BY THE LIGHT OF YOUR FACE

(Analogical Deduction)

Mokhtar Stork

 INTRODUCTION

By the Light of Your Face refers to a supplication of Ibu Abbas (r.a.), a cousin of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.): Said Ibnu Jubayr (r.a.) reported Ibnu Abbas (r.a.) used to say: “O Allah, I ask you by the Light of Your Face, which shines over the heaven and the earth, that You place me within Your Fortress, Your Protection, Your Guardianship, and under Your Shadow,” (Musannaf Ibnu Ibi Shybah 29539). [Mokhtar Stork, God Light (Nur) Determines Your Faith, 2024].

This very Light of Allah (Nur) is the very source of existence in Islam. Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (r.a.): The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said, “Indeed Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, created His creation in darkness, then He cast His Light upon them, so whoever is touched by that light he is guided, and whoever is not, he goes astray. It is for this reason that I say that the pens have dried with God’s knowledge,” [Mokhtar Stork, God Light (Nur) Determines Your Faith, 2024. Pg.48].

Allah Almighty veiled Himself with His Light (Nur). Authentic Ahadith mentions it to be both Light and Fire. Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (r.a.): “This fire is the light, through which God spoke to Moses. It is a pure fire that shines but does not burn.”

There are three categories: (a) shining without burning, like the light of the Moon, and (b) burning without shining, which is the fire of Hell; it is a black fire which burns and does not shine, and (c) shining and burning which is this illuminating fire [the fire of this worldly life] as well as the light of the sun which shines and burns; these are the lights that are witnessed and created.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) was asked, “Where was our Lord before He created His creation?” The Prophet replied, “He was in a cloud, beneath which was air and above which was air, and He created His throne on water,” (Tirmidhi).  

According to Ibnu Arabi’s Cosmology, ‘The Cloud’ contains the entirety of the World of Imagination. It represents Allah seeing Himself in images. I refer to this as ‘the Creation being a Manifestation of His presence’. Allah’s veil is His Nur (Light).  It is this Light that keeps creation in existence. If this “Veil of Light” were to be withdrawn according to the Prophet (s.a.w.), the “Splendour of His Countenance” would consume His creation as far as His sight reaches. [Mokhtar Stork, God Light (Nur) Determines Your Faith, 2024. Pg.52-53].

‘Abdullah Ibnu ‘Abbas (r.a.) reported: He spent (one night) in the house of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.). He (the Prophet) got up, brushed his teeth and performed ablution and said: "In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, there are indeed signs for people of understanding" (al-Qur'an, iii. 190), to the end of the Surah. He then stood up and prayed two rakaats, standing, bowing and prostrating himself at length in them. Then he finished, went to sleep and snored. He did that three times, six rak`ahs altogether, each time cleaning his teeth, performing ablution, and reciting these verses. Then he observed three rak`ahs of Witr. The Mu'adhdhin then pronounced the Adhan and he went out for prayer and was saying: "O Allah! place light in my heart, light in my tongue, place light in my hearing, place light in my eyesight, place light behind me, and light in front of me, and place light above me, and light below me. O Allah! grant me light," (Sahih Muslim 7631)

THE BIG BANG & THE BIG CRUNCH

Scientifically, we are accustomed with the ‘Big Bang’ theory. Recently, an analysis by a South Korean team has hinted that instead of an expanding universe, its galaxies could be pulled back together by gravity, ending in what astronomers call a "Big Crunch". Other astronomers have questioned these findings, but these critics have not been able to completely dismiss the South Korean team's assertions. ". [Dark energy just got even weirder and why the Universe may end in a 'Big Crunch' by Pallab Ghosh. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c17xe5kl78vo]

If you look up The Physics of The Day of Judgement by Mohammad Humayoum, you will note that the Qur’an does deal with the ‘Big Bang’ and the ‘Big Crunch’. The difference between the scientific approach and the Islamic approach is based on scientific evidence based on Analytical Deductions, whereas the Islamic approach is based on Analogical Deductions. They both reach the same conclusions but are not viewed as such because we have a hangup on tangible evidence. [The Physics of The Day of Judgement, Mohammad Humayoun Khan, July 4, 2022). https://www.islamicity.org/6377/the-physics-of-the-day-of-judgement/]

The Scientific Assumption is based on analytical deduction, whereas The Religious Assumption is based on Analogical Assumptions derived from the Qur’anic. Both describe a reversal of the beginning. Science calls it the "symmetry of time" while theology calls it "returning to the Origin." (Gemini AI)

There appears to be a great deal of reluctance by the West to acknowledge evidence from the Qur’an simply because its not scientific evidence, whereas from an Islamic perspective, every law, whether it is the Law of Causation, Law of Physics etc, are all laws instituted by Allah. If Adam was created out of ‘fermenting mud’, it does not mean that every human being born must go through that process. That was already done at the beginning and we continue then onward and even evolve, all mechanisms established by Allah, leading to the Last Day (Sunnatullah).

Every scientific discovery can be traced to Religious Text from many religions. When asked why Buddhism is accepted, Gemini AI replied because it is not a religion. Would it be wrong to acknowledge some aspects mentioned in the Qur’an to be in line with some scientific discovery? Of course, not… but it is not done probably out of fear, because acknowledging Islam could cause many ignorant Muslims to become over-righteous, and extreme in their actions, which actually is not a religious response but a response to injustice.

