Sūrat al-Najm
سورۃ النجم
Sūrat al-Najm was revealed in Makkah. It has sixty-two (62) verses and three (3) rukūʿs.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Bismi llāhi l-raḥmāni l-raḥīm — In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَى
wa-l-najmi idhā hawā.
"By the star when it falls." (al-Najm 53:1)
Wa-l-najmu — by the star — it is a testimony with a witness. Al-najmu — the star — if the alif-lām is generic, then from that every star is meant — and the plural stars of Farsi are called. — Idhā hawā — when it falls — when it sets or comes crashing down. — Thus the Shooting Star (shihāb thāqib) is meant — just like this the shooting star has several possible meanings. — The thāqib shooting star is a sharp, brilliant thing — and by oath it is sworn when it falls, when it sets — when it goes, crashes down. — Then what is hawā? — By it love is meant — hawā — yahwā — hawā — yuhawā — hawā — meaning love, a personal desire.
Translation: "By the star's when it sets or goes crashing down."
It is clear that hawā — yahwā — huwiyā — yahwā — hawā — hawā — yuhawā — meaning love — personal desire.
مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَى
mā ḍalla ṣāḥibukum wa-mā ghawā.
"Your companion has neither gone astray nor been misled." (al-Najm 53:2)
Māḍallun — he has not gone astray — not your companion — ṣāḥibukum — your companion — the one who accompanies you — your companion. Wa-mā ghawā — and not the wrong will — he has not done wrong — ghawāya — error, going astray, mischief — wickedness.
Translation: "Your Companion (meaning the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his Companions and family, peace be upon them) has not gone astray by any wrong or evil intention (there is no mistake — the prophets are maʿṣūm)."
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى
wa-mā yanṭiqu ʿani l-hawā.
"Nor does he speak out of personal desire." (al-Najm 53:3)
Wa-mā yanṭiqu — and he does not speak — nothing at all. ʿAni l-hawā — out of personal desire — from his own self.
Translation: "He does not speak from his own personal desire."
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى
in huwa illā waḥyun yūḥā.
"It is nothing but a revelation being revealed." (al-Najm 53:4)
In huwa — it is not — what the Prophet ﷺ says — there is nothing the Prophet ﷺ says. Illā waḥyun yūḥā — except revelation — but it is a command from which he is given revelation — it is a command that reaches him.
Translation: "This is only the revelation that is being revealed."
عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَى
ʿallamahu shadīdu l-quwā.
"Taught to him by one of tremendous power." (al-Najm 53:5)
ʿAllamahu — he taught him — it is He who taught him — meaning Allah has taught him just like (the Most Merciful taught the Qurʾān — al-raḥmānu ʿallama l-qurʾāna) shadīdu l-quwā — who is of great strength.
Translation: "He taught him (the Qurʾān) — the One of powerful attributes (meaning Allah)."
ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَى
dhū mirratin fa-stawā.
"Possessor of vigour — so He stood firm." (al-Najm 53:6)
Dhū mirratan — possessor of beauty and strength — vigour, full of strength. Fa-stawā — then He stood firm — and then the divine tajallī (manifestation) from Him was firmly established.
Translation: "Possessor of beauty and strength, vigour — He stood firmly straight."
وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَى
wa-huwa bi-l-ufuqi l-aʿlā.
"And He was on the highest horizon." (al-Najm 53:7)
Wa-huwa — and He. Bi-l-ufuqi — by the edge — the side — the sky — the sky's edge which appears from the earth to the sky. Al-aʿlā — the topmost upper reaches — the upper horizon — the sky above — that is, this refers to the ʿArsh (Throne) or the sky — the place above the upper heavens where material things end and the spiritual state begins.
Translation: "Then (Allah Most High) from the edge of the sky and its upper reaches gave the tajallī."
Translation: "Then it (Allah Most High) gave the tajallī towards the upper edge of the sky and above it."
ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى
thumma danā fa-tadalllā.
"Then He drew near and came closer." (al-Najm 53:8)
Thummu — then. Danā — came near — yadnū — danā — came near. Fa-tadalllā — then bent, came closer — then came forward — came closer.
Translation: "Then the divine tajallī came near to Ḥaḍrat ﷺ and manifested close."
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى
fa-kāna qāba qawsayni aw adnā.
"And was at a distance of two bows' lengths or even nearer." (al-Najm 53:9)
Fa-kāna qāba qawsayni — then the Prophet ﷺ and — the distance between them was that of two bows' lengths. This is an expression in Arabic meaning extremely close — some people take it to mean that the two bows' lengths means so close that there is no distance between them at all. Aw adnā — or even closer — yes as close as that or closer still. — So the context is that when the Prophet ﷺ was on the Miʿrāj (Ascension) the circle of being and existence — both merging — they were such that they were joined up like two bows laid together — there was nothing but the circle of both. — And then the ufuq — above remained — the arwāḥ (spirits) — beyond that — and then jamādāt (inert matter), nabātāt (plants), then plants in the middle, like trees — the trees that are very hard but grow towards the sun — the mushāmandī (shyness) of the tree — the date palm or tree that when it sometimes bears fruit and then bends; — and there is the male tree in which there is both male and female — the plants in the beginning of animals start — and then the simple animal — the monkey, gorilla and others — and a second is more intelligible than these — then a person in whom the initially created beings are not of value — and there is much more progress in the person than these animals — then when the person reaches the highest ascension — what naïve people think is that he has descended to the lowest — and in reality he has become a complete being. — When and how the human ascends and descends in this way — just as a person used to go in a box and it was down, a thing moving toward something — now the human being grows — one more thing is growing — everything diminishes — God gets near — everything becomes a pledge. — Shi'r: When on the Miʿrāj of being and existence we gather together — all receive from the circle of unity (waḥdat) — whoever is whole.
