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fī buyūtin ʾadhina llāhu ʾan turfaʿa wa-yudhkara fīhā smuhū yusabbiḥu lahū fīhā bi-l-ghuduwwi wa-l-ʾāṣāli
In houses Allah has allowed to be raised and wherein His Name is celebrated; He is glorified therein, morning and evening,
— Ali Quli Qarai
Sura An-Nur - Verse 36
36. “ (This lamp of guidance is found) in houses which Allah has allowed to be exalted and that His name be mentioned therein. There glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings, ”
Up to now we behold the characteristics of this Divine Light, the light of guidance and faith, through likening it to a very luminous lamp, now we must see that where this lamp is located and how its place is. By specifying its place, all the things that are necessary for this will be clear. Therefore, this verse implies that this lamp is found in the houses which Allah hath allowed its walls to be exalted so that enemies, devils, and the promiscuous ones can not reach it. They are houses that His name shall be remembered therein and the verses of the Qur’an and the facts of revelation are read in them.
The verse says:
“ (This lamp of guidance is found) in houses which Allah has allowed to be exalted and that His name be mentioned therein...”
Many commentators consider the above verse to be related to the pervious verse, as we have commented on it; but some say that it is related to the next sentence, the relation which does not seem very correct. But that some say what effect the existence of such lamp in the houses whose characteristics are stated has, we must say that a house, whose walls are exalted and decisive alert men guard it, guarantees the protection of this luminous lamp. Moreover those who seek such source of light will be aware of its place and hasten to enjoy it.
But what is the purpose of the Qur’anic word /buyut/ (Houses)? Its answer will be clear in the characteristics mentioned in the rest of the verse, where it says:
“...There glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings, ”
Some Points
1. We read in Ziyarat Jami‘ah, when we address the Imams (as) of Sh‘iite:
“...and Allah has placed you in houses that Allah (s.w.t.) has permitted to be exalted...”
Therefore, the sanctuaries of the infallible Imams (as) are counted as one of the extensions of the Qur’anic phrase /fi buyutin/ (in houses) mentioned in this holy verse.
2. The Arabic word /turfa‘/in the verse means the height of a place, too, such as the verse which says:
‘And (remember) when Abraham and Ishmael raised up the foundations of the House...’ 4
3. Imam Baqir (as) said:
“Those houses are the houses of prophets, sages and the infallible Imams.” 5
Tha‘labi says in his commentary that one day the Prophet (S) was reciting this verse when then Abubakr said:
“Is the house of Ali (as) and Fatimah (as) the extension of this verse?”
The Prophet (S) said:
“Yes, it is the best extension of this verse.” 6
4. Imam Kazim (as) said:
“The purpose of the phrase
‘...in the mornings and the evenings”,
mentioned in the verse, is the punctual ritual prayers.” 7
5. In the Holy Qur’an, there are many cases in which ‘glorification’ is used instead of ‘ritual prayer’. Sura ’Al-i-‘Imran, No. 3, verse 41:
“...and glorify (Him) in the evening and early morning.”
Sura Ta-Ha, No. 20, verse 130:
“...and glorify your Lord by praising Him before the rising of the sun and before its setting...”
Footnotes