1. Wannajmi izaa hawaa وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ By the Star when it goes down,- |
2. Maa dalla saahibukum wa maa ghawaa مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. |
3. Wa maa yyantiqu 'anilhawaaa وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. |
4. In huwa illaa Wahyuny yoohaa إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ It is no less than inspiration sent down to him: |
5. 'Allamahoo shadeedul quwaa عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ He was taught by one Mighty in Power, |
6. Zoo mirratin fastawaa ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَىٰ Endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form); |
7. Wa huwa bil ufuqil a'laa وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىٰ While he was in the highest part of the horizon: |
8. Summa danaa fatadalla ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ Then he approached and came closer, |
9. Fakaana qaaba qawsaini aw adnaa فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer; |
10. Fa awhaaa ilaa 'abdihee maaa awhaa فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىٰ So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to His Servant- (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey. |
11. Maa kazabal fu'aadu maa ra aa مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰ The (Prophet´s) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw. |
12. Afatumaaroonahoo 'alaa maayaraa أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw? |
13. Wa laqad ra aahu nazlatan ukhraa وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ For indeed he saw him at a second descent, |
14. 'Inda sidratil muntaha عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَىٰ Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass: |
15. 'Indahaa jannatul maawaa عِنْدَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ Near it is the Garden of Abode. |
16. Iz yaghshas sidrata maa yaghshaa إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!) |
17. Maa zaaghal basaru wa maa taghaa مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ (His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong! |
18. Laqad ra aa min aayaati Rabbihil kubraaa لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest! |
19. Afara'aytumul laata wal 'uzzaa أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ Have ye seen Lat. and ´Uzza, |
20. Wa manaatas saalisatal ukhraa وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ And another, the third (goddess), Manat? |
21. A-lakumuz zakaru wa lahul unsaa أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْأُنْثَىٰ What! for you the male sex, and for Him, the female? |
22. Tilka izan qismatun deezaa تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ Behold, such would be indeed a division most unfair! |
23. In hiya illaaa asmaaa'un sammaitumoohaaa antum wa aabaaa'ukum maaa anzalal laahu bihaa min sultaan; inyyattabi'oona illaz zanna wa maa tahwal anfusu wa laqad jaaa'ahum mir Rabbihimul hudaa إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنْفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الْهُدَىٰ These are nothing but names which ye have devised,- ye and your fathers,- for which Allah has sent down no authority (whatever). They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire!- Even though there has already come to them Guidance from their Lord! |
24. Am lil insaani maa taman naa أَمْ لِلْإِنْسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ Nay, shall man have (just) anything he hankers after? |
25. Falillaahil aakhiratu wal oolaa فَلِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةُ وَالْأُولَىٰ But it is to Allah that the End and the Beginning (of all things) belong. |
26. Wa kam mim malakin fissamaawaati laa tughnee shafaa'atuhum shai'an illaa mim ba'di anyyaazanal laahu limany yashaaa'u wa yardaa وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَىٰ How many-so-ever be the angels in the heavens, their intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He pleases and that he is acceptable to Him. |
27. innal lazeena laa yu'minoona bil aakhirati la yusammoonal malaaa'ikata tasmiyatal unsaa إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنْثَىٰ Those who believe not in the Hereafter, name the angels with female names. |
28. Wa maa lahum bihee min 'ilmin iny yattabi'oona illaz zanna wa innaz zanna laa yughnee minal haqqi shai'aa وَمَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا But they have no knowledge therein. They follow nothing but conjecture; and conjecture avails nothing against Truth. |
29. Fa a'rid 'am man tawallaa 'an zikrinaa wa lam yurid illal hayaatad dunyaa فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْ مَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message and desire nothing but the life of this world. |
30. Zalika mablaghuhum minal 'ilm; inna rabbaka huwa a'lamu biman dalla 'an sabee lihee wa huwa a'lamu bimanih tadaa ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ That is as far as knowledge will reach them. Verily thy Lord knoweth best those who stray from His Path, and He knoweth best those who receive guidance. |
31. Wa lillaahi maa fis samaawaati wa maa fil ardi liyajziyal lazeena asaaa'oo bimaa 'amiloo wa yajziyal lazeena ahsanoo bilhusnaa وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى Yea, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: so that He rewards those who do evil, according to their deeds, and He rewards those who do good, with what is best. |
