53. An-Najm

وَٱلنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ

By the star when it descends,

wal-najmi idhā hawā

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ

Your companion [i.e., Muḥammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred,

mā ḍalla ṣāḥibukum wamā ghawā

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ

Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.

wamā yanṭiqu ʿani l-hawā

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌ يُوحَىٰ

It is not but a revelation revealed,

in huwa illā waḥyun yūḥā

عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلْقُوَىٰ

Taught to him by one intense in strength [i.e., Gabriel] -

ʿallamahu shadīdu l-quwā

ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ

One of soundness.1 And he rose to [his] true form2

dhū mirratin fa-is'tawā

وَهُوَ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ

While he was in the higher [part of the] horizon.1

wahuwa bil-ufuqi l-aʿlā

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ

Then he approached and descended

thumma danā fatadallā

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ

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

fakāna qāba qawsayni aw adnā

فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِۦ مَآ أَوْحَىٰ

And he revealed to His Servant1 what he revealed [i.e., conveyed].

fa-awḥā ilā ʿabdihi mā awḥā

مَا كَذَبَ ٱلْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰٓ

The heart1 did not lie [about] what it saw.

mā kadhaba l-fuādu mā raā

أَفَتُمَـٰرُونَهُۥ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ

So will you dispute with him over what he saw?

afatumārūnahu ʿalā mā yarā

وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ

And he certainly saw him in another descent1

walaqad raāhu nazlatan ukh'rā

عِندَ سِدْرَةِ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ

At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary -

ʿinda sid'rati l-muntahā

عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰٓ

Near it is the Garden of Refuge [i.e., Paradise] -

ʿindahā jannatu l-mawā

إِذْ يَغْشَى ٱلسِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ

When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it].1

idh yaghshā l-sid'rata mā yaghshā

مَا زَاغَ ٱلْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ

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

mā zāgha l-baṣaru wamā ṭaghā

لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰٓ

He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.

laqad raā min āyāti rabbihi l-kub'rā

أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱللَّـٰتَ وَٱلْعُزَّىٰ

So have you considered al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā?

afara-aytumu l-lāta wal-ʿuzā

وَمَنَوٰةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ

And Manāt, the third - the other one?1

wamanata l-thālithata l-ukh'rā

أَلَكُمُ ٱلذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ ٱلْأُنثَىٰ

Is the male for you and for Him the female?

alakumu l-dhakaru walahu l-unthā

تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰٓ

That, then, is an unjust division.1

til'ka idhan qis'matun ḍīzā

إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّآ أَسْمَآءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمْ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلْطَـٰنٍ ۚ 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 Allāh 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.

in hiya illā asmāon sammaytumūhā antum waābāukum mā anzala l-lahu bihā min sul'ṭānin in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓana wamā tahwā l-anfusu walaqad jāahum min rabbihimu l-hudā

أَمْ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ

Or is there for man whatever he wishes?

am lil'insāni mā tamannā

فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ

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

falillahi l-ākhiratu wal-ūlā

۞ وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغْنِى شَفَـٰعَتُهُمْ 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 Allāh has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves.

wakam min malakin fī l-samāwāti lā tugh'nī shafāʿatuhum shayan illā min baʿdi an yadhana l-lahu liman yashāu wayarḍā

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ ٱلْأُنثَىٰ

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

inna alladhīna lā yu'minūna bil-ākhirati layusammūna l-malāikata tasmiyata l-unthā

وَمَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا

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

wamā lahum bihi min ʿil'min in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓana wa-inna l-ẓana lā yugh'nī mina l-ḥaqi shayan

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.

fa-aʿriḍ ʿan man tawallā ʿan dhik'rinā walam yurid illā l-ḥayata l-dun'yā

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.

dhālika mablaghuhum mina l-ʿil'mi inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu biman ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi wahuwa aʿlamu bimani ih'tadā

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَـٰٓـُٔوا۟ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ بِٱلْحُسْنَى