Translation: "Then it (Allah Most High, or Jibrīl ﷺ) became so close — like two bows side by side — they are so close that the name of bow-lengths does not remain."
فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى
fa-awḥā ilā ʿabdihi mā awḥā.
"Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed." (al-Najm 53:10)
Fa-awḥā — then He revealed — then He gave the revelation to His Prophet ﷺ. Ilā ʿabdihi — to His servant (meaning Allah Most High then revealed to His own Prophet ﷺ). Mā awḥā — what He willed to reveal — what He wanted to convey to His servant.
Translation: "Then Allah Most High revealed to His own servant whatever He willed to reveal."
مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى
mā kadhaba l-fuʾādu mā raʾā.
"The heart did not lie about what it saw." (al-Najm 53:11)
Mā kadhaba l-fuʾādu — the heart did not lie — did not deny it. Mā raʾā — what it saw — meaning Ḥaḍrat ﷺ — whatever divine tajalliyāt (manifestations) occurred, whatever was seen, the heart did not deny — there was certainty of every one of these things — all these were before you — mārā — certainty — what he saw.
Translation: "(Ḥaḍrat ﷺ) with certainty saw something and his (blessed) heart (the heart with certainty) did not deny what he saw (because the event was in accordance with reality)."
أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَى مَا يَرَى
a-fa-tumārūnahū ʿalā mā yarā.
"Do you then dispute with him about what he sees?" (al-Najm 53:12)
A-fa-tumārūnahū — people! You dispute with him — you dispute with him — do you keep arguing on account of that seen thing. ʿAlā mā yarā — on what he sees — do you have some dispute regarding Allah's meeting (and more over the Miʿrāj). A-tumārūna — are you raising a dispute.
Translation: "Are you raising a dispute with the Prophet (and Allah's meeting and its connection) over what he sees?"
Esteemed readers! It is known that some people say that the Miʿrāj was in a dream — therefore no dispute arises and things are seen in thousands in a dream and no one disputes them — but the Miʿrāj was not in a dream — it was in the physical world. So it began in the material world (ʿālam al-māddī) and ended in the spiritual world (ʿālam al-ʿuluwī). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in the material world, in the earthly world — and when the spiritual world was reached at the high point, the blessed physical body of the Prophet ﷺ became worthy of it — so once the Miʿrāj was both physical and spiritual. One time Abū Jahl spread the news of the Miʿrāj — he said to Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him): do you also believe in this? He said: yes — I will verify it too, right and correct. Ḥaḍrat Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: when I have certainty in this matter — do I have doubt? — Jibrīl comes every day from the ʿālam al-ʿuluwī (spiritual world) to this ʿālam al-suflī (material world) — if Ḥabīb Khudā ﷺ also came to the ʿālam al-ʿuluwī (spiritual world) from the ʿālam al-suflī (material world) — what is the strange thing about this? Some people say that Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was not yet married at the time of the Miʿrāj — the first people who say bodily Miʿrāj — the first — but since Ḥaḍrat ʿĀʾisha's marriage did not yet take place in the days of Miʿrāj — from their point of view the absence of knowledge (ʿadam al-ʿilm) does not constitute evidence of non-existence. Some people say that Abū Jahl denied it on the grounds that the Miʿrāj was spiritual — it is he who denied the physical Miʿrāj. And some people say that the Miʿrāj until Bayt al-Maqdis was physical — after that it was spiritual — some say all of it was spiritual. Some people say that at the Miʿrāj what Ḥaḍrat ﷺ saw was that Jibrīl (upon him be peace) was seen — Subḥāna llāh — Allah Most High says — subḥāna lladhī asrā bi-ʿabdihi — (Glorified is the One who took His servant) — the going of the servant — what is meant by divine company — the company of Allah is what? — Allah Most High says that the going is with the company of Jibrīl — li-nuriyahu min āyātinā — (that We might show him Our signs) — Allah Most High's company with Jibrīl is something.
