God has invited man’s attention to the colours and their distinct role in the creative process and their benefits for man and other creatures of the universe.
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a niche and within it a lamp: the lamp enclosed in glass: the glass, as it were, a brilliant star: lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil is almost luminous, though fire scarcely touches it: Light upon Light. Allah guides whom He wills to His Light. Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah knows all things. (Quran, S: 24, V: 35)
And the things on this earth, which He has multiplied in varying colours (and qualities): verily, in this is a sign for men who celebrate the praises of Allah (in gratitude). (Quran, S: 16, V: 13)
And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colours: verily, in that are signs for those who know. (Quran, S: 30, V: 22)
Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from the sky? With it, We then bring forth produce of various colours. And in the mountains are tracts white and red, of various shades of colour, and black—intense in hue. (Quran, S: 35, V: 27)
And so, amongst men, and crawling creatures, and cattle, are they of various colours. Those truly fear Allah among His servants who have knowledge: for Allah is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving. (Quran, S: 35, V: 28)
Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from the sky and leads it through springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow therewith produce of various colours; then it withers; thou wilt see it turn yellow, then He makes it dry up and crumble away. Truly, in this is a message of remembrance to men of understanding. (Quran, S: 39, V: 21)
And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men’s) habitations, then to eat of all the produce of the earth and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: from within their bodies issues a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought. (Quran, S: 16, V: 69)
The statement of the Holy Quran indicates that a fluid of varying colours comes out of the bellies of bees, which in modern biochemistry is referred to as enzymes. This ‘essence’ is beneficial in treating various diseases. Medical science also confirms the preservative, antiseptic, and therapeutic value of honey.
The importance and significance of light and colours in relation to creation and the creative process have also been elucidated in the Old and New Testaments.
And God said, “Let there be light!” and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. (Genesis, Ch. 1, V: 3–4)
He made the stars also, and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. (Genesis, Ch. 1, V: 17–18)
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food. And it was so. (Genesis, Ch. 1, V: 30)
And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. (Exodus, Ch. 16, V: 31)
The conversation between God and Moses has been reported in detail in the Old Testament. In the part of that conversation where God commands Israel to offer a sacrifice, the importance of colours is also highlighted:
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering: of every man that gives it willingly with his heart, ye shall take My offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them: gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, oil for the light, spices for anointing oil and for sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. (Exodus, Ch. 25, V: 1–7)
Light and colours are also mentioned in the Book of Psalms, where they symbolise guidance and inner virtues:
For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light. (Psalm 36:9)
And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. (Psalm 37:6)
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)
The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightning lightened the world. (Psalm 77:18)
According to the teachings of Zarathustra, light and colours also play a central role in the creation of the universe. The universe originated, according to the Zoroastrian religious book Zend-Avesta, from Faravashi, the thought of Ahura Mazda or Ormazd, the Creator of the universe. The thought of Ahura Mazda, according to the law of vibration (Zurvan), changed into the voice Ahu-Na-Var, and this sound appeared in the form of white light from the cosmic consciousness of Ahura Mazda. This white light produced colours, which became the basis of all that exists in the universe—like stars, the sun, the moon, galaxies, flowers, plants, earth, heavens, mountains, rivers, etc.
To run the affairs of the universe, Ahura Mazda created two forces: Light (Spenta-Mainyu) and Darkness (Angra-Mainyu).
The force of Light, Spenta-Mainyu, obeys the laws of Ahura Mazda, whereas Angra-Mainyu does not follow them.
Many verses in the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita speak about light and colours:
I am the Inner Light.
I am the Outer Light.
I am the all-pervading Light.
I am above all; I am the Light of the lights.
I am self-luminous; I am the light of my own self.
I myself am Shiva, the self of the self.There is neither East nor West here.
The sun never shines nor sets there.
There is neither day nor night here.
It is the light of lights, sublime and ineffable.Here there is no intoxication of caste, creed, or colour.
According to the teachings of the Vedas and Hinduism, three agencies are operative in the universe:
- Sattwa – Virtue, peace, and light. Its colour is white.
- Rajas – Emotion and action. Its colour is red.
- Tamas – Darkness and inertia. Its colour is black.
According to the research of the great spiritual scientist Qalandar Baba Auliya, three types of soul operate in the formation of creatures, and each soul is dihedral:
The Animal Soul – Red (first side), Yellow (second side)
The Great Soul – Violet (first side), Blue (second side)
The Human Soul – White (first side), Green (second side)