النجم

وَٱلنَّجۡمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ 1

By the star when it descends,

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمۡ وَمَا غَوَىٰ 2

Your companion [i.e., Muḥammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred,

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ 3

Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.

إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحۡيٞ يُوحَىٰ 4

It is not but a revelation revealed,

عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡقُوَىٰ 5

Taught to him by one intense in strength [i.e., Gabriel] -

ذُو مِرَّةٖ فَٱسۡتَوَىٰ 6

One of soundness.[1562] And he rose to [his] true form[1563]

Translation notes

[1562] i.e., strength of body and of mind.
[1563] Gabriel appeared to Muḥammad (ﷺ) at the outset of his prophethood in the angelic form in which Allāh originally created him.

وَهُوَ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ 7

While he was in the higher [part of the] horizon.[1564]

Translation notes

[1564] i.e., in the sky, above the eastern horizon.

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ 8

Then he approached and descended

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوۡسَيۡنِ أَوۡ أَدۡنَىٰ 9

And was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer.

فَأَوۡحَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ عَبۡدِهِۦ مَآ أَوۡحَىٰ 10

And he revealed to His Servant[1565] what he revealed [i.e., conveyed].

Translation notes

[1565] i.e., to the Servant of Allāh, Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ).

مَا كَذَبَ ٱلۡفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰٓ 11

The heart[1566] did not lie [about] what it saw.

Translation notes

[1566] i.e., mind or perception (of the Prophet [ﷺ]).

أَفَتُمَٰرُونَهُۥ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ 12

So will you dispute with him over what he saw?

وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ نَزۡلَةً أُخۡرَىٰ 13

And he certainly saw him in another descent[1567]

Translation notes

[1567] i.e., on another occasion. During his ascent into the heavens (al-Miʿrāj), the Prophet (ﷺ) also saw Gabriel in his true form.

عِندَ سِدۡرَةِ ٱلۡمُنتَهَىٰ 14

At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary -

عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰٓ 15

Near it is the Garden of Refuge [i.e., Paradise] -

إِذۡ يَغۡشَى ٱلسِّدۡرَةَ مَا يَغۡشَىٰ 16

When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it].[1568]

Translation notes

[1568] Then and there he (ﷺ) saw Gabriel in angelic form.

مَا زَاغَ ٱلۡبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ 17

The sight [of the Prophet (ﷺ)] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit].

لَقَدۡ رَأَىٰ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰٓ 18

He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.

أَفَرَءَيۡتُمُ ٱللَّـٰتَ وَٱلۡعُزَّىٰ 19

So have you considered al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā?

وَمَنَوٰةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰٓ 20

And Manāt, the third - the other one?[1569]

Translation notes

[1569] The three names given in this and the previous verse are those of well-known "goddesses" which were worshipped by the pagan Arabs before the spread of Islām.

أَلَكُمُ ٱلذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ ٱلۡأُنثَىٰ 21

Is the male for you and for Him the female?

تِلۡكَ إِذٗا قِسۡمَةٞ ضِيزَىٰٓ 22

That, then, is an unjust division.[1570]

Translation notes

[1570] According to their own standards.

إِنۡ هِيَ إِلَّآ أَسۡمَآءٞ سَمَّيۡتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلۡطَٰنٍۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهۡوَى ٱلۡأَنفُسُۖ وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ 23

They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allāh has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance.

أَمۡ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ 24

Or is there for man whatever he wishes?

فَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ 25

Rather, to Allāh belongs the Hereafter and the first [life].

۞وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٖ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغۡنِي شَفَٰعَتُهُمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن يَأۡذَنَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرۡضَىٰٓ 26

And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allāh has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ تَسۡمِيَةَ ٱلۡأُنثَىٰ 27

Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter name the angels female names,

وَمَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّۖ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغۡنِي مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ شَيۡـٔٗا 28

And they have thereof no knowledge. They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all.

فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَلَمۡ يُرِدۡ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا 29

So turn away from whoever turns his back on Our message and desires not except the worldly life.