32. Allazeena yajtaniboona kabaaa'iral ismi walfawaa hisha illal lamam; inna rabbaka waasi'ul maghfirah; huwa a'lamu bikum iz ansha akum minal ardi wa iz antum ajinnatun fee butooni umma haatikum falaa tuzakkooo anfusakum huwa a'lamu bimanit taqaa الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنْشَأَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنْتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ Those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds, only (falling into) small faults,- verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness. He knows you well when He brings you out of the earth, And when ye are hidden in your mothers´ wombs. Therefore justify not yourselves: He knows best who it is that guards against evil. |
33. Afara'ayatal lazee tawallaa أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ Seest thou one who turns back, |
34. Wa a'taa qaleelanw wa akdaa وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰ Gives a little, then hardens (his heart)? |
35. A'indahoo 'ilmul ghaibi fahuwa yaraa أَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰ What! Has he knowledge of the Unseen so that he can see? |
36. Am lam yunabbaa bimaa fee suhuhfi Moosa أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ Nay, is he not acquainted with what is in the Books of Moses- |
37. Wa Ibraaheemal lazee waffaaa وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ And of Abraham who fulfilled his engagements?- |
38. Allaa taziru waaziratunw wizra ukhraa أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another; |
39. Wa al laisa lil insaani illaa maa sa'aa وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ That man can have nothing but what he strives for; |
40. Wa anna sa'yahoo sawfa yuraa وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight: |
41. Summa yujzaahul jazaaa 'al awfaa ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاءَ الْأَوْفَىٰ Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete; |
42. Wa anna ilaa rabbikal muntahaa وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنْتَهَىٰ That to thy Lord is the final Goal; |
43. Wa annahoo huwa adhaka wa abkaa وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ That it is He Who granteth Laughter and Tears; |
44. Wa annahoo huwa amaata wa ahyaa وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا That it is He Who granteth Death and Life; |
45. Wa annahoo khalaqaz zawjainiz zakara wal unsaa وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ That He did create in pairs,- male and female, |
46. Min nutfatin izaa tumnaa مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ From a seed when lodged (in its place); |
47. Wa anna 'alaihin nash atal ukhraa وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ That He hath promised a Second Creation (Raising of the Dead); |
48. Wa annahoo huwa aghnaa wa aqnaa وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ That it is He Who giveth wealth and satisfaction; |
49. Wa annahoo huwa rabbush shi'raa وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَىٰ That He is the Lord of Sirius (the Mighty Star); |
50. Wa annahooo ahlak a 'Aadanil oolaa وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَىٰ And that it is He Who destroyed the (powerful) ancient ´Ad (people), |
51. Wa samooda famaaa abqaa وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَىٰ And the Thamud nor gave them a lease of perpetual life. |
52. Wa qawma Noohim min qablu innahum kaanoo hum azlama wa atghaa وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ And before them, the people of Noah, for that they were (all) most unjust and most insolent transgressors, |
53. Wal mu'tafikata ahwaa وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ And He destroyed the Overthrown Cities (of Sodom and Gomorrah). |
54. Faghashshaahaa maa ghashshaa فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ So that (ruins unknown) have covered them up. |
55. Fabi ayyi aalaaa'i Rabbika tatamaaraa فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ Then which of the gifts of thy Lord, (O man,) wilt thou dispute about? |
56. Haazaa nazeerum minan nuzuril oolaa هَٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِنَ النُّذُرِ الْأُولَىٰ This is a Warner, of the (series of) Warners of old! |
57. Azifatil aazifah أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ The (Judgment) ever approaching draws nigh: |
58. Laisa lahaa min doonil laahi kaashifah لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ No (soul) but Allah can lay it bare. |
59. Afamin hazal hadeesi ta'jaboon أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ Do ye then wonder at this recital? |
60. Wa tadhakoona wa laa tabkoon وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ And will ye laugh and not weep,- |
61. Wa antum saamidoon وَأَنْتُمْ سَامِدُونَ Wasting your time in vanities? |
62. Fasjudoo lillaahi wa'budoo (make sajda) فَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ وَاعْبُدُوا ۩ But fall ye down in prostration to Allah, and adore (Him)! |
Recitation by Mishary Al-Alfasy
The Sarah derives its name from the very first word wan Najm. This title also
does not relate to the subject matter, but is a name given to the Surah as a
symbol.