Among His signs is that He shows His Beloved ﷺ His own divine manifestations — Allah causes the vision of Jibrīl (upon him be peace) to occur before him. Ḥazrat Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with both father and son) and other members of the household of prophethood hold that the Miʿrāj of the Prophet ﷺ took place twice — once as a bodily ascent and once as a vision of the Divine — and they are equally of the view that both the bodily and the divine vision are possible. Ḥazrat ﷺ himself declared: wa-la-akhiraẗu khayr laka mina l-ūlā — the indication is that each subsequent experience of the Miʿrāj was more elevated. What a blessed thing that the Miʿrāj took place! Now I should first establish for you the principle that the direct vision of Allah Most High is possible. In the Qurʾān, it is said: wujūhun yawmaʾidhin nāḍira ilā rabbihā nāẓira — on that Day, faces will be fresh and radiant, gazing upon their Lord. And concerning those who deny the vision of Allah: kallā innahum ʿan rabbihim yawmaʾidhin la-maḥjūbūn — indeed they, on that Day, shall be screened from their Lord — they will never see their Lord.
That is, in the matter of the divine vision, it is possible and the worshippers of Allah will see it. The ḥadīth states: inakum sa-tarawna rabbakum kamā tarawna l-qamara laylata l-badr — you shall surely see your Lord just as you see the full moon on the fourteenth night — clearly and without any obstruction. Therefore, since the divine vision of the disbelievers will be prevented, the vision of the believers is assured. When the divine vision is not possible for the disbelievers, it is assuredly established that it is possible, because Allah's attribute is lā tudriku-hu l-abṣār — human sight cannot contain or encircle it — wa-lā yuḥīṭūna bi-shayʾin min ʿilmihi — they cannot encompass anything of His knowledge. Allah Most High's pure, absolute Self is beyond the reach of power, beyond the attributes externally manifested — actually, the fact is that seeing a thing and comprehending it are two different matters. We see thousands of things but cannot encompass them. The reality is that Allah Most High's pure, absolute Self is beyond the powers of human comprehension, beyond His other manifest names and attributes. If anyone were to say that Jibrīl, the camel of Arabia, and an Arab man came before the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and they could not confirm them because each thing has a reality and one example is: the alphabet of the Qurʾān — alif, lām, ḥā, mīm, lām, dāl, allāh — the two letters lām alif will appear before the eyes. The Qurʾān is in this very form — this is the exemplary form of the Qurʾān. Mūsā (upon him be peace) was struck dumb by the manifestation of Allah Most High on the mountain. If you wish the light that comes to pour into your heart — its example is the form you possess: eyes, ears, nose, mouth and so on — "I" is your reality. But the "form" that appears before you is pure, and your reality and your example are the outward decrees and tanzīh — pure transcendence. You are of the commands and tanzīh, and you yourself are unable to see your own essence and nature — and you are incapable of seeing Allah and the nature of Allah from your own essence. If anyone were to say, "I have seen my friend with my own eyes" — that is perfectly correct. You simply have no need to see Allah's vision — rather, it is absolutely worthy of you that you be capable of the divine vision, and you are without doubt a share-holder in the divine vision.
Allāhumma arziḳnā ladhdhata l-naẓar ilā wajhika l-karīm — O Allah, grant us the pleasure of gazing upon Your noble countenance.
Al-ʿulā — therefore the divine vision is possible. Tajallī dhātī — the divine vision of the pure self — so the meaning of "the name" is that the divine self becomes manifest and invisible to creatures by the names — to be lost in the names and attributes and the attributes to slip from the sight of creatures — the one who comprehends this, it is his knowledge — and the one who has not understood cannot understand, for this is his knowledge.
What one cannot understand, this very inability to understand is itself a form of comprehension — al-ʿajzu ʿan darki l-idrāki idrāk — the inability to comprehend is itself comprehension. And to take falsehood as true is corrupt knowledge — kamāl al-ʿirfān nafyu l-ṣifāti ʿanh — the perfection of divine knowledge is to deny the attributes of that which is known.
Friends! Why did the Miʿrāj of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ take place? What were the means of his ascent? Ḥazrat ﷺ says: the cause of the Miʿrāj was the perfection of his servitude — look, the way to Allah is asrā bi-ʿabdihi — from the side of the divine object of worship, and from the side of the Prophet and the Ummah — the word ʿabd is a word that bears a universal relation — there is no place where his relation with Allah and His Beloved ﷺ does not exist — the servant can have no doubt of the Beloved and no separation.
ع   جو کچھ ہے وہ آ قا کا کچھ بھی نہیں بندے کا (حسرت)
Whatever exists is all the Master's — of the servant nothing at all is. — (Ḥasrat)
Losing one thing from oneself, one approaches Allah — the servant is always a wanderer — the servant considers himself nothing but the servant — there is no one save Allah who has created and there is none who has the power of anyone except Him.
Friends! We too are servants — will we not also achieve the Miʿrāj? — As much as you deepen your bondage, it will raise your ascent and elevation. I will keep you close to Allah — you will be an heir of the Prophet — I will raise you — their body was more refined than the most delicate souls — so that they might be a spiritual Miʿrāj, an example and likeness of the spiritual — come, step by step follow the Prophet — you must make yourself the heir of the Prophet — he was that one servant in the divine power — follow him — become the beloved of Allah — fa-ttabiʿūnī yuḥbibkumu l-llāh — follow me, Allah will love you — the love of the Prophet brings together both the beloved and the beloved one — the two of them together cannot be separated — the Prophet is the image of Allah in His power in front of you — Allah will be pleased with you.