STRIKING A BALANCE

To a certain extent, there is a need to establish verification and its validity because you could be misled into believing anything offered to you. YouTube is good at this. For example, the video on: The Prophet WARNED ABOUT 5 BEINGS: WILL APPEAR BEFORE END TIMES derives its sources from Shi’ite sources, combined with Sunni ones to establish credibility. Its narrations are weak and unreliable. I posted a comment on this about the video but it was removed. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02jYSAybtQg]

However, we also need to be clear over ‘Weak Hadith’. If we accept that it is a weak narration, then it is not binding evidence. Since scholars are not obliged to accept individual weak narrations. Rather a scholar is permitted to reject a weak Hadith. This is widespread amongst authoritative scholars. However, they do not consider all weak Hadith to be redundant. That attitude is a modern innovation. Its a more balanced and rational approach. [https://islamanswers.co.uk/question/did-the-prophet-%EF%B7%BA-have-a-shadow/]

Generally, a Hadith becomes defective due to its chain of narration. However, its contents remain valid throughout various narrations, therefore, it would be unjust to write it off as an unreliable Hadith. On other occasions, a ‘sahih’ Hadith has been found to be defective as was in the case of Singing as explained by Yusuf Qaradawi. [refer Mokhtar Stork. 3-in-1/Muhammad: I Am Only A Human Being Like You (2023)]. Recently, I read an article on Sheikh Al-Albani. He was exposed. This is disturbing, because I had quoted him previously. It proves that one needs to be weary of misinformation. [Al-Albani Unveiled/An Exposition of His Errors/and other important issues. Compiled by Sayf ad-Din Ahmed ibn Muhammad: https://www.scribd.com/document/13177287/Al-Albani-Exposed.file:///C:/Users/HMStork/Downloads/13177287-Al-Albani-Exposed.pdf]

FIRMNESS OF FAITH = NEARNESS TO ALLAH

Firmness of Faith, can be defined in many ways. It is developed through obedience and submission to Allah. We do so through The Fundamentals of Islam (Rukun Islam) and the Articles of Faith (Rukun Iman). However, there is one that extends beyond this mention in the same Hadith, and it deals with Ihsan: The Messenger of Allah said, “It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet (know that) He sees you." (Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi on Islam, Iman and Ihsan).

Compliance with the physical approach to Islam is obligatory, however, when you reach Rukum Iman (Articles of Faith), it one of pure belief, pure conviction, firmness of faith. Its no longer Ilmul Yaqeen but Haqqul Yaqeen. This can be found concerning the outcome of the Battle of Badr, where Allah says: “And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw ….” (Surah Anfal 8:17).

A PERCEPTION BEYOND

We do not all share the same views and beliefs. That is the way we were created to be. Firasa (discernment) can be defined as profundity, productivity and coherence in thought and the forming of opinions, the ability to penetrate the meaning of existence, and acting on conscious insight. It is a light that God puts into a person when they have purified their heart of spiritual ailments such as vengeance, hatred, resentment, hypocrisy, and conceit and a light that adorns one with belief, knowledge and love of God, and zeal to serve His cause. The close relationship between discernment and the light of belief is also expressed in the Qur'anic verse (Surah Anfal 8:29), If you keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety, He will make a criterion arise in your heart to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and right and wrong.

Everyone is not blessed with Discernment. Likewise, not everyone is blessed with the realisation that everything lies in the hands of Allah, and that the key to this is Tawakkal (Total Trust in Allah). Many go through life the Traditional Approach to reach the realisation that everything begins with Allah. You may strive all you want, a requirement in Islam, but ultimately, it is Allah who decides. Your persistence and determination can produce results but the outcome still remains with Allah. The Qur’an states: “What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness,” (Surah Nisa 4:79).

Looking beyond is essential in Islam. If AI leads the world today, then positive, progressive thinking in Islam beyond Traditional perceptions can be considered, so long as they remain withing the fundamental structure of Islam.

We all acknowledge that Adam (a.s.) came into existence through the ‘Breath of Allah”. Whether it is a “Spark” or “His Light (Nur)”, we in Islam recognise this. Everyone is alive due to this breath, spark or light from Allah. The moment it is withdrawn, you will depart; you will cross to the other unknown side of the river.

Allah is within you (not in you); He is outside of you; He is everywhere and in everything. The wholes Creation is a manifestation of His Divine Names and Attributes. As a Muslim, if you are able to grasp the significance of this, it means that Only He Exists. We do so by His will. We are nothing but specks of dust in His creation. The greatness of man, embodied in Adam as championed by many scholars, in reality amounts to nothing. Were it not for Muhammad (s.a.w.), we would be lost. We would be a compass without a direction. We would be dominated by Artificial Intelligence. We will become servants of our animalistic, egoistic desires, servant of Shaitan, our Qarins and be led by Dajjal in the future.

One’s safety lies in the Spirituality of Islam: not just Tasawwuf, but in Tawheed; in the realisation that everything lies in the hands of Allah. Only in this manner can your destiny be changed, be altered, be improved upon. As such, I will say that Firmness of Faith lies in Nearness to Allah. It lies in the way you live your life, not necessarily in a ritualistic, dogmatic manner, but one absorbed in consciousness of His constant presence. What this signifies is submission to His Will and performing good deeds as advised by the Prophet. It signifies a life of moral righteousness, upholding the truth, sacrifice and patience, and not self-enrichment, hypocrisy and double-standards.

In this manner the Light of Allah reach you to light up your existence. Only in this manner can you hope to reach your grave to find it lit up through your righteous amal. Only in this manner can one hope to achieve safest from the Blazing Fire of Hell and the Torment of the Grave. [Mokhtar Stork, 2 Jan 2026]