The Star (An-Najm)

In the name of Allah, Gracious, Merciful.

¹By the star when it goes down.

²Your companion is neither astray nor being misled.

³Nor does he say anything of his own desire.

⁴It is no less than inspiration sent down to him:

⁵He was taught by one mighty in power.¹

⁶Endued with wisdom: For he appeared in stately form.

⁷While he was in the highest part of the horizon:

⁸Then he approached and came closer

⁹And was at a distance of but two bow lengths or even nearer;

¹⁰So did Allah convey the inspiration to His servant, what He meant to convey.

¹¹The Prophet’s mind and heart in no way falsified that which he saw.²

¹²Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?

¹³For indeed he saw him at a second descent.

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

¹Wan najmi iza hawa

²Ma dalla sahibukum wa ma gawa

³Wa ma yantiqu anil hawa

⁴In huwa illa wahyu yuha

⁵Allamahu sadidul quwa

⁶Zu miratin fastawa

⁷Wa huwal bil ufuqil ala

⁸Summa dana fatadalla

⁹Fakana qaba qausaini au adna

¹⁰Fa auha ila abdihi ma auha

¹¹Ma kazabal fu adu ma ra a

¹²Afatumarunahu ala ma yara

¹³Wa laqad ra ahu nazlatan ukhra

1. Allah begins this chapter also by swearing by the star when it goes down, and proceeds to polish Muhammad up in the face of his opponents, and in verse 5, Allah says that Muhammad was taught by someone mighty in power. How could he speak in the past tense when the revelation at this time was ongoing. Might it be that Muhammad was taught by some one before his experience on mount Hira?

2. If this is indeed the case with the revelation given to Muhammad, then, the revealer is very ignorant or very biased against the Jews and the Christians. Basic Christian doctrine such as the deity of Jesus, his death and resurrection has been denied. If the author was God Almighty, at least, He would acknowledge if not agree with history.

¹⁴Near the Lote tree beyond which none may pass:

¹⁵Near it is the garden of abode.

¹⁶Behold the Lote tree was shrouded in mystery unspeakable!

¹⁷His sight never swerved nor did it go wrong!

¹⁸For truly did he see of the signs of his Lord the greatest!

¹⁹Have you seen Lat and Uzza³

²⁰And another the third oddess Manat?

²¹What! for you the male sex and for Him the female?⁴

²²Behold such would be indeed a division most unfair!

²³These are nothing but names which you have devised, you and your fathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and what their own souls desire! Even though there has already come to them guidance from their Lord!

¹⁴Indasidratil muntaha

¹⁵Indaha jannatul mawa

¹⁶Iz yagsas sidrata ma yagsa

¹⁷Ma zagal basaru wa ma taga

¹⁸Laqad ra a min ayati rabbihil kubra

¹⁹Afara aitumul lata wal uz za

²⁰Wa manatats salitsatal ukhra

²¹Alakumuz zakaru wa lahul untsa

²²Tilka izan qismatun diza

²³In hiya il la asma un sam maitumuha antum wa abaukum ma anzalal lahu biha min sultan iyat tabiuna illa zan na wa ma tahwa anfus wa laqad jaahum mi rabbihumul huda

3. These are two of the three principal goddeses in the worship of pre-Islam Arabia, Al-Lat, Al-Manat and Al-Uzza. These were also considered the daughters of Allah.

4. There is no doubt that Muhammad is speaking here in a Book that is said to be exclusively Allah’s. If Allah were speaking this statement would have changed from this “What! for you the male sex and for Him the female?” to “What! for you the male sex and for Me the female?”. A clear error in judging our intelligence on the part of Allah occurred here. Or you may say a slip of tongue on the part of Allah.

²⁴No, shall man have anything he hankers after?

²⁵But it is to Allah that the end and the beginning belong.

²⁶How 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.

²⁷Those who believe not in the hereafter, name the angels with female names.

²⁸But they have no knowledge therein. They follow nothing but conjecture; and conjecture avails nothing against truth.

²⁹Therefore shun those who turn away from Our message and desire nothing but the life of this world.

²⁴Am lil insani ma taman na

²⁵Falil lahil akhiratu walula

²⁶Wa kam mim malakin fi samawati la tugni safaatuhum sai an illa min badi ayazanal lahu limay yasyau wa yarda

²⁷Innal lazina la yuminuna bil akhirati layusam munal malaikata tasmiyatal untsa

²⁸Wa ma lahum bihi min ilm iyyat taiuna il la zan na wa inna zan na la yugni minal haqqi sai a

²⁹Fa arid amman tawalla an zikrina wa lam yurid illal hayatad dunya

[Commentary continues below.]

³⁰That is as far as knowledge will reach them. Verily, your Lord knows best those who stray from His path and He knows best those who receive guidance.

³¹Yes, 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.

³²Those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds, only falling into small faults verily, your Lord is ample in forgiveness. He knows you well when He brings you out of the earth and when you are hidden in your mother’s wombs, therefore justify not yourselves. He knows best who it is that guards against evil.

