An-Najm

By the star when it sets!

وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ

wal-najmi idhā hawā

Your companion has not strayed; he is not deluded;

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ

mā ḍalla ṣāḥibukum wamā ghawā

he does not speak from his own desire.

وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ

wamā yanṭiqu ʿani l-hawā

The Quran is nothing less than a revelation that is sent to him.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ

in huwa illā waḥyun yūḥā

It was taught to him by [an angel] with mighty powers

عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ

ʿallamahu shadīdu l-quwā

and great strength, who stood

ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَىٰ

dhū mirratin fa-is'tawā

on the highest horizon

وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىٰ

wahuwa bil-ufuqi l-aʿlā

and then approached––coming down

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ

thumma danā fatadallā

until he was two bow-lengths away or even closer––

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ

fakāna qāba qawsayni aw adnā

and revealed to God’s servant what He revealed.

فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىٰ

fa-awḥā ilā ʿabdihi mā awḥā

[The Prophet’s] own heart did not distort what he saw.

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰ

mā kadhaba l-fuādu mā raā

Are you going to dispute with him what he saw with his own eyes?

أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ

afatumārūnahu ʿalā mā yarā

A second time he saw him:

وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ

walaqad raāhu nazlatan ukh'rā

by the lote tree beyond which none may pass

عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَىٰ

ʿinda sid'rati l-muntahā

near the Garden of Restfulness,

عِنْدَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ

ʿindahā jannatu l-mawā

when the tree was covered in nameless [splendour].

إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ

idh yaghshā l-sid'rata mā yaghshā

His sight never wavered, nor was it too bold,

مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ

mā zāgha l-baṣaru wamā ṭaghā

and he saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord.

لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ

laqad raā min āyāti rabbihi l-kub'rā

[Disbelievers], consider al-Lat and al-Uzza,

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ

afara-aytumu l-lāta wal-ʿuzā

and the third one, Manat––

وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ

wamanata l-thālithata l-ukh'rā

are you to have the male and He the female?

أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْأُنْثَىٰ

alakumu l-dhakaru walahu l-unthā

That would be a most unjust distribution!––

تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ

til'ka idhan qis'matun ḍīzā

these are nothing but names you have invented yourselves, you and your forefathers. God has sent no authority for them. These people merely follow guesswork and the whims of their souls, even though guidance has come to them from their Lord.

إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ سُلْطَانٍ ۚ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنْفُسُ ۖ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الْهُدَىٰ

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

Is man to have everything he wishes for,

أَمْ لِلْإِنْسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ

am lil'insāni mā tamannā

when the present life and the life to come belong only to God?

فَلِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةُ وَالْأُولَىٰ

falillahi l-ākhiratu wal-ūlā

There are many angels in heaven whose intercession will be of no use until God gives permission to those He will, whose words He will accept.

وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَىٰ

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

Those who deny the life to come give the angels female names.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنْثَىٰ

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

They have no knowledge to base this on: they merely follow guesswork. Guesswork is of no value against the Truth.

وَمَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا

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

So [Prophet] ignore those who turn away from Our revelation, who want only the life of this world.

فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْ مَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا

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

Their knowledge does not go beyond that. Your Lord knows best who strays from His path and who follows guidance.

ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ

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

Everything in the heavens and earth belongs to God. He will repay those who do evil according to their deeds, and reward, with what is best, those who do good.

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى

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

As for those who avoid grave sins and foul acts, though they may commit small sins, your Lord is ample in forgiveness. He has been aware of you from the time He produced you from the earth and from your hiding places in your mothers’ wombs, so do not assert your own goodness:He knows best who is mindful of Him.

الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ إِلَّا اللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَاسِعُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنْشَأَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنْتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ

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

[Prophet], consider that man who turned away:

أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ

afara-ayta alladhī tawallā

he only gave a little and then he stopped.

وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰ

wa-aʿṭā qalīlan wa-akdā

Does he have knowledge of the Unseen? Can he see [the Hereafter]?

أَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰ

aʿindahu ʿil'mu l-ghaybi fahuwa yarā

Has he not been told what was written in the Scriptures of Moses

أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ

am lam yunabba bimā fī ṣuḥufi mūsā

and of Abraham, who fulfilled his duty:

وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ

wa-ib'rāhīma alladhī waffā

that no soul shall bear the burden of another;

أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ

allā taziru wāziratun wiz'ra ukh'rā

that man will only have what he has worked towards;

وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ

wa-an laysa lil'insāni illā mā saʿā

that his labour will be seen

وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ

wa-anna saʿyahu sawfa yurā

and that in the end he will be repaid in full for it;

ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاءَ الْأَوْفَىٰ

thumma yuj'zāhu l-jazāa l-awfā

that the final goal is your Lord;

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنْتَهَىٰ

wa-anna ilā rabbika l-muntahā

that it is He who makes people laugh and weep;

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ

wa-annahu huwa aḍḥaka wa-abkā

that it is He who gives death and life;

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا

wa-annahu huwa amāta wa-aḥyā

that He Himself created the two sexes, male and female,

وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ

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

from an ejected drop of sperm;

مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ

min nuṭ'fatin idhā tum'nā

that He will undertake the second Creation;

وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ

wa-anna ʿalayhi l-nashata l-ukh'rā

that it is He who gives wealth and possessions;

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ

wa-annahu huwa aghnā wa-aqnā

that He is the Lord of Sirius;

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَىٰ

wa-annahu huwa rabbu l-shiʿ'rā

that it was He who destroyed, in their entirety, ancient 'Ad

وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَىٰ

wa-annahu ahlaka ʿādan l-ūlā

and Thamud,

وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَىٰ

wathamūdā famā abqā

and before them the people of Noah who were even more unjust and insolent;

وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ

waqawma nūḥin min qablu innahum kānū hum aẓlama wa-aṭghā

that it was He who brought down the ruined cities

وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ

wal-mu'tafikata ahwā

and enveloped them in the punishment He ordained for them?

فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ

faghashāhā mā ghashā

Which then of your Lord’s blessings do you deny?

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ

fabi-ayyi ālāi rabbika tatamārā

This is a warning just like the warnings sent in former times.

هَـٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِنَ النُّذُرِ الْأُولَىٰ

hādhā nadhīrun mina l-nudhuri l-ūlā

The imminent Hour draws near

أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ

azifati l-āzifatu

and only God can disclose it.

لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ

laysa lahā min dūni l-lahi kāshifatun

Do you [people] marvel at this?

أَفَمِنْ هَـٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ

afamin hādhā l-ḥadīthi taʿjabūna

Why do you laugh instead of weeping?

وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ

wataḍḥakūna walā tabkūna

Why do you pay no heed?

وَأَنْتُمْ سَامِدُونَ

wa-antum sāmidūna

Bow down before God and worship.

فَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ وَاعْبُدُوا

fa-us'judū lillahi wa-uʿ'budū