And to Allāh 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] -

walillahi mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi liyajziya alladhīna asāū bimā ʿamilū wayajziya alladhīna aḥsanū bil-ḥus'nā

ٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَٰسِعُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ ۖ 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.

alladhīna yajtanibūna kabāira l-ith'mi wal-fawāḥisha illā l-lamama inna rabbaka wāsiʿu l-maghfirati huwa aʿlamu bikum idh ansha-akum mina l-arḍi wa-idh antum ajinnatun fī buṭūni ummahātikum falā tuzakkū anfusakum huwa aʿlamu bimani ittaqā

أَفَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى تَوَلَّىٰ

Have you seen the one who turned away

afara-ayta alladhī tawallā

وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰٓ

And gave a little and [then] refrained?

wa-aʿṭā qalīlan wa-akdā

أَعِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰٓ

Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so he sees?1

aʿindahu ʿil'mu l-ghaybi fahuwa yarā

أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِى صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ

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

am lam yunabba bimā fī ṣuḥufi mūsā

وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلَّذِى وَفَّىٰٓ

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

wa-ib'rāhīma alladhī waffā

أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ

That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another

allā taziru wāziratun wiz'ra ukh'rā

وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ

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

wa-an laysa lil'insāni illā mā saʿā

وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُۥ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ

And that his effort is going to be seen -

wa-anna saʿyahu sawfa yurā

ثُمَّ يُجْزَىٰهُ ٱلْجَزَآءَ ٱلْأَوْفَىٰ

Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense -

thumma yuj'zāhu l-jazāa l-awfā

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ

And that to your Lord is the finality

wa-anna ilā rabbika l-muntahā

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ

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

wa-annahu huwa aḍḥaka wa-abkā

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا

And that it is He who causes death and gives life

wa-annahu huwa amāta wa-aḥyā

وَأَنَّهُۥ خَلَقَ ٱلزَّوْجَيْنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰ

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

wa-annahu khalaqa l-zawjayni l-dhakara wal-unthā

مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ

From a sperm-drop when it is emitted

min nuṭ'fatin idhā tum'nā

وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ

And that [incumbent] upon Him is the other [i.e., next] creation.

wa-anna ʿalayhi l-nashata l-ukh'rā

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ

And that it is He who enriches and suffices

wa-annahu huwa aghnā wa-aqnā

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلشِّعْرَىٰ

And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius1.

wa-annahu huwa rabbu l-shiʿ'rā

وَأَنَّهُۥٓ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا ٱلْأُولَىٰ

And that He destroyed the first [people of] ʿAad.

wa-annahu ahlaka ʿādan l-ūlā

وَثَمُودَا۟ فَمَآ أَبْقَىٰ

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

wathamūdā famā abqā

وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ

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

waqawma nūḥin min qablu innahum kānū hum aẓlama wa-aṭghā

وَٱلْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ

And the overturned towns1 He hurled down.

wal-mu'tafikata ahwā

فَغَشَّىٰهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ

And covered them by that which He covered.1

faghashāhā mā ghashā

فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ

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

fabi-ayyi ālāi rabbika tatamārā

هَـٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِّنَ ٱلنُّذُرِ ٱلْأُولَىٰٓ

This [Prophet (ﷺ)] is a warner from [i.e., like] the former warners.

hādhā nadhīrun mina l-nudhuri l-ūlā

أَزِفَتِ ٱلْـَٔازِفَةُ

The Approaching Day has approached.

azifati l-āzifatu

لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ

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

laysa lahā min dūni l-lahi kāshifatun

أَفَمِنْ هَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ

Then at this statement do you wonder?

afamin hādhā l-ḥadīthi taʿjabūna

وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ

And you laugh and do not weep

wataḍḥakūna walā tabkūna

وَأَنتُمْ سَـٰمِدُونَ

While you are proudly sporting?1

wa-antum sāmidūna

فَٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ۩

So prostrate to Allāh and worship [Him].

fa-us'judū lillahi wa-uʿ'budū