³³Do you see one who turns back.

³⁰Zalika mablaguhum minal ilm inna rabbaka huwa alamu biman dal la an sabilihi wa huwa alamu bimanih tada

³¹Wa lil lahi ma fi samawati wa ma filardi liyajziyal lazina asau bima amilu wa yajziyal lazina ahsanu bil husna

³²Allazina yajtanibuna kaba iral itsmi wal fawahisya illal lamam inna rabbaka wasiul magfirah huwa alamu bikum iz ansa akum minal ardi wa iz antum ajin natun fi butuni um mahatikum fala tuzaku anfusakum huwa alamu bimanit taqa

³³Afara aital lazi tawal la

[Commentary continues below.]

³⁴Gives a little then hardens his heart?

³⁵What! has he knowledge of the unseen so that he can see?

³⁶No, is he not acquainted with what is in the books of Moses?

³⁷And of Abraham who fulfilled his engagements?

³⁸Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;⁵

³⁹That man can have nothing but what he strives for;

⁴⁰And that the fruit of his striving will soon come in sight;

⁴¹Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete;

⁴²And that to your Lord is the final goal;

⁴³And that it is He who grants laughter and tears;

⁴⁴And that it is He who grants death and life;

⁴⁵And that He did create in pairs male and female.

⁴⁶From a seed when lodged in its place;

³⁴Wa ata qalilaw wa akda

³⁵Aindahu ilmul gaibi fahuwa yara

³⁶Am lam yunab ba bima fi suhufi Musa

³⁷Wa Ibrahimal lazi waffa

³⁸Alla taziru waziratuw wizra ukhra

³⁹Wa allaisa lil insani il la ma saa

⁴⁰Wa anna sayahu saufa yura

⁴¹Summa yujzahul jaza al aufa

⁴²Wa anna ila rabbikal muntaha

⁴³Wa annahu huwa adhaka wa abka

⁴⁴Wa annahu huwa amata wa ahya

⁴⁵Wa annahu halaqaz zaujainiz zakara wal untsa

⁴⁶Min nutfatin iza tumna

5. This explains the Muslim rejection of the sacrificial death of Christ. Because the verse says that no sinner can bear the sins of another. The fact is that Christ was not a sinner. Qur’an 19:19 calls Him faultless, holy, righteous. Whereas Muhammad was told to confess his sins, there is not an iota in the Qur’an or Islam traditions which suggests that Jesus was asked to confess his sins. Therefore, He qualifies to bear our sins. The Bible says that He was tempted, yet He was without sin (Hebrews 2:8, 4:15). Muhammad on the other hand had sins to confess (Qur’an 40:55, 47:19(20), 48:1-2).

[Commentary continues below.]

⁴⁷And that He has promised a second creation raising of the dead.

⁴⁸And that it is He who gives wealth and satisfaction;

⁴⁹And that He is the Lord of Sirius the mighty star;⁶

⁵⁰And that it is He who destroyed the powerful ancient `Ad people

⁵¹And the Thamud, nor gave them a lease of perpetual life.

⁵²And before them the people of Noah for that they were most unjust and most insolent transgressors.

⁵³And He destroyed the overthrown cities of Sodom and Gomorrah⁷

⁵⁴So that ruins unknown have covered them up.

⁵⁵Then which of the gifts of your Lord will you dispute about?

⁵⁶This is a warner of the series of warners of old!

⁵⁷The Judgment ever approaching draws nigh:

⁵⁸No soul but Allah can lay it bare.

⁵⁹Do you then wonder at this recital?

⁴⁷Wa anna alihinnas atal ukhra

⁴⁸Wa annahu huwa agna wa aqna

⁴⁹Wa annahu huwa rabbu sira

⁵⁰Wa annahu ahlaka Adanil ula

⁵¹Wa Samuda fama abqa

⁵²Wa qauma Nuhim min qabl innahum kanu hum azlama wa atga

⁵³Walmutafikata ahwa

⁵⁴Fagas saha ma gasa

⁵⁵Fabia yi alai rabbika tatamara

⁵⁶Haza nazirum minan nuzuril ula

⁵⁷Azifatil azifah

⁵⁸Laisa laha mindunillahi kasifah

⁵⁹Afamin hazal hadisi tajabun

6. Sale, Yusuf Ali, Farid and the editors of the “Noble Qur’an” agree that this star was worshiped by the pagan Arabs as being Mighty. Mighty in comparison to whom? God Almighty is the greatest. For Allah to attribute greatness to a creation calls into question his stature in comparison. There can be no mighty star, just star, a creation of God Almighty.

7. Overthrown in this context is the same as destroyed. Therefore the combination of the two words makes the meaning redundant.

⁶⁰And will you laugh and not weep

⁶¹Wasting your time in vanities?

⁶²But fall down in prostration to Allah and adore Him!

⁶⁰Wa tadhakuna wa a tabkun

⁶¹Wa antum samidun

⁶²Fasjudu lil lahi wabudu