The surah that opens with the oath of the Divine One swearing by every one of The Stars, as they descend and disappear beneath the horizon, that Muhammad is indeed God’s awaited Messenger. It takes its name from verse 1, which mentions “the stars” (najm). The surah confirms the divine source of the Prophet’s message and refers to his ascension to heaven during the Night Journey (verse 1 .). The surah refutes the claims of the disbelievers about the goddesses and the angels (verse 19 .), and lists several truths about God’s power. It closes with a warning of the imminent Day of Judgement.The surah is also known as: The Pleiades.
1
وَالنَّجمِ إِذا هَوىٰ
wa-n-najmi ʾidhā hawā
By the star when it sets:1Or ‘falls.’
2
ما ضَلَّ صاحِبُكُم وَما غَوىٰ
mā ḍalla ṣāḥibukum wa-mā ghawā
your companion1 has neither gone astray,nor gone amiss.That is, the Apostle of Allah.
3
وَما يَنطِقُ عَنِ الهَوىٰ
wa-mā yanṭiqu ʿani l-hawā
Nor does he speak out of [his own] desire:
4
إِن هُوَ إِلّا وَحيٌ يوحىٰ
ʾin huwa ʾillā waḥyun yūḥā
it is just a revelation that is revealed [to him],
5
عَلَّمَهُ شَديدُ القُوىٰ
ʿallamahū shadīdu l-quwā
taught him by One of great powers,
6
ذو مِرَّةٍ فَاستَوىٰ
dhū mirratin fa-stawā
possessed of sound judgement.1He2 settled,3Or ‘possessed of strength.’That is, the Apostle of Allah (ṣ); or the Angel Gabriel, according to some commentators.Or ‘stood upright.’
7
وَهُوَ بِالأُفُقِ الأَعلىٰ
wa-huwa bi-l-ʾufuqi l-ʾaʿlā
while he was on the highest horizon.
8
ثُمَّ دَنا فَتَدَلّىٰ
thumma danā fa-tadallā
Then he drew nearer and nearer
9
فَكانَ قابَ قَوسَينِ أَو أَدنىٰ
fa-kāna qāba qawsayni ʾaw ʾadnā
until he was within two bows’ length or even nearer,
10
فَأَوحىٰ إِلىٰ عَبدِهِ ما أَوحىٰ
fa-ʾawḥā ʾilā ʿabdihī mā ʾawḥā
whereat He revealed to His servantwhatever He revealed.
11
ما كَذَبَ الفُؤادُ ما رَأىٰ
mā kadhaba l-fuʾādu mā raʾā
The heart did not deny what it saw.
12
أَفَتُمارونَهُ عَلىٰ ما يَرىٰ
ʾa-fa-tumārūnahū ʿalā mā yarā
Will you then dispute with him about what he saw?!
13
وَلَقَد رَآهُ نَزلَةً أُخرىٰ
wa-la-qad raʾāhu nazlatan ʾukhrā
Certainly he saw it1 yet another time,Or ‘them.’ To explain, the object of the pronoun hū is specified in verse 18, ‘Certainly he saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord.’ This interpretation is also supported by a tradition of Imam ʿAli b. Mūsā al-Riḍā (ʿa) cited in the Uṣūl al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 95, ḥadīth 2.
14
عِندَ سِدرَةِ المُنتَهىٰ
ʿinda sidrati l-muntahā
by the Lote Tree of the Ultimate Boundary,
15
عِندَها جَنَّةُ المَأوىٰ
ʿindahā jannatu l-maʾwā
near which is the Garden of the Abode,
16
إِذ يَغشَى السِّدرَةَ ما يَغشىٰ
ʾidh yaghshā s-sidrata mā yaghshā
when there covered the Lote Tree what covered it.
17
ما زاغَ البَصَرُ وَما طَغىٰ
mā zāgha l-baṣaru wa-mā ṭaghā
The gaze did not swerve,nor did it overstep the bounds.