ع   صورت سیرت بے تمہاری    نقشہ ایسا جمنا جمنا
    ارے مرے یار کچھ ایسا رنگنا    جو دیکھے مہ منہ تکنا   (حسرت صدیقی)
Make my form and character utterly yours — paint me so, dear Friend, that whoever looks can only gaze upon your face. — (Ḥasrat Ṣiddīqī)
In any case, as much grace, so much as grace, so much honour:
کھینچ کر صانع قدرت نے کہا واہ رے میں! اور تصویر یہ بول اٹھی کہ اللہ رے میں!
The Artisan of Power drew it forth and cried: Wonder of wonders! And the portrait itself cried out: Allah! Allah!
وَلَقَدْ رَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ
wa-laqad rāhu naz·latan ukhrā.
"And indeed he saw him at another descent." (al-Najm 53:13)
Wa-laqad rāhu — he truly saw him — who? Allah — who saw? The Prophet ﷺ — naz·latan ukhrā — a second time — and on that occasion he saw the divine Self cutting off from examples and attributes — the manifestation of pure absolute oneness — Ihdiyya Allah Taʿālā — the oneness of Allah Most High became a single manifestation.
Translation: — And a second time he saw Him (Allah) cut off from all example and attribute.
Where is the cutting off of example from the absolute self and the manifestation of attributes?
عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَىٰ
ʿinda sidrati l-muntahā.
"At the Lote-tree of the Uttermost Boundary." (al-Najm 53:14)
ʿinda — near, beside — sidra — the lote-tree — al-muntahā — the final limit, beyond which all things terminate — where the angelic host can go no further. Fire comes up here and the angels call out before it.
اگر ایک سرمو برتر پرم    فروغ تجلی بسوز و پرم
Should one go even a hair's breadth further — the radiance of the manifestation would consume and burn
Translation: — At the Sidrat al-Muntahā.
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ
ʿindahā jannatu l-maʾwā.
"Near it is the Garden of Refuge." (al-Najm 53:15)
ʿindahā — near the Sidrat al-Muntahā — janna — the garden, paradise — al-maʾwā — the resting-place, the refuge, the place of dwelling.
Translation: — Near it is the Garden of Refuge (where the friends of Allah and the God-fearing dwell).
إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى
idh yaghshā l-sidrataẗa mā yaghshā.
"When there covered the Lote-tree what covered it." (al-Najm 53:16)
Idh — when — yaghshā — it covered — the Lote-tree — mā yaghshā — what covered it — whatever was covering it — when the blessed manifestations were hovering around the lote-tree, those manifestations were unutterable — beyond all description — yet they were unfolding.
Translation: — When that which covered (divine manifestations) was covering the Lote-tree — spreading over it in ways beyond all description (yet still unfolding).
مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ
mā zāgha l-baṣaru wa-mā ṭaghā.
"The eye did not deviate, nor did it exceed." (al-Najm 53:17)
Mā zāgha — there was no deviation, no slipping aside — al-baṣaru — the gaze, the sight — wa-mā ṭaghā — and it did not go beyond, did not swerve to another place.
Translation: — (The Beloved of Allah's) eyes did not turn aside to anyone or anything, nor did they stray beyond.
شعر:   موسٰی زِ ہوش وقت بیک جلوہ صفات    ÷    تو عین ذات می گری در جمے
Mūsā lost his senses with a single manifestation of the attributes — while you sank into the very Eye of the Essence.
لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ
laqad raʾā min āyāti rabbihi l-kubrā.
"He certainly saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord." (al-Najm 53:18)
Laqad raʾā — undoubtedly the Prophet ﷺ saw — min āyāti rabbihi — from among the signs of his Lord — al-kubrā — the great — the great manifestations of power — the great gifts of natural bounty — and they are indeed great.
Translation: — (The Beloved of Allah) saw the great, great signs and workings of the power of his Lord.
And those unbelievers — what imaginary deity did they go on calling upon?
أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ ، وَمَنَوٰةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ
a-fa-raʾaytumu l-lāta wa-l-ʿuzzā wa-manāwata l-thālithata l-ukhrā.
"Have you then considered al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā, and Manāt — the third, the other?" (al-Najm 53:19–20)
A-fa-raʾaytum — have you not seen — have you thought, considered even a little? Al-lāta wa-l-ʿuzzā — Lāt and ʿUzzā — these are the names of two idols worshipped in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance — wa-manāwata — and Manāt — also an idol — al-thālitha — the third — al-ukhrā — another, a second.
Translation: — Did you think and reflect at all on Lāt, ʿUzzā, and Manāt — these are three, one is the other.
