Question No. 2940 31 August 2022 Official answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat) verified Content level: Intermediate

If we understand light as one of God’s creations, how can we decipher it?

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Dear questioner, Master Ali Saei

Tracking code: #Q-2940

Peace be upon you.
Light itself is a key. But if we want to decipher light itself, what should we use?

Subject category: Theology and Creed Theology and creed

The essence and first answer at a glance (60-word summary)

If we understand light as one of God’s creations, then the higher a creation’s rank, the more it serves to unlock what lies beyond it—such as the Divine Names. The blessed name al-Nūr (“the Light”) unlocks the principles underlying the Names, and the light of the unseen realm surpasses the light of the material world. Yet from a lower perspective, it too serves as a key.

Answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat)

Teacher and researcher in the intellectual tradition of wisdom and the Ahl al-Bayt | Soroush Bamdadān Cultural Center

If we understand light as something created by God Most High, then the higher a created thing stands in the order of creation, the more it opens the way to what lies beyond. This applies, for example, to the Most Beautiful Names of God: among them, the foundational Names must surely take precedence over their branches. The Blessed Name *al-Nūr* is one such Name, and it unlocks the mysteries of the others.

Likewise, in the ascending order of lights, the higher takes precedence over the lower—for example, the light of the Malakūt over the light of the Nāsūt.

From another perspective, however, the lower can serve as an interpreter of the higher and thus play a role in opening the way to it.

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If we understand light as one of God’s creations, how can we decipher it?

The essence and first answer at a glance (60-word summary)

Answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat)

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