18
لَقَد رَأىٰ مِن آياتِ رَبِّهِ الكُبرىٰ
la-qad raʾā min ʾāyāti rabbihi l-kubrā
Certainly he sawsome of the greatest signs of his Lord.
19
أَفَرَأَيتُمُ اللّاتَ وَالعُزّىٰ
ʾa-fa-raʾaytumu l-lāta wa-l-ʿuzzā
Have you considered Lāt and ʿUzzā?
20
وَمَناةَ الثّالِثَةَ الأُخرىٰ
wa-manāta th-thālithata l-ʾukhrā
and Manāt, the third one?
21
أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الأُنثىٰ
ʾa-lakumu dh-dhakaru wa-lahu l-ʾunthā
Are you to have males and He females?
22
تِلكَ إِذًا قِسمَةٌ ضيزىٰ
tilka ʾidhan qismatun ḍīzā
That, then, will be an unfair division!
23
إِن هِيَ إِلّا أَسماءٌ سَمَّيتُموها أَنتُم وَآباؤُكُم ما أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِها مِن سُلطانٍ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَما تَهوَى الأَنفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَد جاءَهُم مِن رَبِّهِمُ الهُدىٰ
ʾin hiya ʾillā ʾasmāʾun sammaytumūhā ʾantum wa-ʾābāʾukum mā ʾanzala llāhu bihā min sulṭānin ʾin yattabiʿūna ʾillā ẓ-ẓanna wa-mā tahwā l-ʾanfusu wa-la-qad jāʾahum min rabbihimu l-hudā
These are but names which you have coined—you and your fathers—for which Allah has not sent down any authority.They follow nothing but conjecturesand the desires of the [lower] soul,while there has already come to themthe guidance from their Lord.
24
أَم لِلإِنسانِ ما تَمَنّىٰ
ʾam li-l-ʾinsāni mā tamannā
Shall man have whatever he yearns for?
25
فَلِلَّهِ الآخِرَةُ وَالأولىٰ
fa-li-llāhi l-ʾākhiratu wa-l-ʾūlā
Yet to Allah belong this world and the Hereafter.
26
۞ وَكَم مِن مَلَكٍ فِي السَّماواتِ لا تُغني شَفاعَتُهُم شَيئًا إِلّا مِن بَعدِ أَن يَأذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشاءُ وَيَرضىٰ
wa-kam min malakin fī s-samāwāti lā tughnī shafāʿatuhum shayʾan ʾillā min baʿdi ʾan yaʾdhana llāhu li-man yashāʾu wa-yarḍā
How many an angel there is in the heavenswhose intercession is of no avail in any wayexcept after Allah grants permissionto whomever He wishes and approves of!
27
إِنَّ الَّذينَ لا يُؤمِنونَ بِالآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمّونَ المَلائِكَةَ تَسمِيَةَ الأُنثىٰ
ʾinna lladhīna lā yuʾminūna bi-l-ʾākhirati la-yusammūna l-malāʾikata tasmiyata l-ʾunthā
Indeed those who do not believe in the Hereaftergive female names to the angels.
28
وَما لَهُم بِهِ مِن عِلمٍ ۖ إِن يَتَّبِعونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لا يُغني مِنَ الحَقِّ شَيئًا
wa-mā lahum bihī min ʿilmin ʾin yattabiʿūna ʾillā ẓ-ẓanna wa-ʾinna ẓ-ẓanna lā yughnī mina l-ḥaqqi shayʾan
They do not have any knowledge of that.They follow nothing but conjectures,and indeed conjecture is no substitute for the truth.
29
فَأَعرِض عَن مَن تَوَلّىٰ عَن ذِكرِنا وَلَم يُرِد إِلَّا الحَياةَ الدُّنيا
fa-ʾaʿriḍ ʿan man tawallā ʿan dhikrinā wa-lam yurid ʾillā l-ḥayāta d-dunyā
So avoid those who turn away from Our remembranceand desire nothing but the life of the world.