Friends! This is the reality of idol-worship — for every purpose there is a separate idol — in the whole world one can see certain examples of divine attributes — thousands of manifestations — at different times, in different forms, among different people in different circumstances — one attribute manifests in one form — when someone denies it from all directions, fire-like images from anger appear — a human being places a small carved idol of it in front of himself — and someone sees it — it has five heads, it comes out of his neck — and one sees a black woman with a red tongue sticking out — and an unjust arm wielding a sword — all these are figures of anger — one sees this form and grasps it. All these are figures of anger — one loses his mind — he grasps that form, considers it a deity — and the other one — "his appearance" — is like this and is "always" — al-āna kamā kāna — kullu yawmin huwa fī shaʾn — this is the teaching of Lā ilāha illā Llāh Muḥammadun rasūlu Llāh.
أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْأُنثَىٰ
a-lakumu l-dhakaru wa-lahu l-unthā.
"Are you to have the male and for Him the female?" (al-Najm 53:21)
Alakum — for you — al-dhakaru — sons — boys — wa-lahu l-unthā — and for Him — daughters, female — girls — the ignorant Arabs used to call the divine angels girls.
Translation: — (He tells them) are you to have sons and is Allah to have daughters?
تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ
tilka idhan qismaẗun ḍīzā.
"That would then be an unjust division." (al-Najm 53:22)
Tilka — this — idhā — then, in that case — qismaẗun ḍīzā — an unequal division — unfair, unjust, shameless.
Translation: — Then this is a very unfair division (daughters for Allah — God forbid!).
إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَانٍ ۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَىٰ
in hiya illā asmāʾun sammaytumūhā antum wa-ābāʾukum mā anzala l-llāhu bihā min sulṭānin in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓanna wa-mā tahwā l-anfusu wa-laqad jāʾahum min rabbihimu l-hudā.
"They are nothing but names which you have named — you and your forefathers — for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow nothing but conjecture and what the souls desire, though guidance has already come to them from their Lord." (al-Najm 53:23)
In — nothing — hiya — these — all the idols — illā — except — asmāʾ — names — but names only — nothing real — these are only names you gave them — sammaytumūhā — the names you gave and built their houses — mā anzala l-llāhu bihā min sulṭānin — Allah has sent down no authority, no reasonable proof, no evidence about this — in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓanna — they follow nothing but supposition and conjecture — vain imaginings — they go only after whim and illusion — some empty chattering — wa-lā yughnī mina l-ḥaqqi shayʾan — and conjecture is of no use against the truth at all — it proves nothing — it is of no benefit in establishing truth.
Translation: — These are all mere names — Allah has sent down no proof or argument for them — this is sheer supposition and delusion that they are following — it is known that conjecture about truth is of no benefit.
أَمْ لِلْإِنسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ
am li-l-insāni mā tamannā.
"Or does man have what he desires?" (al-Najm 53:24)
Am — or — li-l-insān — for the human being — mā tamannā — what he desires, what he seeks for himself — whatever he wishes — he wants.
Translation: — Do a person's wishes come true?
فَلِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةُ وَالْأُولَىٰ
fa-li-llāhi l-ākhiraẗu wa-l-ūlā.
"For to Allah belongs the Hereafter and this world." (al-Najm 53:26)
Fa-li-llāhi — for Allah alone is — it is in His power alone — al-ākhiraẗu wa-l-ūlā — the Hereafter and the world.
ع   دنیا تری گلی میں عقبٰی تری گلی میں
This world is in your lane and the next world is in your lane too.
Translation: — So to Allah alone belongs the Hereafter and this world.
وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَىٰ
wa-kam min malakın fī l-samāwāti lā tughnī shafāʿatuhum shayʾan illā min baʿdi an yaʾdhana l-llāhu li-man yashāʾu wa-yarḍā.
"And how many are the angels in the heavens whose intercession avails nothing except after Allah has given permission to whomever He wills and is pleased with." (al-Najm 53:26)
Wa-kam min malak — and how many angels — they are in the hands of Allah — both in this world and the next — to fulfil every task — and how many angels there are in the heavens — lā tughnī — their intercession is of no benefit — it helps nothing — shafāʿatuhum — their intercessions, their petitions — illā min baʿdi an yaʾdhana l-llāhu — but only after the condition that Allah grants permission — and He is pleased — and He approves — this is the decree of Allah Most High. Allah Almighty has promised His Beloved ﷺ: wa-la-sawfa yuʿṭīka rabbuka fa-tarḍā — your Lord will give you so much that you will be pleased — your merciful Lord will be satisfied with giving to you — Ḥazrat ﷺ will certainly be granted permission of intercession.
شعر:   دوستان را کجا نگری محروم    تو که باد شمناں نظر داری
Where would you let your friends go unattained — you who have even regard for enemies.
We are quite certain that if we are cast into Hell as the ʿāshiqān of the Prophet ﷺ, Ḥazrat ﷺ will never be pleased.
Translation: — And there are so many angels in the heavens that their intercession will amount to nothing — but the one to whom Allah has given permission (and is pleased with him) and is pleased with that person.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنثَىٰ
inna l-ladhīna lā yuʾminūna bi-l-ākhirati la-yusammūna l-malāʾikata tasmiyaẗa l-unthā.
