Recognition of Imam Part II - Light and Manifest Book

Light and Manifest Book

In the verses (5:15-16), the Prophet and the Imam are considered as one light and the Qur'an as the manifest Book. Here a question may arise: Why is it that sometimes the light (i.e., the Prophet or Imam) and sometimes the Book is called manifest? The answer is that it is the characteristic of both the light and the Qur'an, that from one aspect they are manifest and from the other they are hidden. That is, the person of the light and the exoteric aspect (tanzil) of the Qur'an are manifest, but the spirituality of the light and the esoteric aspect (ta'wil) of the Qur'an are hidden. Thus, where it is taught that the wisdom of the Qur'an should be seen in the illumination of the light, there with respect to the person, the light is called manifest and where it is emphasized that the Imam should be recognised with the help of the Qur'an, there the Book with respect to tanzil or the exoteric aspect, is called manifest.

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