Period of Revelation
According to a Tradition
related by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud and Nasai, on the authority of Hadrat
Abdullah bin Mas'ud, the first Surah in which a verse requiring the performance
of a sajdah (prostration) as sent down, is Surah An-Najm. The parts of this
Hadith which have been reported by Aswad bin Yazid, Abu Ishaq and Zubair bin
Mu'awiyah from Hadrat Ibn Mas'ud, indicate that this is the first Surah of the
Qur'an, which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had
publicly recited before an assembly of the Quraish (and according to Ibn
Marduyah, in the Ka'bah) in which both the believers and the disbelievers were
present. At the end, when he recited the verse requiring the performance of a
sajdah and fell down in prostration, the whole assembly also fall down in
prostration with him, and even those chiefs of the polytheists who were in the
forefront of the opposition to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) could not resist falling down in prostration. Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be
pleased with him) says that he saw only one man, Umayyah bin Khalaf, from among
the disbelievers, who did not fall down in prostration but took a little dust
and rubbing it on his forehead said that that was enough for him. Later, as Ibn
Mas'ud relates, he saw this man die in the state of disbelief.
Another
eye witness of this incident is Hadrat Muttalib bin Abi Wada'ah, who had not yet
become a Muslim. Nasai and Musnad Ahmad contain his own words to the effect:
"When the Holy Prophet recited the Surah An-Najm and performed the sajdah and
the whole assembly fell down in prostration along with him, I did not perform
the sajdah. Now to compensate for the same whenever I recite this Surah I make
sure never to abandon its performance."
Ibn Sad says that before this, in
the Rajab of the 5th year of Prophethood, a small group of the Companions had
emigrated to Abyssinia. Then, when in the Ramadan of the same year this incident
took place the news spread that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) had recited Surah An-Najm publicly in the assembly of the Quraish
and the whole assembly, including the believers as well as the disbelievers, had
fallen down in prostration with him. When the emigrants to Abyssinia heard this
news they formed the impression that the disbelievers of Makkah had become
Muslims. Thereupon, some of them returned to Makkah in the Shawwal of the 5th
year of Prophethood, only to learn that the news was wrong and the conflict
between Islam and disbelief was raging as furiously as before. Consequently, the
second emigration to Abyssinia took place, in which many more people left Makkah.
Thus, it becomes almost certain that this Surah was revealed in the Ramadan
of 5th year of Prophethood.
Historical Background
The
details of the period of revelation as given above point to the conditions in
which this Surah was revealed. During the first five years of his appointment as
a Prophet, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had been
extending invitation to Allah's Religion by presenting the Divine Revelations
before the people only in private and restricted meetings and assemblies. During
this whole period he could never have a chance to recite the Quran before a
common gathering openly, mainly because of the strong opposition and resistance
from the disbelievers. They were well aware of how magnetic and captivating was
the Holy Prophet's personality and his way of preaching and how impressive were
the Revelations of the Qur'an. Therefore, they tried their best to avoid hearing
it them- selves and to stop others also from hearing it and to suppress his
invitation by false propaganda by spreading every kind of suspicion against him.
For this object, on the one hand, they were telling the people that Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had gone astray and was now bent upon
misleading others as well; on the other hand, they would raise on uproar
whenever he tried to present the Qur'an before the people so that no one could
know what it was for which he was being branded as a misled and misguided
person.
Such were the conditions when the Holy Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) suddenly stood up one day to make a speech in
the sacred precincts of the Ka'bah, where a large number of the Quraish had
gathered together. Allah at that time made him deliver this discourse, which we
have now in the form of the Surah An-Najm with us. Such was the intensity of the
impression that when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
started reciting it the opponents were so completely overwhelmed that they could
not think of raising any disorder, and when at the conclusion he fell down in
prostration, they too fell down in prostration along with him. Later they felt
great remorse at the weakness they had involuntarily shown. The people also
started taunting them to the effect that whereas they had been forbidding others
to listen to the Qur'an, that day not only had they themselves listened to it,
with complete absorption but had even fallen down in prostration along with
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). At last, they had to invent
a story in order to get rid of the people's taunt and ridicule. They said "After
he had recited afara'ait-ul Lata wal Uzza wa Manat ath-thalitha-al ukhra, we
heard from Muhammad the words: tilk al-gharaniqa- tal-'ula, wa anna shafa'at-u-hunna
latarja: 'They are exalted goddesses: indeed, their intercession may be
expected.' From this we understood that Muhammad had returned to our faith." As
a matter of fact, only a mad person could think that in the context of this
Surah the sentences they claimed to have heard could have any place and
relevance.(For details, please see E. N.'s 96 to 301 of Surah Al Hajj).