ذَٰلِكَ مَبۡلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱهۡتَدَىٰ 30

That is their sum of knowledge. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who strays from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided.

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لِيَجۡزِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَـٰٓـُٔواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَيَجۡزِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَى 31

And to Allāh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward] -

ٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَٰسِعُ ٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِۚ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِكُمۡ إِذۡ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَإِذۡ أَنتُمۡ أَجِنَّةٞ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَٰتِكُمۡۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡۖ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰٓ 32

Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him.

أَفَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ 33

Have you seen the one who turned away

وَأَعۡطَىٰ قَلِيلٗا وَأَكۡدَىٰٓ 34

And gave a little and [then] refrained?

أَعِندَهُۥ عِلۡمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰٓ 35

Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so he sees?[1571]

Translation notes

[1571] Knows that his provision will be exhausted if he spends on the poor, while Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) has promised otherwise.

أَمۡ لَمۡ يُنَبَّأۡ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ 36

Or has he not been informed of what was in the scriptures of Moses

وَإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٱلَّذِي وَفَّىٰٓ 37

And [of] Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations] -

أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٞ وِزۡرَ أُخۡرَىٰ 38

That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another

وَأَن لَّيۡسَ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ 39

And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives

وَأَنَّ سَعۡيَهُۥ سَوۡفَ يُرَىٰ 40

And that his effort is going to be seen -

ثُمَّ يُجۡزَىٰهُ ٱلۡجَزَآءَ ٱلۡأَوۡفَىٰ 41

Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense -

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡمُنتَهَىٰ 42

And that to your Lord is the finality

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَضۡحَكَ وَأَبۡكَىٰ 43

And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحۡيَا 44

And that it is He who causes death and gives life

وَأَنَّهُۥ خَلَقَ ٱلزَّوۡجَيۡنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰ 45

And that He creates the two mates - the male and female -

مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ إِذَا تُمۡنَىٰ 46

From a sperm-drop when it is emitted

وَأَنَّ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلنَّشۡأَةَ ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰ 47

And that [incumbent] upon Him is the other [i.e., next] creation.

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَغۡنَىٰ وَأَقۡنَىٰ 48

And that it is He who enriches and suffices

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلشِّعۡرَىٰ 49

And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius[1572]

Translation notes

[1572] A star worshipped by some of the pagan Arabs.

وَأَنَّهُۥٓ أَهۡلَكَ عَادًا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ 50

And that He destroyed the first [people of] ʿAad

وَثَمُودَاْ فَمَآ أَبۡقَىٰ 51

And Thamūd - and He did not spare [them] -

وَقَوۡمَ نُوحٖ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ هُمۡ أَظۡلَمَ وَأَطۡغَىٰ 52

And the people of Noah before. Indeed, it was they who were [even] more unjust and oppressing.

وَٱلۡمُؤۡتَفِكَةَ أَهۡوَىٰ 53

And the overturned towns[1573] He hurled down

Translation notes

[1573] Whose inhabitants defied Prophet Lot.

فَغَشَّىٰهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ 54

And covered them by that which He covered.[1574]

Translation notes

[1574] i.e., a rain of stones.

فَبِأَيِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ 55

Then which of the favors of your Lord do you doubt?

هَٰذَا نَذِيرٞ مِّنَ ٱلنُّذُرِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰٓ 56

This [Prophet (ﷺ)] is a warner from [i.e., like] the former warners.

أَزِفَتِ ٱلۡأٓزِفَةُ 57

The Approaching Day has approached.

لَيۡسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ 58

Of it, [from those] besides Allāh, there is no remover.

أَفَمِنۡ هَٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ تَعۡجَبُونَ 59

Then at this statement do you wonder?

وَتَضۡحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبۡكُونَ 60

And you laugh and do not weep

وَأَنتُمۡ سَٰمِدُونَ 61

While you are proudly sporting?[1575]

Translation notes

[1575] Additional meanings are "singing [with expanded chest]," "heedless," or "lost in vain amusements."

فَٱسۡجُدُواْۤ لِلَّهِۤ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ۩ 62

So prostrate to Allāh and worship [Him].