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سُورَةُ النَّجۡمِ

Surah 53 - An-Najm

The Star

  • 62 verses
  • Juz 27
  • Pages 526 to 528 of the Mushaf

An-Najm opens with an oath on a star as it sets, then defends the one it calls “your companion”: he says nothing of his own, what he utters was inspired to him. The verses that follow describe twice what was seen, the second time near the Sidrat-ul-Muntaha, named at verse 14, with the gaze never straying. The text then quotes three names of divinities and answers that they were invented. Its longest part reports what is held in scrolls ascribed to Moses and to Abraham: a run of short sentences, all built the same way. The last verse is an order to prostrate.

The main parts

  1. The oath, the word received and what was seen1-18
  2. The three names, guesswork, and what belongs to Allah19-32
  3. What the scrolls of Moses and Abraham carry33-54
  4. The Hour drawing near, and the order to prostrate55-62

The text of the surah

  1. بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ

    By the star when it descends,

  2. مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ

    Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred,

  3. وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ

    Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.

  4. إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ

    It is not but a revelation revealed,

  5. عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلْقُوَىٰ

    Taught to him by one intense in strength -

  6. ذُو مِرَّةٍۢ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ

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

  7. وَهُوَ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ

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

  8. ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ

    Then he approached and descended

  9. فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ

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

  10. فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِۦ مَآ أَوْحَىٰ

    And he revealed to His Servant what he revealed.

  11. مَا كَذَبَ ٱلْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰٓ

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

  12. أَفَتُمَٰرُونَهُۥ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ

    So will you dispute with him over what he saw?

  13. وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ

    And he certainly saw him in another descent

  14. عِندَ سِدْرَةِ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ

    At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary -

  15. عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰٓ

    Near it is the Garden of Refuge -

  16. إِذْ يَغْشَى ٱلسِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ

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

  17. مَا زَاغَ ٱلْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ

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

  18. لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ ءَايَٰتِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰٓ

    He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.

  19. أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱللَّٰتَ وَٱلْعُزَّىٰ

    So have you considered al-Lat and al-'Uzza?

  20. وَمَنَوٰةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ

    And Manat, the third - the other one?

  21. أَلَكُمُ ٱلذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ ٱلْأُنثَىٰ

    Is the male for you and for Him the female?

  22. تِلْكَ إِذًۭا قِسْمَةٌۭ ضِيزَىٰٓ

    That, then, is an unjust division.

  23. إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءٌۭ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَٰنٍ ۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى ٱلْأَنفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ

    They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah 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.

  24. أَمْ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ

    Or is there for man whatever he wishes?

  25. فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْءَاخِرَةُ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ

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

  26. ۞ وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍۢ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغْنِى شَفَٰعَتُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْضَىٰٓ

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

  27. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ ٱلْأُنثَىٰ

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

  28. وَمَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًۭٔا

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

  29. فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا

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

  30. ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ

    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.

  31. وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَٰٓـُٔوا۟ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ بِٱلْحُسْنَى

    And to Allah 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] -

  32. ٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَٰسِعُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌۭ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَٰتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰٓ

    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.

  33. أَفَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى تَوَلَّىٰ

    Have you seen the one who turned away

  34. وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًۭا وَأَكْدَىٰٓ

    And gave a little and [then] refrained?

  35. أَعِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰٓ

    Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so he sees?

  36. أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِى صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ

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

  37. وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلَّذِى وَفَّىٰٓ

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

  38. أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ

    That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another

  39. وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ

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

  40. وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُۥ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ

    And that his effort is going to be seen -

  41. ثُمَّ يُجْزَىٰهُ ٱلْجَزَآءَ ٱلْأَوْفَىٰ

    Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense

  42. وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ

    And that to your Lord is the finality

  43. وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ

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

  44. وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا

    And that it is He who causes death and gives life

  45. وَأَنَّهُۥ خَلَقَ ٱلزَّوْجَيْنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰ

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

  46. مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ

    From a sperm-drop when it is emitted

  47. وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ

    And that [incumbent] upon Him is the next creation

  48. وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ

    And that it is He who enriches and suffices

  49. وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلشِّعْرَىٰ

    And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius

  50. وَأَنَّهُۥٓ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا ٱلْأُولَىٰ

    And that He destroyed the first [people of] 'Aad

  51. وَثَمُودَا۟ فَمَآ أَبْقَىٰ

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

  52. وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍۢ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ

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

  53. وَٱلْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ

    And the overturned towns He hurled down

  54. فَغَشَّىٰهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ

    And covered them by that which He covered.

  55. فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ

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

  56. هَٰذَا نَذِيرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلنُّذُرِ ٱلْأُولَىٰٓ

    This [Prophet] is a warner like the former warners.

  57. أَزِفَتِ ٱلْءَازِفَةُ

    The Approaching Day has approached.

  58. لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ

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

  59. أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ

    Then at this statement do you wonder?

  60. وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ

    And you laugh and do not weep

  61. وَأَنتُمْ سَٰمِدُونَ

    While you are proudly sporting?

  62. فَٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ۩

    So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him].

Key verses of the surah

  • The answer to the doubt raised at verses 2 and 3: what is said does not come from the one saying it.

    إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ

    It is not but a revelation revealed,

  • The first of the sentences drawn from the scrolls: no one carries another's load.

    أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ

    That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another

  • The one that comes straight after: a man gets what he has toiled for, and nothing more.

    وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ

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

  • The last verse: an order to prostrate. It is one of the fifteen verses of the Quran that carry one.

    فَٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ۩

    So prostrate to Allah and worship [Him].

What is surah An-Najm about?

Of what is received and what is made up. The first half establishes where the word comes from and what was seen; the second sets aside names and assumptions, then reports what old scrolls carried.

How is surah An-Najm built?

In four moves: an oath and a vision, a refusal of three names, a run of statements drawn from old scrolls, a short close. Its verses are for the most part very short, often a single line.

What does surah An-Najm say about the names given to divinities?

Verses 19 and 20 quote three of them: Lat, Uzza and Manat. Verse 23 answers that these are names set by men, with nothing to back them. Verse 27 adds that female names are lent to the Angels.

How does surah An-Najm end?

With verses that tighten: a warner like those before, the Imminent drawing near, a question about laughter and tears, then an order in three words, to prostrate and to worship.

Why is surah An-Najm called that?

“An-Najm” means “the Star”. The word is in the first verse, where it carries the opening oath, and it appears once only in the surah. Further on, at verse 49, the text names another heavenly body by a proper name.

How many verses does surah An-Najm have?

Surah An-Najm has 62 verses. It stands at number 53 in the order of the Mushaf, which holds 114.

The Arabic text is that of the Mushaf. The summary, the outline and the answers on this page describe the text and how it is built: they are not religious commentary.

Themes that quote this surah

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