, "Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass" the Menorah was a symbol of what you call the Lote tree and "beyond which none may pass" refers to the Menorah being in front of the curtain separating the Holy of Holies wherein was the ark of the covenant, a symbol of the heavenly Throne.
"whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it Light upon Light!" It is therefore very clear to me that what the Quran describes is exactly the same as what the Biblical prophets themselves describe, and using the same symbolism.
I was going to post this in the same topic as this comment, but I was advised to start a new topic instead.
the translation is wrong and it should be PLANET not ?SHINING STAR?
Now if that is so then the Light Verse makes even more sense!!! The Light is compared not only to the anointing oil, but also to the lamps of the Menorah itself. The Menorah had 7 lamps on it which represented the 'heavenly bodies' (when Moses "put the lampstand in the tabernacle of meeting", Exodus 4024, then this paralleled the 4th day of Creation, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens" Gen 114). It had 7 lamps because there are 7 'heavenly bodies' visible by eye sun, mercury, venus, moon, mars, jupiter, saturn. Hence the term 'planet' is indeed far more accurate! In which case, the verse is probably more about the Menorah than the anointing oil, but the context is still the same. (The lampstand was "on the south side of the tabernacle", maybe in a niche - does the word for niche in Arabic imply its size?)
Enjoy!
Richard
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Salaam Richard
2852 Those to whom We had given the Book before this, they will believe in it.
2853 And if it is recited to them, they say "We believe in it. It is the truth from our Lord. Indeed, we were Muslim before it."
2854 To these We grant twice the reward for that they have been patient. And they counter bad with good, and from Our provisions to them, they spend.
2855 And if they come across vain talk, they disregard it and say "To us are our deeds, and to you are your deeds. Salaam be upon you. We do not seek the ignorant."8927 O quite/calm/tranquilized soul
8928 Return to your RABB agree and agreed
8929 And enter in among My servants.
8930 And enter My Paradise.Peace
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lit from a blessed tree
Richard
Salaam
1424 Have you not seen how God puts forth the example that a good word is like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in the sky.
1425 It bears its fruit every so often with the permission of its Lord; and God puts forth the examples for the people, perhaps they will remember.Peace
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Salaam again
sorry for posting multiples times. But idea came late.
Always about trees in Quran.Quran is speaking about another tree
1426 And the example of a bad word is like a tree which has been uprooted from the surface of the earth, it has nowhere to settle.
1427 God makes firm those who believe with firm sayings in the worldly life, and in the Hereafter. And God misguides the wicked, and God does what He wishes.
1428 Did you not see those who replaced the blessings of God with rejection, and they caused their people to dwell in the abode of destruction?It is a cursed tree
1760 And when We said to you "Your Lord has encompassed the people." And We did not make the vision that We showed you except as a test for the people, and the tree that was cursed in the Qur'an. And We are making them fearful, but it only increases their trnasgression.4443 Surely, the tree of ZAQQOUM,
4444 Will be the food for the sinful.3762 Is that a better destination, or the tree of ZAQQOUM?
3763 We have made it a punishment for the transgressors.
3764 It is a tree that grows in the midst of Hell.
3765 Its shoots/fruits are like the devils? heads.
3766 They will eat from it, so that their bellies are filled up.There is people who knows what is the tree of God. But they prefer to eat from the Other tree.
722 So he misled them with deception; and when they tasted the tree, their bodies became apparent to them, and they rushed to cover themselves with the leaves of the JENNA/GARDEN/PARADISE; and their Lord called to them "Did I not prohibit you from that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"
20120 But the devil whispered to him, he said "O Adam, shall I lead you to the tree of immortality and a kingdom which will not waste away?"
20121 So they both ate from it, and their bodies became apparent to them, and they began to place leaves on themselves from the JENNA/GARDEN/PARADISE. Adam had disobeyed his Lord, and had gone astray.So there is people who eats from the wrong tree and use only leaves from to good tree, just to cover themselves. The wrong tree promise is "immortality and kingdom".
Peace
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dear dear @noshirk!!!
Thank you so so so much for your splendid posts!
It is so important what you said about the leaves of the trees and eating from good and bad ones...
I learn so much from you!
I implore God to reward you for your efforts.
hail