al-Nūr is interpreted in ten ways:
1. By nūr, the religion of Islam is intended; as in the following verses:
They want to extinguish the light of Allah (that is, Allah's religion) with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light (that is, His religion, to make it victorious/superior). (al-Tawba 9:32)
Allah guides whom He wills to His light (that is, to His religion). (al-Nūr 24:35)
A similar example is found in Saff surah.
2. By al-Nūr, iman (faith) is intended; as in the following verses:
Is one to whom We have given a nūr (that is, an iman by which he is guided) among the people... (al-Anʿām 6:122)
That He may make for you a nūr (that is, an iman by which you are guided) by which you will walk... (al-Ḥadīd 57:28)
He brings them out from darknesses into nūr (that is, from kufr [disbelief] to iman). (al-Baqara 2:257)
3. By the word nūr, hudā (guidance) is intended;
as in the following verse:
Allah is the nūr of the heavens and the earth (that is, the hadī [guide]). The example of His nūr (that is, His hudā [guidance])... (al-Nūr 24:35)
4. By nūr, the Prophet is intended; as in the following verse:
Nūr upon nūr (that is, a Prophet from the lineage of a Prophet). (al-Nūr 24:35)
5. By nūr, the light/brightness of the day is intended; as in the following verse:
He made the darknesses and the nūr (that is, the light/brightness of the day). (al-Anʿām 6:1)
6. By nūr, the light/brightness of the moon is intended; as in the following verses:
He made among them a qamar (moon) as a nūr (that is, a light by which those in the heavens and the earth are illuminated). (Nūḥ 71:16)
A luminous qamar (that is, a moon that gives light for those on earth)... (al-Furqān 25:61)
7. By nūr, the light that Allah will give to the believers on the Bridge (Ṣirāṭ) on the Day of Resurrection is intended; as in the following verses:
Their nūr (that is, the light Allah will give to the believers on the Ṣirāṭ) will run before them... (al-Ḥadīd 57:12)
{The hypocrites will say to them on the Ṣirāṭ:} "Look at us so we may acquire some of your nūr" [that is, so we may walk in the brightness of your light]. (al-Ḥadīd 57:13)
Their nūr (that is, the hudā Allah will give to the believers on the Ṣirāṭ) will run before them... (al-Taḥrīm 66:8)
8. By al-Nūr, the lawful and unlawful, rulings, and admonitions in the Torah are intended; as in the following verses:
Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was hudā and nūr (that is, the exposition of the lawful, unlawful, commands and prohibitions—which is like light in darkness). (al-Māʾida 5:44)
Say: "Who sent down the Book (that is, the Torah) which Moses brought as a nūr and hudā for the people (that is, which is like light in darkness, explaining the lawful and unlawful, commands and prohibitions)?" (al-Anʿām 6:91)
And We certainly gave Moses and Aaron the criterion and a ḍiyāʾ [light]... (al-Anbiyāʾ 21:48)
9. By al-Nūr, the exposition of the lawful and unlawful in the Qur'an (Furqān) is intended; as in the following verses:
So believe in Allah, His Messenger, and the nūr We have sent down (that is, the Qur'an, in which the lawful, unlawful, commands, and prohibitions are explained, and which is like light in darkness)! (al-Taghābun 64:8)
And those who follow the nūr sent down with him (that is, that which was sent down with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): the exposition in it, which is like light in darkness)... (al-Aʿrāf 7:157)
10. By al-Nūr, the nūr of our blessed and exalted Lord is intended; as in the following verse:
The earth will shine with the nūr of its Lord. (al-Zumar 39:69)