Jabir b. Abdullah Ansari: I entered the Kufa Mosque to find Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) writing something with his finger and smiling at the same time. I asked: O Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), what is the reason behind your smile? He replied: I am astonished at the one who reads this verse but is not cognizant about its meaning in way it deserves to be. I asked: Which verse, O Ameerul Momineen (a.s.)? He said: Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His Light is as a niche…
The ‘niche’ is Muhammad (s.a.w.a.).
“in which is a lamp,”
I am the lamp.
“the lamp is in a glass,”
The glass is Hasan (a.s.) and Husain (a.s.).
“(and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star,”
It is Ali b. Husain (Zainul Abideen) (a.s.).
“lit from a blessed”
It is Muhammad b. Ali (Baqir) (a.s.).
“olive-tree,”
It is Jafar b. Muhammad (Sadiq) (a.s.).
“neither eastern”
It is Moosa b. Jafar (Kazim) (a.s.).
“nor western,”
It is Ali b. Moosa (Reza) (a.s.).
“the oil whereof almost gives light”
It is Muhammad b. Ali (Taqi, Jawad) (a.s.).
“though fire touch it not”
It is Ali b. Muhammad (Hadi) (a.s.).
“- light upon light..”
It is Hasan b. Ali (Askari) (a.s.).
“Allah guides to His light whom He pleases,”
Qaim, Mahdi (a.t.f.s.).
“and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things.” (Surah Noor (25): 50)
Al-Burhaan fi Tafseer al-Quran