A045
Surah: 033 - Ayah: 045
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33:45
Further, the wisdom-filled verse in which the Prophet is mentioned as the "luminous lamp" is done so after mentioning all the exoteric functions of his messengership and prophethood, as God says: "O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, and as a dai (an inviter) to Allah by His permission and as a luminous lamp" (33:45,46). The order of the words of this verse shows that the Prophet's exoteric work was completed through performing the duties of messengership, witnessing, giving glad tidings, warning and inviting people (unto God). But the purpose of his being the luminous lamp was still left to be fulfilled. This means that he had to illuminate the hearts of the mumins through his light which contained the spirituality of the Qur'an. Also, the light of the Prophet had to be transferred from his holy heart to the blessed personality of the true Imam, as one lamp is lit from another; as it is evident from the wisdom of the verse "light upon light" (24:35), that the Divine light is continually being transferred from one holy personality to another.
Ma'dhun: The word is derived from the root of alif, dhal, nun. It literally means "the one who has received permission" and technically "the one who is permitted to do dacwat under the daci". There are two ma'dhuns: ma'dhun-i asghar (ma'dhun-i makfuf) and ma'dhun-i akhar (ma'dhun-i mutlaq), i.e. the minor or limited ma'dhun and the major or absolute ma'dhun, and the term is taken from the blessed verse of "Lamp", which is: "O Prophet, verily We have sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner and as one who invites to Allah by His permission and as a luminous lamp" (33:45-46). The minor ma'dhun is also called mukasir (breaker, destroyer), because he (by his argument) breaks the idols of falsehood.
According to verses (33:45 – 46) God had sent the Holy Prophet as a Prophet, a messenger, a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, a warner, an inviter to God and a luminous lamp. These blessed names of the Holy Prophet imply the meanings of recognition. Prophet means the one who informs about God and in reality Prophethood is based on the observations of spirituality and the manifestations of light. Similarly, messenger means the one whom God has sent from His extreme closeness. Witness means the one who has observed the real event and is the witness of it. In these names the Holy Prophet’s spirituality and recognition are prominently mentioned. Had he not observed paradise and the Devine vision (didar), then in reality, he would have been neither a witness nor a bearer of glad tidings, nor a warner. These names can be truly applicable to him only after observing the spiritual world. There cannot be any doubt that the Holy prophet was merged in God and was inviting others to walk on the straight path and to merge in Him. The Holy Prophet was accomplishing this tremendous work of mission in the illumination of the light of recognition, because he was the luminous lamp of the light of guidance, which means that he himself was the light of recognition. This example clearly shows that the recognition of God is mentioned in the wisdom of the Holy Quran, particularly in verses which are related to the praiseworthy attributes of the Perfect Man.
This verse has been referred 5 times.