Setting
Surah The Star [An-Najm] in English
وَٱلنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ ﴿١﴾
I CALL TO witness the star of the pleiades when it has dipped
مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ ﴿٢﴾
That your companion is not confused, nor has he gone astray,
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ ﴿٣﴾
Neither does he speak of his own will.
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ ﴿٤﴾
This is only revelation communicated,
عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلْقُوَىٰ ﴿٥﴾
Bestowed on him by the Supreme Intellect,
ذُو مِرَّةٍۢ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ ﴿٦﴾
Lord of power and wisdom. So he acquired poise and balance,
وَهُوَ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ ﴿٧﴾
And reached the highest pinnacle.
ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ ﴿٨﴾
Then he drew near and drew closer
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ ﴿٩﴾
Until a space of two bow (arcs) or even less remained,
فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِۦ مَآ أَوْحَىٰ ﴿١٠﴾
When He revealed to His votary what He revealed.
مَا كَذَبَ ٱلْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰٓ ﴿١١﴾
His heart did not falsify what he perceived.
أَفَتُمَٰرُونَهُۥ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ ﴿١٢﴾
Will you dispute with him what he saw?
وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ ﴿١٣﴾
He saw Him indeed another time
عِندَ سِدْرَةِ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ ﴿١٤﴾
By the Lote-tree beyond which none can pass,
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰٓ ﴿١٥﴾
Close to which is the Garden of Tranquility,
إِذْ يَغْشَى ٱلسِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ ﴿١٦﴾
When the Lote-tree was covered over with what it was covered over;
مَا زَاغَ ٱلْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ ﴿١٧﴾
Neither did sight falter nor exceed the bounds.
لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ ءَايَٰتِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰٓ ﴿١٨﴾
Indeed he saw some of the greatest signs of His Lord.
أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱللَّٰتَ وَٱلْعُزَّىٰ ﴿١٩﴾
Have you considered Lat and 'Uzza,
وَمَنَوٰةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ ﴿٢٠﴾
And Manat, the other third (of the pagan deities)?
أَلَكُمُ ٱلذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ ٱلْأُنثَىٰ ﴿٢١﴾
Are there sons for you, and daughters for Him?
تِلْكَ إِذًۭا قِسْمَةٌۭ ضِيزَىٰٓ ﴿٢٢﴾
This is certainly an unjust apportioning.
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 ﴿٢٣﴾
These are only names which you and your fathers have invented. No authority was sent down by God for them. They only follow conjecture and wish-fulfilment, even though guidance had come to them already from their Lord.
أَمْ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ ﴿٢٤﴾
Can ever man get what he desires?
فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْءَاخِرَةُ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ ﴿٢٥﴾
To God belong the End and the Beginning.
۞ وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٍۢ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغْنِى شَفَٰعَتُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَن يَأْذَنَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرْضَىٰٓ ﴿٢٦﴾
Many as the angels be in heaven their intercession will not avail in the least without God's permission for whomsoever He please and approve.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْءَاخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ ٱلْأُنثَىٰ ﴿٢٧﴾
Those who do not believe in the Hereafter give the angels names of females.
وَمَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِى مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ شَيْـًۭٔا ﴿٢٨﴾
Yet they have no knowledge of this, and follow nothing but conjecture, but conjecture cannot replace the truth.
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ﴿٢٩﴾
So you turn away from him who turns away from Our rememberance and wants nothing but the life of this world:
ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ ﴿٣٠﴾
This is the farthest limit of their knowledge. Surely your Lord alone knows best who has strayed away from the path and who has come to guidance.
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَٰٓـُٔوا۟ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ بِٱلْحُسْنَى ﴿٣١﴾
To God belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, that He may requite those who do evil, in accordance with their deeds, and those who do good with good.
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 ﴿٣٢﴾
As for those who avoid the greater sins and shameful acts, except minor trespasses, your Lord's forgiveness surely has great amplitude. He is fully knowledgeable of you as He produced you from the earth, and since you were a foetus in your mother's womb. So do not assert your goodness; he is better who takes heed and preserves himself.
أَفَرَءَيْتَ ٱلَّذِى تَوَلَّىٰ ﴿٣٣﴾
Have you seen him who turns his back,
وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًۭا وَأَكْدَىٰٓ ﴿٣٤﴾
Who gives but little, and is niggardly?
أَعِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰٓ ﴿٣٥﴾
Has he knowledge of the Unknown that he perceives everything?
أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِى صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ ﴿٣٦﴾
Has he not heard what is contained in the Book of Moses,
وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلَّذِى وَفَّىٰٓ ﴿٣٧﴾
And of Abraham who fulfilled his trust? --
أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌۭ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ﴿٣٨﴾
That no one who carries a burden bears another's load;
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ ﴿٣٩﴾
That a man receives but only that for which he strives;
وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُۥ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ ﴿٤٠﴾
That his endeavours will be judged,
ثُمَّ يُجْزَىٰهُ ٱلْجَزَآءَ ٱلْأَوْفَىٰ ﴿٤١﴾
And only then will he receive his recompense in full;
وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ ﴿٤٢﴾
And that to your Lord is your returning;
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ ﴿٤٣﴾
That it is He who makes you happy and morose,
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا ﴿٤٤﴾
And He who ordains death and life;
وَأَنَّهُۥ خَلَقَ ٱلزَّوْجَيْنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰ ﴿٤٥﴾
That He created pairs, male and female,
مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ ﴿٤٦﴾
From a drop of semen when emitted;
وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ ﴿٤٧﴾
That the second creation is incumbent on Him;
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ ﴿٤٨﴾
That it is He who makes you rich and contented;
وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلشِّعْرَىٰ ﴿٤٩﴾
That He is the Lord of Sirius;
وَأَنَّهُۥٓ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا ٱلْأُولَىٰ ﴿٥٠﴾
That it was He who destroyed the 'Ad of old,
وَثَمُودَا۟ فَمَآ أَبْقَىٰ ﴿٥١﴾
And Thamud, and did not leave them,
وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍۢ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ ﴿٥٢﴾
Like the people of Noah before them, who were surely oppressors and rebellious;
وَٱلْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ ﴿٥٣﴾
And He overthrew the Cities of the Plain,
فَغَشَّىٰهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ ﴿٥٤﴾
So that they were covered over by what they were covered over.
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ ﴿٥٥﴾
How many favours of your Lord will you then deny?
هَٰذَا نَذِيرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلنُّذُرِ ٱلْأُولَىٰٓ ﴿٥٦﴾
He who warns you is one of the warners of old.
أَزِفَتِ ٱلْءَازِفَةُ ﴿٥٧﴾
What is to come is imminent.
لَيْسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ ﴿٥٨﴾
There is no one to unveil it apart from God.
أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ ﴿٥٩﴾
Are you astonished at this news,
وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ ﴿٦٠﴾
And keep laughing and do not weep,
وَأَنتُمْ سَٰمِدُونَ ﴿٦١﴾
Indulging in pleasantries?
فَٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ۩ ﴿٦٢﴾
Bow instead in adoration before God and worship Him.