Recognition of Imam Part II - Real Light and Artificial Light
Real Light and Artificial Light
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The clear purport of the example of the real light and artificial light or the real guidance and the artificial guidance, given in the verse (2:17), is that two travellers have set out separately on a far distant journey in the darkness of the night. One of them has a unique, miraculous torch, which can be extinguished neither by wind nor rain. The other one has a match box. The one who has the miraculous torch walks and advances towards his desired destination and reaches it with great ease and satisfaction. The one with the match box cannot advance due to the absence of light. He gets fed up of the darkness and with great difficulty, kindles a fire in the wilderness and wishes to travel some distance in its light. But how far can the light of a stationary fire reach! Finally, even that fire goes out and the traveller remains helpless in the dark night.
The ta'wil of this example is that, for the people of salvation, the recognition of the living and present Imam and his light, is that unique, miraculous torch, which can be extinguished neither by the wind of opposition and enmity, nor by the rain of the vicissitudes of the age. For, this holy and blessed light is the pre-eternal (azali) and post-eternal (abadi) light of God, the Omnipotent, and that of His true Messenger, which existed with every heavenly Book and with every Messenger and which, with the same glory, always continues to exist and is also present after the holy Prophet, so that guidance of the straight path may be attained in its light. Contrary to this, the example of any attempt which is made to attain guidance without this real light is mentioned in the language of wisdom in the above verse (2:17).
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