I'm not sure if this was before or after he embraced Islam. And not having read or seen the story, I have no idea in what context it was said. And no idea if it was based on any of the following:
"Is he who was dead and We have raised him unto life, and set for him a light whereby he walks among men, like him whose similitude is in utter darkness from which he cannot emerge? Thus is their conduct made fairseeming for the disbelievers." (Translation of Qur'an, 6:122)
"So is one whose breast Allah has expanded to [accept] Islam and he is upon a light from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]? Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. Those are in manifest error." (Translation of Qur'an 39:22)
"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things." (Translation of Qur'an 24:35)
Peace.
