Surah al-Najm, Chapter 53

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful

Verses 1 – 25

وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ {1}

1. And when the Prophet ascended

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ {2}

2. your companion was neither misguided nor erred.

وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ {3}

3. He does not talk of his own will

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ {4}

4. except what inspired unto him.

عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ {5}

5. Directly by God the Almighty.

ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَىٰ {6}

6. Equipping him first.

وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىٰ {7}

7. Then when he was on the highest point of ascension

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ {8}

8. when he drew quite close to Him.

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ {9}

9. When distance between the two was hardly an arch between eyes or even closer than that.

فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىٰ {10}

10. When I revealed unto Him what I had to reveal.1

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰ {11}

11. He did not lie in what his heart had viewed.

أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ {12}

12. Do you dispute on His view of Divine glory.

وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ {13}

13. But verily he saw Gabriel coming down a second time

عِنْدَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَىٰ {14}

14. near Sidrat ul-Muntahn.2

عِنْدَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ {15}

15. And in neighbourhood of which is Paradise Mava.

إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ {16}

16. When glory of Almighty was fully functioning.

مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ {17}

17. Neither did his eyes dazzle nor was he led away.

لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ {18}

18. Verily did he view a mighty sign of his creator (Ali).

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ {19}

19. Have you seen that Lat and Uzza

وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ {20}

20. and Manat the third?

أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الْأُنْثَىٰ {21}

21. What! Are sons for you and daughters for Him?

تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ {22}

22. This division of you is abstruse.

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 {23}

23. These are the names given by you and your forefathers, without having any proof, wherein you have simply followed guess ad passion, and verily did come to you guidance from your Providence.

أَمْ لِلْإِنْسَانِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ {24}

24. What! Will man have everything he wills?

فَلِلَّهِ الْآخِرَةُ وَالْأُولَىٰ {25}

25. It is under Divine control, granting gift of eternity and world.


1. This paragraph testifies to the Prophet, as a Divine Light, making an infallible statement under Divine inspiration, without having any prejudicial influence of his Ahl al-Bayt. it also confirms the existence of paradise and hell.

2. Another version of this paragraph gives a proof of Ali’s succession, when the Prophet was asked as to who would succeed him, when he said, the member of the house on which the planet would descend the following night and this house was that of Ali. (Previous version being from Qummi.)

Verses 26 – 32

وَكَمْ مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَىٰ {26}

26. And how many angels are in the heavens, whose intercession will be of no avail to them except whom God sanctions whom he chooses and is pleased with.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنْثَىٰ {27}

27. Those who do not believe in eternity, verily term angels His daughters.

وَمَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ ۖ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْئًا {28}

28. They have no knowledge about them. They simply follow guess work, which cannot gain upon fact.

فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْ مَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا {29}

29. So keep off from them who turn away from Our remembrance (that is Divine Light in person) and have no intentions (of being guided) except gaining the world.

ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ اهْتَدَىٰ {30}

30. This is their end and aim (due to their limited knowledge). Verily your Providence is fully acquainted with him who is misled from his path and who is guided.

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى {31}

31. And for Us is what is in the heavens and the earth, to reward him who acts virtuously and punish him who acts evil on Earth.

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 {32}

32. Those are who give up major sins and punishable acts such as fornication and theft etc. except those mentally committed and pardoned under penance, without operation. Verily your Providence is mighty at forgiveness. He knows of what you are created and when you were in your mother’s womb. So do not boast on your piety, He knows better as to who is virtuous.



Verses 33 – 62

أَفَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ {33}

33. Did you notice who turned away his face form God?

وَأَعْطَىٰ قَلِيلًا وَأَكْدَىٰ {34}

34. After paying little, stopped further payments.

أَعِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰ {35}

35. What! Has the mysterious knowledge with him wherein he looks out for his actions?

أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ {36}

36. Was he not informed of what is in the Text of Moses?

وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّىٰ {37}

37. And in records of Abraham which he fulfilled?3

أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ {38}

38. Beware nobody is going to lift the load of sins of any except himself.

وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ {39}

39. And verily for man is nothing beyond what he attempts,

وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَىٰ {40}

40. and he shall see the result of his own attempts.

ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاءَ الْأَوْفَىٰ {41}

41. He will be rewarded duly for his acts

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنْتَهَىٰ {42}

42. and terminal goal of your contemplation will end God (you cannot go further to fathom His nature).

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَضْحَكَ وَأَبْكَىٰ {43}

43. It is He who sends water from the clouds. It is He who fertilizes the soil with fruit and vegetation.

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحْيَا {44}

44. It is He who shall give death and enliven again.

وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ {45}

45. It is He Who created in pairs man and woman4

مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ {46}

46. From sperm whit it shoots out through the vagina.

وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ {47}

47. And it is for Him to re-enliven you.

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ أَغْنَىٰ وَأَقْنَىٰ {48}

48. It is He Who enriches and makes each contented in his avocation.

وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّ الشِّعْرَىٰ {49}

49. And He is the creation of Planet Venus.

وَأَنَّهُ أَهْلَكَ عَادًا الْأُولَىٰ {50}

50. It is He who destroyed the foul sect of ‘Ad,

وَثَمُودَ فَمَا أَبْقَىٰ {51}

51. and the sect of Thamood leaving none behind.

وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا هُمْ أَظْلَمَ وَأَطْغَىٰ {52}

52. And the sect of Noah at first who were disobedient and transgressing.

وَالْمُؤْتَفِكَةَ أَهْوَىٰ {53}

53. And destroyed the sect of Lot.

فَغَشَّاهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ {54}

54. Then passed over them what was destined.

فَبِأَيِّ آلَاءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ {55}

55. Which of your Providence’s bounties do you doubt?

هَٰذَا نَذِيرٌ مِنَ النُّذُرِ الْأُولَىٰ {56}

56. He is one of the bygone warners.

أَزِفَتِ الْآزِفَةُ {57}

57. What has been expected has drawn near.

لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ {58}

58. There is none to divert it save God.

أَفَمِنْ هَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ تَعْجَبُونَ {59}

59. What are you surprised at?

وَتَضْحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبْكُونَ {60}

60. You laugh and do not weep.

وَأَنْتُمْ سَامِدُونَ {61}

61. And are busy about playing.

فَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ وَاعْبُدُوا ۩ {62}

62. Better prostate before Him and pray unto Him.5


Although scientists by composition of two or more elementary substances produce a mixture or a compound, they are not able to explain property thereof. Thus the creator of these elements and producer of property is God beyond conception of scientists, the most intelligent.

  • 1. Re-succession and marriage of Ali, etc.
  • 2. His highest reach where human deeds reach.
  • 3. In thanksgiving day and night.
  • 4. To co-ordinate action, proving His unique nature being self-sufficient for creation and administration.
  • 5. For keeping you stead at supplicating Him.