What is Jashn-e-Chiraghan or Deepavali? Universal Celebration of Noor/Light as a Manifestation of 'Oneness', Non-Duality!

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, New Age Islam Main Points: 1. Noor (Light) in Islam signifies Divine Oneness (Tawhid), while Zulmat (Darkness) represents ego, division, and duality. The Qur’an uses Noor in singular form and Zulmaat in plural — highlighting that truth is One, but falsehood takes many fragmented forms. 2. Jashn-e-Chiraghan is not mere festivity — it is a collective spiritual act to dissolve separation and awaken inner illumination. Lighting lamps at Sufi shrines such as Nizamuddin Aulia, Chiragh Dehlvi, and Shah Hussain symbolizes burning away ego and reuniting with Divine Presence. 3. Sufi metaphysics defines Noor as existence and unity, while Zulmat is non-existence and multiplicity. Ibn Arabi writes: “Light is existence, darkness is non-existence.” Celebration of light thus becomes an affirmation of reality over illusion. 4. Critics comparing it to Diwali or folk ritual miss its Qur’anic foundation — Islam itself commands illumination and remembrance. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Brighten your homes with prayer and Qur’an,” and Allah proclaims “Light upon Light” (24:35). 5. The true purpose is inner transformation — outward lamps must ignite inward Zikr and ego-annihilation. Imam al-Ghazali teaches in Mishkat al-Anwar: Divine Light must shine not on walls but on hearts. ----- Every sacred tradition has celebrated light — as truth, purity, guidance, awakening. In Indo-Islamic tradition, light (Noor) is not merely a physical phenomenon but a spiritual reality. It is the very nature of God. “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth” (Qur’an 24:35). In Sufi metaphysics, light is Oneness, Unity (Tawhid), and Divine Presence. Its opposite — Zulmat (darkness) — represents separation, ego, and the illusion of duality. Among the many celebrations of light in the Indo-Islamic tradition, few are as spiritually rich as Jashn-e-Chiraghan, literally “The Festival of Lamps.” Observed at various Sufi shrines of the Indian subcontinent — most prominently at the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia R.A and Khwaja Naseeruddin Raushan Chiragh Dehlvi in Delhi, Hazrat Shah Hussain in Lahore, Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, and others — it is a glowing expression of divine illumination, devotion, love, and metaphysical symbolism. While some view it as mere cultural festivity, its deeper message is profoundly spiritual: to dispel the illusion of separation and return to the recognition and illumination of Oneness — the Noor that pervades all existence. Light in the Quran: A Blueprint for Spiritual Illumination Islam does not treat light as a metaphor alone; it is an ontological truth. The Qur’an repeatedly associates Noor with guidance, faith, knowledge, and divine proximity. Most importantly, Noor in Arabic is a singular noun which denotes non-duality, Wahdat or Oneness, whereas the Qur'an often uses the plural noun "Zulmaat" to mention darkness: “Allah is the Protector of those who believe. He brings them out from the (various forms of) darknesses [min-az-Zulmaat] into light [Noor].” (Qur’an 2:257) “And the one whom Allah does not grant light — for him there is no light.” (Qur’an 24:40) “From their Lord shall come their light and their recompense.” (Qur’an 57:19) The plurality of the term "Zulmaat", Qur'an exegetes say, refers to dualities and various forms of darkness. Noor is Wahdat, unity and oneness often perceived as Wahdat-al-Wajud (unity of the existence). In contrast, Zulmaat (darknesses) is not merely absence of physical light — it is the existential blindness of ego, arrogance, division, hatred, materialism. It is the state of forgetting our core origin and destiny and thus indulging in dualities and divisiveness. Noor as Wahdat (Unity), Zulmat as Duality Sufis interpret spiritual light and darkness not as belief versus disbelief alone, but as states of consciousness. In the Sufi Interpretation, Noor is Wahdat — a self-awareness and inner consciousness that everything is One, that all creation is but a mirror of one Divine Reality. However, Zulmat is Kasrat — the perception of fragmentation, separateness, self-centeredness and duality. The great Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshband said: “The path from the realm of multiplicity to the realm of unity is the journey from darkness to light.” Similarly, Muhiyuddin Ibn al-Arabi, the Shaykh al-Akbar, writes: “Light is existence, and darkness is non-existence. Everything that exists is from the Light of Allah.” Thus, when devotees light thousands of lamps during