"Indeed those who do not believe in the Hereafter give the angels female names." (al-Najm 53:27)
Inna l-ladhīna — those people who — lā yuʾminūna bi-l-ākhirati — do not believe in the Hereafter — la-yusammūna l-malāʾikata — they give the angels names — female names — the names of women — the ignorant Arabs used to call the divine angels daughters of Allah.
Translation: — Indeed those who do not believe in the Hereafter call the angels female names (they call the divine angels daughters of Allah).
وَمَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا
wa-mā lahum bihi min ʿilmin in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓanna wa-inna l-ẓanna lā yughnī mina l-ḥaqqi shayʾan.
"And they have no knowledge thereof. They follow nothing but conjecture, and indeed conjecture avails nothing against the truth." (al-Najm 53:28)
Wa-mā lahum — and they have no — bihi — about it — min ʿilm — no proper knowledge — no truthful argument, no sound intelligence — in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓanna — they follow nothing but supposition and illusion — vain and empty thoughts — wa-inna l-ẓanna lā yughnī mina l-ḥaqqi shayʾan — and conjecture is no useful thing in establishing any truth — it proves nothing at all.
Translation: — And they have no knowledge of this at all (they follow nothing but supposition and illusion) — and it is well known that supposition and conjecture cannot be of any benefit in matters of truth.
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَوٰةَ الدُّنْيَا
fa-aʿriḍ ʿan man tawallā ʿan dhikrinā wa-lam yurid illā l-ḥayawāẗa l-dunyā.
"So turn away from one who turns from Our remembrance and desires nothing but the life of this world." (al-Najm 53:29)
Fa-aʿriḍ — then turn your face — ʿan man tawallā — from the person who has turned away — ʿan dhikrinā — from Our remembrance — he has turned his face from Our remembrance and taken Us out of his mind — wa-lam yurid illā l-ḥayawāẗa l-dunyā — and his desire is for nothing but the life of this world — he has no intention of the Hereafter — the world is his only purpose.
Translation: — Turn away from the one who has turned his face from Our remembrance, whose only purpose is this world.
ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ
dhālika mablaghuhum mina l-ʿilmi inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu bi-man ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi wa-huwa aʿlamu bi-mani htadā.
"That is the extent of their knowledge. Indeed your Lord — He knows best who has strayed from His path and He knows best who has been guided." (al-Najm 53:30)
Dhālika — this — mablaghuhum — is the extent of their reach, their comprehension — mina l-ʿilm — from knowledge — this is the limit of people's reach to knowledge. Inna rabbaka — truly your Lord — huwa aʿlamu — He knows very well — bi-man ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi — who has gone astray from the path — who has strayed and been led wrong — wa-huwa aʿlamu — and He knows very well — bi-mani htadā — who has been guided — who is on the right path.
Translation: — This is the extent of their knowledge (the limit of their rational reach) — truly your Lord knows best who is astray and who has been guided.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ
لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى
li-yajziya l-ladhīna asāʾū bi-mā ʿamilū wa-yajziya l-ladhīna aḥsanū bi-l-ḥusnā.
"That He may recompense those who did evil for what they did, and recompense those who did good with the best." (al-Najm 53:31)
Wa-li-llāhi — and to Allah belongs — mā fī l-samāwāti wa-mā fī l-arḍi — whatever is in the heavens and the earth — it is in His divine power — li-yajziya — so that He may recompense, reward — al-ladhīna asāʾū — those people who did evil — bi-mā ʿamilū — for the deeds they committed — wa-yajziya l-ladhīna aḥsanū — and He will recompense also those who did good deeds — bi-l-ḥusnā — with good — the reward of goodness.
Translation: — Everything in the heavens and earth is in the power of Allah — so that He may recompense the evildoers for their evil and recompense the gooddoers for their goodness.
الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ
al-ladhīna yajtanibūna kabāʾira l-ithmi wa-l-fawāḥisha illā l-lamama inna rabbaka wāsiʿu l-maghfirati huwa aʿlamu bi-kum idh anshāʾakum mina l-arḍi wa-idh antum ajinnaẗun fī buṭūni ummahātikum fa-lā tuzakkū anfusakum huwa aʿlamu bi-man ittaqā.
"Those who avoid the major sins and indecencies except the minor lapses — indeed your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He knows you best when He produced you from the earth and when you were embryos in the wombs of your mothers, so do not claim purity for yourselves — He knows best who is God-fearing." (al-Najm 53:32)
Al-ladhīna yajtanibūna — those who avoid and abstain — kabāʾira l-ithmi — great sins — side, shoulder — al-ithm — sin — major, minor — major sin is an act by which the wrath of Allah descends — ṣaghīra — minor — a minor sin — an ordinary slip that can be rectified through obedience — wa-l-fawāḥish — indecencies — shameless acts and words openly displayed — illā l-lamama — except for the minor lapses — slight slips — however the one who comes to encounter these should repent. Friends! A great sin is like a snake — if one holds it, it clings — one must avoid it and keep it away. The worst of sins is shirk — the association of partners with Allah — the next worse is innovation — naʿūdhu bi-llāh. Allah Most High shows us, so we see that the believers have white clay and the other people are black clay — some believers committed sins — some good deeds — when Resurrection comes and the great court of the divine Throne is established, the black clay of the misdeeds of the believers will be separated from their white clay — the one whose black clay's evil deeds are great — māshāʾa l-llāh — what a better interpretation — lā tazirū wāziratun wizra ukhrā — no bearer of a burden bears the burden of another — this is the well-understood, straightforward interpretation of Ḥazrat Ḥarīm — and the motive for raising the issue of Khumm Ghadīr's issue was this — the pure believers were being filled with slanders in the world. O friends, take note of this ijtihād with adab — O esteemed people! Take heed and fix it — be watchful of others rather than committing sins yourselves — do good deeds and righteous acts with great effort — because all the believers' white clay will be separated — and all will come to their share. Subḥānahu l-llāh — is this the meaning? The true interpretation of Allah is justice and equity. Aʿūdhu bi-llāhi mina l-shayṭāni l-rajīm — lā tazirū wāziratun wizra ukhrā — no bearer of a burden bears another's burden.
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ
wa-an laysa li-l-insāni illā mā saʿā.
"And that for the human being there is not except what he strives for." (al-Najm 53:39)
Wa-an laysa li-l-insān — and this — that there is nothing for a person — illā mā saʿā — except what he strives for, what he exerts effort for — but the one who strives Allah has given him a brain — two eyes — two hands — the heart — look, Allah is showing you — make yourself — be useful — strive, labour, eat, farm — work hard with your hands — lay your hands in the soil on the earth — then money will increase — work to serve others — the comforts of others are resting on your efforts — do not seek rest in this world — your religion is not slavery to worldly ease — in any case you will be destroyed.
Translation: — And that a person will receive only what he has striven for.
وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ
wa-anna saʿyahu sawfa yurā.
"And that his striving will soon be seen." (al-Najm 53:40)
Wa-anna saʿyahu — and this effort and striving — sawfa yurā — its result will soon be shown — very quickly the outcome of his striving will be made manifest — Allah does not waste the labour of the hard-working — the person who does good work never fails in attaining the objective.
Translation: — And that his striving will be shown manifest soon.
ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاءَ الْأَوْفَى
thumma yujzāhu l-jazāʾa l-awfā.
"Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense." (al-Najm 53:41)
Thumma yujzāhu — then he will be given the recompense of his labour — al-jazāʾa l-awfā — the recompense will be full, completely fulfilled.
Translation: — Then he will be given full, complete recompense for it.
Friends! Most religious people are energetic in religious affairs and sluggish in worldly matters — the reverse is true of the worldly person — they are vigilant in worldly affairs, negligent of religious ones. In Islam the hand should be in work — negligence of religious duties is deeply regrettable — the one who puts excessive pressure on religion while keeping worldly things completely out is too few in number. Lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata illā bi-llāh — people, why are they sitting idle?
وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَىٰ
wa-anna ilā rabbika l-muntahā.
"And that to your Lord is the final end." (al-Najm 53:42)
Wa-anna ilā rabbika — and that towards your Lord — al-muntahā — the final point of arrival, the end — to come to His court — all have to come before Him and give account — as one approaches, so one will receive what is due.
Translation: — And that to your Lord is the end to which all reach.
What Lord?
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ
wa-annahu huwa aḍḥaka wa-abkā.
"And that it is He who causes laughter and causes weeping." (al-Najm 53:43)
Wa-annahu huwā aḍḥaka — and that it is He alone, the same One who — aḍḥaka — caused laughter — made the aim full — joy arose so laughter came — wa-abkā — and weeping — made the aim empty — the reason for weeping came — the occasion of weeping arose.
Translation: — And He it is who causes laughter and weeping.
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا
wa-annahu huwa amāta wa-aḥyā.
"And that it is He who causes death and gives life." (al-Najm 53:44)
Wa-annahu huwa amāta — and He is the One who — amāta — causes death — wa-aḥyā — and gives life — revives.
Translation: — And He is the One who causes death and He is the One who gives life.
وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَىٰ
wa-annahu khalaqa l-zawjayni l-dhakara wa-l-unthā.
"And that it is He who created the two kinds — male and female." (al-Najm 53:45)
Wa-annahu — and He — khalaqa — He created — al-zawjayni — the two kinds — al-dhakara wa-l-unthā — male and female — man and woman.
Translation: — And He created the two kinds — male and female.
مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ
min nuṭfatin idhā tumanā.
"From a drop of fluid when it is emitted." (al-Najm 53:46)
Min nuṭfatin — from a drop — a single drop — idhā tumanā — when it is poured — when it is placed (in the womb).
Translation: — From a drop, when it is placed (in the womb).
وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ
wa-anna ʿalayhi l-nashʾata l-ukhrā.
"And that upon Him is the other creation." (al-Najm 53:47)
Wa-anna ʿalayhi — and it is His responsibility — al-nashʾata l-ukhrā — the other creation — to create again — just as He brought life into the drop, in the same way He will put life into the old, crumbled bones and bring them back to life.
Translation: — And it is upon Him also to bring all back to life.