30
ذٰلِكَ مَبلَغُهُم مِنَ العِلمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعلَمُ بِمَنِ اهتَدىٰ
dhālika mablaghuhum mina l-ʿilmi ʾinna rabbaka huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-man ḍalla ʿan sabīlihī wa-huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-mani htadā
That is the ultimate reach of their knowledge.Indeed your Lord knows bestthose who stray from His way,and He knows best those who are [rightly] guided.
31
وَلِلَّهِ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَما فِي الأَرضِ لِيَجزِيَ الَّذينَ أَساءوا بِما عَمِلوا وَيَجزِيَ الَّذينَ أَحسَنوا بِالحُسنَى
wa-li-llāhi mā fī s-samāwāti wa-mā fī l-ʾarḍi li-yajziya lladhīna ʾasāʾū bi-mā ʿamilū wa-yajziya lladhīna ʾaḥsanū bi-l-ḥusnā
To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavensand whatever is in the earth,that He may requite those who do evilfor what they have done,and reward those who do goodwith the best [of rewards].
32
الَّذينَ يَجتَنِبونَ كَبائِرَ الإِثمِ وَالفَواحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ واسِعُ المَغفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعلَمُ بِكُم إِذ أَنشَأَكُم مِنَ الأَرضِ وَإِذ أَنتُم أَجِنَّةٌ في بُطونِ أُمَّهاتِكُم ۖ فَلا تُزَكّوا أَنفُسَكُم ۖ هُوَ أَعلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقىٰ
alladhīna yajtanibūna kabāʾira l-ʾithmi wa-l-fawāḥisha ʾillā l-lamama ʾinna rabbaka wāsiʿu l-maghfirati huwa ʾaʿlamu bikum ʾidh ʾanshaʾakum mina l-ʾarḍi wa-ʾidh ʾantum ʾajinnatun fī buṭūni ʾummahātikum fa-lā tuzakkū ʾanfusakum huwa ʾaʿlamu bi-mani ttaqā
Those who avoid major sinsand indecencies,excepting [minor and occasional] lapses.Indeed your Lord is expansive in [His] forgiveness.He knows you bestsince [the time] He produced you from the earth,and since you were fetusesin the bellies of your mothers.So do not flaunt your piety:He knows best those who are Godwary.
33
أَفَرَأَيتَ الَّذي تَوَلّىٰ
ʾa-fa-raʾayta lladhī tawallā
Did you see him who turned away,
34
وَأَعطىٰ قَليلًا وَأَكدىٰ
wa-ʾaʿṭā qalīlan wa-ʾakdā
gave a little and held off?
35
أَعِندَهُ عِلمُ الغَيبِ فَهُوَ يَرىٰ
ʾa-ʿindahū ʿilmu l-ghaybi fa-huwa yarā
Does he have the knowledge of the Unseenso that he sees?
36
أَم لَم يُنَبَّأ بِما في صُحُفِ موسىٰ
ʾam lam yunabbaʾ bi-mā fī ṣuḥufi mūsā
Has he not been informed of what isin the scriptures of Moses,
37
وَإِبراهيمَ الَّذي وَفّىٰ
wa-ʾibrāhīma lladhī waffā
and of Abraham, who fulfilled [his summons]:
38
أَلّا تَزِرُ وازِرَةٌ وِزرَ أُخرىٰ
ʾallā taziru wāziratun wizra ʾukhrā
that no bearer shall bear another’s burden,
39
وَأَن لَيسَ لِلإِنسانِ إِلّا ما سَعىٰ
wa-ʾan laysa li-l-ʾinsāni ʾillā mā saʿā
and that nothing belongs to manexcept what he strives for,
40
وَأَنَّ سَعيَهُ سَوفَ يُرىٰ
wa-ʾanna saʿyahū sawfa yurā
and that he will soon be shown his endeavour,
41
ثُمَّ يُجزاهُ الجَزاءَ الأَوفىٰ
thumma yujzāhu l-jazāʾa l-ʾawfā
then he will be rewarded for itwith the fullest reward;
42
وَأَنَّ إِلىٰ رَبِّكَ المُنتَهىٰ
wa-ʾanna ʾilā rabbika l-muntahā
and that the terminus is toward your Lord,
43
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضحَكَ وَأَبكىٰ
wa-ʾannahū huwa ʾaḍḥaka wa-ʾabkā
and that it is He who makes [men] laugh,and makes [them] weep,
44
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَماتَ وَأَحيا
wa-ʾannahū huwa ʾamāta wa-ʾaḥyā
and that it is He who brings death and gives life,
45
وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوجَينِ الذَّكَرَ وَالأُنثىٰ
wa-ʾannahū khalaqa z-zawjayni dh-dhakara wa-l-ʾunthā
and that it is He who created the mates,1the male and the female,Or ‘the sexes.’
