Chapter 53: An-Najm (The Star)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
By the Star when it goes down,-
1وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَى
Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled.
2مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَى
Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire.
3وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى
It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:
4إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى
He was taught by one Mighty in Power,
5عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَى
Endued with Wisdom: for he appeared (in stately form);
6ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَى
While he was in the highest part of the horizon:
7وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَى
Then he approached and came closer,
8ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى
And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer;
9فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى
So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to His Servant- (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey.
10فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى
The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw.
11مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى
Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?
12أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَى مَا يَرَى
For indeed he saw him at a second descent,
13وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَى
Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass:
14عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَى
Near it is the Garden of Abode.
15عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَى
Behold, the Lote-tree was shrouded with what shrouds (it)!
16إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى
(His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong!
17مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَى
For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!
18لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى
Have ye seen Lat. and 'Uzza,
19أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّى
And another, the third (goddess), Manat?
20وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَى
What! for you the male sex, and for Him, the female?
21أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْأُنثَى
Behold, such would be indeed a division most unfair!
22تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَى
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!
23إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاء سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنفُسُ وَلَقَدْ جَاءهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى
Nay, shall man have (just) anything he hankers after?
24أَمْ لِلْإِنسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّى
But it is to Allah that the End and the Beginning (of all things) belong.
25فَلِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةُ وَالْأُولَى
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.
26وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيَرْضَى
Those who believe not in the Hereafter, name the angels with female names.
27إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنثَى
But they have no knowledge therein. They follow nothing but conjecture; and conjecture avails nothing against Truth.
28وَمَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا
Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message and desire nothing but the life of this world.
29فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّى عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
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.
30ذَلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَى
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.
31وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاؤُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى
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.
32الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَى
Seest thou one who turns back,
33أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّى
Gives a little, then hardens (his heart)?
34وَأَعْطَى قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَى
What! Has he knowledge of the Unseen so that he can see?
35أَعِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَى
Nay, is he not acquainted with what is in the Books of Moses-
36أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَى
And of Abraham who fulfilled his engagements?-
37وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّى
Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;
38أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى
That man can have nothing but what he strives for;
39وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى
That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight:
40وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَى
Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete;
41ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاء الْأَوْفَى
That to thy Lord is the final Goal;
42وَأَنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَى
That it is He Who granteth Laughter and Tears;
43وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَى
That it is He Who granteth Death and Life;
44وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا
That He did create in pairs,- male and female,
45وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَى
From a seed when lodged (in its place);
46مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَى
That He hath promised a Second Creation (Raising of the Dead);
47وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَى
That it is He Who giveth wealth and satisfaction;
48وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَى وَأَقْنَى
That He is the Lord of Sirius (the Mighty Star);
49وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَى
And that it is He Who destroyed the (powerful) ancient 'Ad (people),
50وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَى
And the Thamud nor gave them a lease of perpetual life.
51وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَى
And before them, the people of Noah, for that they were (all) most unjust and most insolent transgressors,
52وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَى
And He destroyed the Overthrown Cities (of Sodom and Gomorrah),
53وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَى
So that (ruins unknown) have covered them up.
54فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّى
Then which of the gifts of thy Lord, (O man,) wilt thou dispute about?
55فَبِأَيِّ آلَاء رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَى
This is a Warner, of the (series of) Warners of old!
56هَذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ النُّذُرِ الْأُولَى
The (Judgment) ever approaching draws nigh:
57أَزِفَتْ الْآزِفَةُ
None (after Allah) can disclose it.
58لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ
Do ye then wonder at this recital?
59أَفَمِنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ
And will ye laugh and not weep,-
60وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ
Wasting your time in vanities?
61وَأَنتُمْ سَامِدُونَ
But fall ye down in prostration to Allah, and adore (Him)!
62فَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ وَاعْبُدُوا