Jashn-e-Chiraghan, it is not a mere ritual. It is a collective proclamation: “Let our inner darkness be consumed in the flame of Divine Love. Let separation melt into unity.” Oneness vs. Duality — The Eternal Battle The essence of Jashn-e-Chiraghan is the victory of Wahdat (Oneness) over the illusion of duality (Zulmat). When a person says “I and You”, that is Zulmat. When a divine lover says “You alone exist”, that is Noor. Hence, the Qur’an declares: “Everything will perish except His Face.” (Qur’an 28:88) Thus, the Sufi sees all existence as one flame, countless lamps — but one Light. Noor is not owned by any sect, nation, or institution. It is the birth right of every soul seeking the Truth. When we embrace Oneness, we live in Light. When we cling to separation, we drown in Darkness. Historical Roots of Jashn-e-Chiraghan Though its origins are often attributed to folk practice, the celebration of Chiraghan has deep connections to early Islamic tradition. The Prophet ﷺ himself instructed believers to illuminate their homes and mosques during nights of remembrance. It is reported: “Brighten your homes with prayer and the recitation of the Qur’an.” — Sahih Muslim In South Asia, this illumination tradition gradually evolved into Jashn-e-Chiraghan, especially among the Qadri, Chishti, and Suhrawardi Sufi orders of the Indian subcontinent. At the shrine of Hazrat Shah Hussain of Lahore, thousands gather each year, lighting clay lamps (Chiragh) across the tomb, trees, walls, and pathways. Qawwals sing verses of Divine Love, and devotees whirl in ecstatic remembrance. Similarly at courtyards of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia and Chiragh Dilli Raushan Chiragh Dehlvi, candles and lamps are lit up. Though some critics label it as innovation (Bid’ah), Sufis respond that any act that revives faith, spreads love, and glorifies Allah’s light is inherently Islamic. As the Qur’an says: “In houses (mosques) which Allah has permitted to be raised, wherein His Name is remembered — there glorify Him morning and evening.” (Qur’an 24:36) If one can illuminate a mosque with electricity, why not illuminate a heart with a candle of remembrance? Symbolism of Light in Sufi Poetry South Asian Sufi poets placed great emphasis on the metaphor of Noor: Bulleh Shah wrote: I searched for light in temples, mosques, and churches — Until I found it glowing in the heart of a lover. Shah Hussain, the saint in whose honour Jashn-e-Chiraghan is held, sang: “When the Beloved’s Light entered my being, No shadow of self remained.” The Persian master Rumi famously said: “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” To the Sufi, light is not something to be seen — it is something to become. Why Do Sufis Celebrate Light? Critics argue that Jashn-e-Chiraghan resembles Hindu Diwali or other pre-Islamic traditions. But Sufis reply: Truth is universal — if Hindus light lamps to celebrate good over evil, and Sufis light lamps to celebrate Divine Unity, both are affirming the same cosmic law: Light always conquers darkness. And this is not cultural borrowing — this is Qur’anic essence. Indeed, Allah Himself celebrates light — “Light upon Light” (24:35). The Prophet ﷺ said: “My Lord appeared to me in the most beautiful form, and He was all Light.” — Tirmidhi Now from Ritual to Inner Reality However, the danger lies in superficial celebration without inner transformation. Lighting a lamp is meaningless if one’s inner world remains darkened by envy, prejudice, sectarianism, or hypocrisy. Imam al-Ghazali, in Mishkat al-Anwar (The Niche of Lights), explains: “There are four kinds of light: sensory light, mental light, spiritual light, and Divine Light. The last alone is true and independent.” Thus, Sufis insist: Lighting a Chiragh must be accompanied by lighting zikr (remembrance) within the heart. Burning candles outwardly must symbolize burning the ego inwardly. Let Every Heart Become a Lamp! In an age where humanity is increasingly divided — by religion, race, politics, ego — the message of Jashn-e-Chiraghan is more urgent than ever: “Do not curse the darkness. Light a lamp — in your heart first.” May Allah make us among those of whom the Qur’an says: “Their Light will run before them, and in their right hands.” (Qur’an 66:8) And may our inner lamps burn so fiercely that even death cannot extinguish them. ---- Regular Columnist with Newageislam.com, Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an Indo-Islamic scholar, Sufi writer and author of "Ishq Sufiyana: Untold Stories of Divine Love" URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/jashn-chiraghan-deepavali-noor-light-oneness-duality/d/137316 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism