53. Surah An-Najm The Star

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّح۪يمِ

Bismi Allahi arrahmani arraheem

In the name of Allah, All-Merciful, Most Merciful

وَالنَّجْمِ اِذَا هَوٰىۙ

Wannajmi itha hawa

By the star when it descends,

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوٰىۚ

Ma dalla sahibukum wamaghawa

your companion is not misguided or misled;

وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوٰىۜ

Wama yantiqu AAani alhawa

nor does he speak from whim.

اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحٰىۙ

In huwa illa wahyun yooha

It is nothing but Revelation revealed,

عَلَّمَهُ شَد۪يدُ الْقُوٰىۙ

AAallamahu shadeedu alquwa

taught him by one immensely strong,

ذُومِرَّةٍۜ فَاسْتَوٰىۙ

Thoo mirratin fastawa

possessing power and splendour. He stood there stationary –

وَهُوَ بِالْاُفُقِ الْاَعْلٰىۜ

Wahuwa bil-ofuqi al-aAAla

there on the highest horizon.

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلّٰىۙ

Thumma dana fatadalla

Then he drew near and hung suspended.

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ اَوْ اَدْنٰىۚ

Fakana qaba qawsayni aw adna

He was two bow-lengths away or even closer.

فَاَوْحٰٓى اِلٰى عَبْدِه۪ مَٓا اَوْحٰىۜ

Faawha ila AAabdihi maawha

Then He revealed to His slave what He revealed.

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤٰ۬ادُ مَا رَاٰى

Ma kathaba alfu-adu maraa

His heart did not lie about what he saw.

اَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلٰى مَا يَرٰى

Afatumaroonahu AAala mayara

What! Do you dispute with him about what he saw?

وَلَقَدْ رَاٰهُ نَزْلَةً اُخْرٰىۙ

Walaqad raahu nazlatan okhra

He saw him again another time

عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهٰى

AAinda sidrati almuntaha

by the Lote-tree of the Final Limit,

عِنْدَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوٰىۜ

AAindaha jannatu alma/wa

beside which is the Garden of Refuge,

اِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشٰىۙ

Ith yaghsha assidratama yaghsha

when that which covered the Lote-tree covered it.

مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغٰى

Ma zagha albasaru wamatagha

His eye did not waver nor did he look away.

لَقَدْ رَاٰى مِنْ اٰيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْـكُبْرٰى

Laqad raa min ayatirabbihi alkubra

He saw some of the Greatest Signs of his Lord.

اَفَرَاَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزّٰىۙ

Afaraaytumu allata walAAuzza

Have you really considered al-Lat and al-‘Uzza

وَمَنٰوةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْاُخْرٰى

Wamanata aththalithataal-okhra

and Manat, the third, the other one?

اَلَـكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْاُنْثٰى

Alakumu aththakaru walahual-ontha

Do you have males and He females?

تِلْكَ اِذاً قِسْمَةٌ ض۪يزٰى

Tilka ithan qismatun deeza

That is a most unfair division!

اِنْ هِيَ اِلَّٓا اَسْمَٓاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَٓا اَنْتُمْ وَاٰبَٓاؤُ۬كُمْ مَٓا اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍۜ اِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ اِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْاَنْفُسُۚ وَلَقَدْ جَٓاءَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الْهُدٰىۜ

In hiya illa asmaonsammaytumooha antum waabaokum maanzala Allahu biha min sultanin inyattabiAAoona illa aththanna wamatahwa al-anfusu walaqad jaahum min rabbihimu alhuda

They are nothing but names which you yourselves have given, you and your forefathers. Allah has sent down no authority for them. They are following nothing but conjecture and what their own selves desire. And that when guidance has reached them from their Lord!

اَمْ لِلْاِنْسَانِ مَا تَمَنّٰىۘ

Am lil-insani ma tamanna

Shall man then have whatever he covets?

فَلِلّٰهِ الْاٰخِرَةُ وَالْاُو۫لٰى۟

Falillahi al-akhiratu wal-oola

The last and the first belong to Allah.

وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمٰوَاتِ لَا تُغْن۪ي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْـٔاً اِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ اَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ يَشَٓاءُ وَيَرْضٰى

Wakam min malakin fee assamawatila tughnee shafaAAatuhum shay-an illa minbaAAdi an ya/thana Allahu liman yashao wayarda

And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession is of no benefit at all until Allah has authorised those He wills and is pleased with them!

اِنَّ الَّذ۪ينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْاٰخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلٰٓئِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْاُنْثٰى

Inna allatheena la yu/minoonabil-akhirati layusammoona almala-ikatatasmiyata al-ontha

Those who do not have iman in the Next World give the angels female names.

وَمَا لَهُمْ بِه۪ مِنْ عِلْمٍۜ اِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ اِلَّا الظَّنَّۚ وَاِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْن۪ي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْـٔاًۚ

Wama lahum bihi min AAilmin inyattabiAAoona illa aththanna wa-innaaththanna la yughnee mina alhaqqishay-a

They have no knowledge of this. They are only following conjecture. Conjecture is of no avail whatever against the truth.

فَاَعْرِضْ عَنْ مَنْ تَوَلّٰى عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ اِلَّا الْحَيٰوةَ الدُّنْيَاۜ

FaaAArid AAan man tawalla AAanthikrina walam yurid illa alhayataaddunya

So turn away from him who turns away from Our remembrance and desires nothing but the life of this world.

ذٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِۜ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَب۪يلِه۪ وَهُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدٰى

Thalika mablaghuhum mina alAAilmiinna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihiwahuwa aAAlamu bimani ihtada

That is as far as their knowledge extends. Your Lord knows best those who are misguided from His Way and He knows best those who are guided.

وَلِلّٰهِ مَا فِي السَّمٰوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْاَرْضِۙ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذ۪ينَ اَسَٓاؤُ۫ا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذ۪ينَ اَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنٰىۚ

Walillahi ma fee assamawatiwama fee al-ardi liyajziya allatheena asaoobima AAamiloo wayajziya allatheena ahsanoobilhusna

Everything in the heavens and everything in the earth belongs to Allah so that He can repay those who do evil for what they did and repay those who do good with the Very Best.

اَلَّذ۪ينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَـبَٓائِرَ الْاِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ اِلَّا اللَّمَمَۜ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِۜ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ اِذْ اَنْشَاَكُمْ مِنَ الْاَرْضِ وَاِذْ اَنْتُمْ اَجِنَّةٌ ف۪ي بُطُونِ اُمَّهَاتِكُمْۚ فَلَا تُزَكُّٓوا اَنْفُسَكُمْۜ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقٰى۟

Allatheena yajtaniboona kaba-iraal-ithmi walfawahisha illa allamama innarabbaka wasiAAu almaghfirati huwa aAAlamu bikum ithanshaakum mina al-ardi wa-ith antum ajinnatun feebutooni ommahatikum fala tuzakkoo anfusakumhuwa aAAlamu bimani ittaqa

To whoever avoids the major wrong actions and indecencies – except for minor lapses – truly your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He has most knowledge of you when He first produced you from the earth, and when you were embryos in your mothers’ wombs. So do not claim purity for yourselves. He knows best those who have taqwa.

اَفَرَاَيْتَ الَّذ۪ي تَوَلّٰىۙ

Afaraayta allathee tawalla

Have you seen him who turns away

وَاَعْطٰى قَل۪يلاً وَاَكْدٰى

WaaAAta qaleelan waakda

and gives little, and that grudgingly?

اَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرٰى

aAAindahu AAilmu alghaybi fahuwa yara

Does he have knowledge of the Unseen, enabling him to see?

اَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا ف۪ي صُحُفِ مُوسٰىۙ

Am lam yunabba/ bima fee suhufimoosa

Or has he not been informed what is in the texts of Musa

وَاِبْرٰه۪يمَ الَّذ۪ي وَفّٰىۙ

Wa-ibraheema allathee waffa

and of Ibrahim, who paid his dues in full:

اَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ اُخْرٰىۙ

Alla taziru waziratun wizraokhra

that no burden-bearer can bear another’s burden;

وَاَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْاِنْسَانِ اِلَّا مَا سَعٰىۙ

Waan laysa lil-insani illa masaAAa

that man will have nothing but what he strives for;

وَاَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرٰىۖ

Waanna saAAyahu sawfa yura

that his striving will most certainly be seen;

ثُمَّ يُجْزٰيهُ الْجَزَٓاءَ الْاَوْفٰىۙ

Thumma yujzahu aljazaa al-awfa

that he will then receive repayment of the fullest kind;

وَاَنَّ اِلٰى رَبِّكَ الْمُنْتَهٰىۙ

Waanna ila rabbika almuntaha

that the ultimate end is with your Lord;

وَاَنَّهُ هُوَ اَضْحَكَ وَاَبْكٰىۙ

Waannahu huwa adhaka waabka

that it is He Who brings about both laughter and tears;

وَاَنَّهُ هُوَ اَمَاتَ وَاَحْيَاۙ

Waannahu huwa amata waahya

that it is He Who brings about both death and life;

وَاَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْاُنْثٰىۙ

Waannahu khalaqa azzawjayni aththakarawal-ontha

that He created the two sexes – male and female –

مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ اِذَا تُمْنٰىۖ

Min nutfatin itha tumna

out of a sperm-drop when it spurted forth;

وَاَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْاَةَ الْاُخْرٰىۙ

Waanna AAalayhi annash-ata al-okhra

that He is responsible for the second existence;

وَاَنَّهُ هُوَ اَغْنٰى وَاَقْنٰىۙ

Waannahu huwa aghna waaqna

that it is He Who enriches and Who satisfies;

وَاَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرٰىۙ

Waannahu huwa rabbu ashshiAAra

that it is He Who is the Lord of Sirius;

وَاَنَّـهُٓ اَهْلَكَ عَاداًۨ الْاُو۫لٰىۙ

Waannahu ahlaka AAadan al-oola

that He destroyed ‘Ad, the earlier people,

وَثَمُودَا۬ فَمَٓا اَبْـقٰىۙ

Wathamooda fama abqa

and Thamud as well, sparing none of them,

وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِنْ قَبْلُۜ اِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ اَظْلَمَ وَاَطْغٰىۜ

Waqawma noohin min qablu innahum kanoohum athlama waatgha

and the people of Nuh before – they were most unjust and exorbitant –

وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ اَهْوٰىۙ

Walmu/tafikata ahwa

and the Overturned City which He turned upside down

فَغَشّٰيهَا مَا غَشّٰىۚ

Faghashshaha ma ghashsha

so that what enveloped it enveloped it.

فَبِاَيِّ اٰلَٓاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارٰى

Fabi-ayyi ala-i rabbika tatamara

Which one of your Lord’s blessings do you then dispute?

هٰذَا نَذ۪يرٌ مِنَ النُّذُرِ الْاُو۫لٰى

Hatha natheerun mina annuthurial-oola

This is a warning like the warnings of old.

اَزِفَتِ الْاٰزِفَةُۚ

Azifati al-azifat

The Imminent is imminent!

لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِ كَاشِفَةٌ

Laysa laha min dooni Allahi kashifat

No one besides Allah can unveil it.

اَفَمِنْ هٰذَا الْحَد۪يثِ تَعْجَبُونَۙ

Afamin hatha alhadeethitaAAjaboon

Are you then amazed at this discourse

وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَۙ

Watadhakoona wala tabkoon

and laugh and do not cry,

وَاَنْتُمْ سَامِدُونَ

Waantum samidoon

treating life as a game?

فَاسْجُدُوا لِلّٰهِ وَاعْبُدُوا

Fasjudoo lillahi waAAbudoo

Prostrate before Allah and worship Him!