Subject Matter and Topics
The theme of the discourse is to
warn the disbelievers of Makkah about the error of the attitude that they had
adopted towards the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him).
The discourse starts in a way as if to say: "Muhammad
is neither deluded nor gone astray, as you are telling others in your propaganda
against him, nor has he fabricated this teaching of Islam and its message, as
you seem to think he has. In fact, whatever he is presenting is nothing but
Revelation which is sent down to him. The verities that be presents before you,
are not the product of his own surmise and speculation but realities of which he
himself is an eye witness. He has himself seen the Angel through whom this
knowledge is conveyed to him. He has been directly made to observe the great
Signs of his Lord: whatever he says is not what he has himself thought out but
what he has seen with his own eyes. Therefore, your disputing and wrangling with
him is just like the disputing and wrangling of a blind man with a man of sight
over a thing which the blind man cannot see but he can see."
After this,
three things have been presented in their successive order:
First, the
listeners have been made to understand that: "The religion that you are
following is based on mere conjecture and invented ideas. You have set up a few
goddesses like Lat and Manat and Uzza as your deities, whereas they have no
share whatever in divinity. You regard the angels as the daughters of Allah,
whereas you regard a daughter as disgraceful for your own selves. You think that
these deities of fours can influence Allah in your favor, whereas the fact is
that all the angels together, who are stationed closest to Allah, cannot
influence Him even in their own favor. None of such beliefs that you have
adopted, is based on knowledge and reason, but are wishes and desires for the
sake of which you have taken some whims as realities. This is a grave error. The
right and true religion is that which is in conformity to the reality, and the
reality is never subject to thee people's wishes and desires so that whatever
they may regard as a reality and truth should become the reality and truth.
Speculation and conjecture cannot help to determine as to what is according to
the truth and what is not; it is knowledge. When that knowledge is presented
before you, you turn away from it, and brand the one who tells you the truth as
misguided. The actual cause of your being involved in this error is that you are
heedless of the Hereafter. Only this world is your goal. Therefore, you have
neither any desire for the knowledge of reality, nor you bother to see 'whether
the beliefs you hold are according to the truth or not.
Secondly, the
people have been told that: Allah is the caster and Sovereign of the entire
Universe. The righteous is he who follows His way, and the misguided he who has
turned away from His way. The error of the misguided and the righteousness of
the righteous are not hidden from Him. He knows whatever everyone is doing: He
will requite the evil with evil and the good with good. The final judgment will
not depend on what you consider yourself to be, and on tall claims you make of
your purity and chastity but on whether you are pious or impious, righteous or
unrighteous, in the sight of God. If you refrain from major sins, He in His
mercy will overlook your minor errors.'' .
Thirdly, a few basic
principles of the true Religion which had been presented hundreds of years
before the revelation of the Qur'an in the Books of the Prophets Abraham and
Moses have been reiterated so that the people did not remain involved in the
misunderstanding that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) had brought some new and novel religion, but they should know that these
are the fundamental truths which the former Prophets of Allah have always been
presenting in their respective ages. Besides, the same Books have been quoted to
confirm the historical facts that the destruction of the 'Ad and the Thamud and
of the people of the Prophets Noah and Lot was not the result of accidental
calamities, but Allah has destroyed them in consequence of the same wickedness
and rebellion from which the disbelievers of Makkah were not inclined to refrain
and desist in any case.
After presenting these themes and discourses the
Surah has been concluded, thus: "The Hour of Judgment has approached near at
hand, which no one can avert. Before the occurrence of that Hour you are being
warned through Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Quran
in the like manner as the former people had been warned before. Now, is it this
warning that you find novel and strange? Which you mock and ridicule? Which you
turn away from and cause disorder so that no one else also is able to hear what
it is ? Don't you feel like weeping at your folly and ignorance? Abandon this
attitude and behavior, bow down to Allah and serve Him alone!"
This was
that impressive conclusion hearing which even the most hardened deniers of the
Truth were completely overwhelmed, and when after reciting these verses of
Divine Word the Holy Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) fell down in prostration, they too could not help falling down in
prostration along with him.