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ
wa-annahu huwa aghnā wa-aqnā.
"And that it is He who enriches and gives contentment." (al-Najm 53:48)
Wa-annahu — and He — huwa aghnā — He is the One who enriched — made wealthy — wa-aqnā — and gave satisfaction — gave contentment — gave treasure and made one a capitalist — He stored up treasuries and made one a treasure-keeper.
Translation: — And He is the One who enriched and gave contentment, and made one a treasure-keeper.
The ignorant do not acknowledge divine power and go against Allah.
وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَىٰ
wa-annahu huwa rabbu l-shiʿrā.
"And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius." (al-Najm 53:49)
Wa-annahu huwā rabbu l-shiʿrā — and He is the Lord of the Sirius star. Some people say it is a star called Sirius — in relation to this it is near to us and its light falls on the earth — therefore some ignorant people worship it and consider it God. He is the Lord of that too.
Translation: — And He is indeed the Lord of the Sirius star.
Friends! These are self-existing lights, and each one is greater than our sun — Sirius is very far greater — in reality, what is Sirius? The earth moves around the moon — the planets Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Mars — with the sun also moving around — it is in the presence of the divine power of Allah — there is no real fact before the divine power — then what is Sirius and what is the earth?
وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَىٰ ، وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَىٰ
wa-annahu ahlaka ʿādan l-ūlā wa-thamūda fa-mā abqā.
"And that it is He who destroyed the first ʿĀd, and Thamūd — leaving none." (al-Najm 53:50–51)
Wa-annahu — and He — ahlaka — He destroyed — ʿādan l-ūlā — the ancient great nation of ʿĀd who came before — wa-thamūda — and Thamūd (after the letter Mīm in Qurʾānic script there is only the letter Zā — it is read without the alif at the end) — and the nation of Thamūd — fa-mā abqā — He did not leave any of them, left no survivors.
Translation: — And He destroyed the ancient great nation of ʿĀd and the nation of Thamūd — leaving none of them.
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ
wa-qawma nūḥin min qablu innahum kānū hum aẓlama wa-aṭghā.
"And the people of Nūḥ before — indeed they were the most unjust and most rebellious." (al-Najm 53:52)
Wa-qawma nūḥin — and He also destroyed the people of Nūḥ — He cast them into ruin — min qablu — before this — innahum kānū — they were indeed — very much — unjust — hum aẓlama — they were greater transgressors — the most unjust — wa-aṭghā — and the most rebellious, the most overstepping — going beyond all limits — beyond their bounds.
Translation: — And the people of Nūḥ before (He also destroyed), because they were most unjust and rebellious.
وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ
وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ
wa-l-muʾtafikata ahwā.
"And He overthrew the overturned cities." (al-Najm 53:53)
Wa-l-muʾtafika — and the overturned cities — the people of Lūṭ — ahwā — He cast them — struck them — destroyed them.
Translation: — And the overturned city He cast down — the city that was turned upside down He struck and destroyed.
فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّى
fa-ghashshāhā mā ghashsha.
"And covered it with that which covered it." (al-Najm 53:54)
Fa-ghashshāhā — then upon those cities a calamity descended — mā ghashshā — that which covered — those cities upon which such a calamity descended that is indescribable.
Translation: — Then upon those cities descended what descended.
فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ
fa-bi-ayyi ālāʾi rabbika tatamārā.
"Then which of the bounties of your Lord do you dispute?" (al-Najm 53:55)
Fa-bi-ayyi l-ālaʾ — then of which — of the manifestation of power and the manifestations of power — al-ālaʾ — are the meanings both blessings and manifestations of power — rabbika — of your Lord — tatamārā — you dispute — you doubt and equivocate — argue and quarrel. Here the manifestations of power are more appropriate in meaning than the meanings of blessing, because one has to take every single verse of al-Ālaʾ and interpret it through extremely forced meaning.
Translation: — So which manifestations of power and blessings of Allah will you dispute and equivocate over?
هَٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ النُّذُرِ الْأُولَىٰ
hādhā nadhīrun mina l-nudhuri l-ūlā.
"This is a warner from among the warners of old." (al-Najm 53:56)
Hādhā nadhīr — this Prophet ﷺ — this warner — is one who warns about coming calamity — mina l-nudhuri l-ūlā — from among the earlier warners — among the warners who came before — the earlier, the previous warners — this Prophet is of their method also.
Translation: — This warner is among the warners of previous past prophets.
أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ
azifati l-āzifaẗu.
"The approaching Event has approached." (al-Najm 53:57)
Azifat — it has come near — al-āzifaẗu — the approaching event — the near calamity — the coming Hour is already full.
Translation: — The near Hour (Resurrection) has already come.
لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ
laysa lahā min dūni l-llāhi kāshifaẗun.
"There is for it no remover other than Allah." (al-Najm 53:58)
Laysa lahā — for this approaching Hour there is nothing — min dūni l-llāhi — other than Allah — kāshifaẗun — an uncoverer — one who reveals and removes — a preventer — one who turns it away.
Translation: — There is no force that can remove this calamity except Allah.
أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