46
مِن نُطفَةٍ إِذا تُمنىٰ
min nuṭfatin ʾidhā tumnā
from a drop of [seminal] fluid when emitted;
47
وَأَنَّ عَلَيهِ النَّشأَةَ الأُخرىٰ
wa-ʾanna ʿalayhi n-nashʾata l-ʾukhrā
and that with Him lies the second genesis,
48
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغنىٰ وَأَقنىٰ
wa-ʾannahū huwa ʾaghnā wa-ʾaqnā
and that it is He who enriches and grants possessions,
49
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعرىٰ
wa-ʾannahū huwa rabbu sh-shiʿrā
and that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius;
50
وَأَنَّهُ أَهلَكَ عادًا الأولىٰ
wa-ʾannahū ʾahlaka ʿādan-i l-ʾūlā
and that it is He who destroyed the former ʿĀd,
51
وَثَمودَ فَما أَبقىٰ
wa-thamūda fa-mā ʾabqā
and Thamud,sparing none [of them];
52
وَقَومَ نوحٍ مِن قَبلُ ۖ إِنَّهُم كانوا هُم أَظلَمَ وَأَطغىٰ
wa-qawma nūḥin min qablu ʾinnahum kānū hum ʾaẓlama wa-ʾaṭghā
and the people of Noah before that;indeed they were more unjust and rebellious;
53
وَالمُؤتَفِكَةَ أَهوىٰ
wa-l-muʾtafikata ʾahwā
and He overthrew the town that was overturned,1That is, Sodom. Elsewhere mentioned as plural; see 9:70, 69:9.
54
فَغَشّاها ما غَشّىٰ
fa-ghashshāhā mā ghashshā
covering it with what covered it.
55
فَبِأَيِّ آلاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمارىٰ
fa-bi-ʾayyi ʾālāʾi rabbika tatamārā
Then which of the bounties of your Lordwill you dispute?
56
هٰذا نَذيرٌ مِنَ النُّذُرِ الأولىٰ
hādhā nadhīrun mina n-nudhuri l-ʾūlā
This is a warner,[in the tradition] of the warners of old.
57
أَزِفَتِ الآزِفَةُ
ʾazifati l-ʾāzifatu
The Imminent [Hour] is near at hand.
58
لَيسَ لَها مِن دونِ اللَّهِ كاشِفَةٌ
laysa lahā min dūni llāhi kāshifatun
There is none that may unveil it besides Allah.
59
أَفَمِن هٰذَا الحَديثِ تَعجَبونَ
ʾa-fa-min hādhā l-ḥadīthi taʿjabūna
Do you then wonder at this discourse,
60
وَتَضحَكونَ وَلا تَبكونَ
wa-taḍḥakūna wa-lā tabkūna
and laugh and not weep,
61
وَأَنتُم سامِدونَ
wa-ʾantum sāmidūna
while you remain heedless?!
62
فَاسجُدوا لِلَّهِ وَاعبُدوا ۩
fa-sjudū li-llāhi wa-ʿbudū
So prostrate yourselves to Allah and worship Him!