البروج
Surah Al-Buruj
The Mansions of the Stars · Surah 85 · Meccan · 22 verses
1وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡبُرُوجِ ١By the heaven, holding mansions of the stars.InsightElmalılı says “burj” originally means something plainly visible, a lofty tower that catches the eye. The sky is adorned with these bright clusters of stars.2وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡمَوۡعُودِ ٢And by the Promised Day.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is the Day of Resurrection, the day of recompense, promised as good news to believers and as a warning to disbelievers.3وَشَاهِدࣲ وَمَشۡهُودࣲ ٣And by the witness and that whereunto he beareth testimony.InsightElmalılı notes there are many views here, but the plainest meaning is those present who see the Day and what they see.4قُتِلَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأُخۡدُودِ ٤(Self-)destroyed were the owners of the ditch.InsightElmalılı says “qutila” can mean literally killed, but the better-known sense is being cast out of Allah’s mercy and cursed.5ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡوَقُودِ ٥Of the fuel-fed fire.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, they dug trenches of blazing fire, heavy with fuel, to throw the believers into and force them to give up their faith.6إِذۡ هُمۡ عَلَيۡهَا قُعُودࣱ ٦When they sat by it.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, they gathered around the fire and watched from opposite it. “Sitting over it” hints that this would in the end turn into their own ruin.7وَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفۡعَلُونَ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ شُهُودࣱ ٧And were themselves the witnesses of what they did to the believers.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, they were so hard-hearted that they threw believers into the fire and took pleasure in sitting and watching the atrocity.8وَمَا نَقَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِيدِ ٨They had naught against them save that they believed in Allah, the Mighty, the Owner of Praise.InsightElmalılı notes the verb in the continuous form: the believers persisted in their faith and did not give it up. That was their only “fault”.9ٱلَّذِي لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ شَهِيدٌ ٩Him unto Whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is of all things the Witness.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, all dominion and rule of the heavens and earth is His. The believers were thrown into those trenches because they believed in His dominion, might and worthiness of praise.10إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَتُوبُواْ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱلۡحَرِيقِ ١٠Lo! they who persecute believing men and believing women and repent not, theirs verily will be the doom of hell, and theirs the doom of burning.InsightElmalılı points to “and then do not repent”: even for those who commit the greatest wrong, the door of repentance is open; the punishment is for those who do not repent.11إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣱ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ ١١Lo! those who believe and do good works, theirs will be Gardens underneath which rivers flow. That is the Great Success.InsightElmalılı, citing al-Razi, says this story shows that for one forced towards disbelief under heavy threat, the most virtuous course is to be patient and hold to faith.12إِنَّ بَطۡشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ ١٢Lo! the punishment of thy Lord is stern.InsightElmalılı explains “batsh” as a harsh, powerful seizing; calling it “severe” as well conveys its extraordinary terror.13إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبۡدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ ١٣Lo! He it is Who produceth, then reproduceth.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, He both begins and creates again. The power of created beings reaches neither the beginning nor the end; so His grip is like nothing else.14وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلۡوَدُودُ ١٤And He is the Forgiving, the Loving.InsightElmalılı explains “al-Wadud” as the One who loves greatly or is greatly loved. These names coming right after the severe grip show that the door is open for those who repent.15ذُو ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡمَجِيدُ ١٥Lord of the Throne of Glory.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, He is the Owner of the Throne, or of the dominion of the whole universe; great in His essence and attributes, glorious in majesty.16فَعَّالࣱ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ ١٦Doer of what He will.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, His will never fails; so there is no doubt He will fulfil His promise and His warning.17هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلۡجُنُودِ ١٧Hath there come unto thee the story of the hosts.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this question recalls Allah’s power through examples and comforts the Prophet with the promise of help against his enemies.18فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَثَمُودَ ١٨Of Pharaoh and (the tribe of) Thamud.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, as the Qur’an tells in many places, these are peoples Allah seized and destroyed despite their armies and power.19بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي تَكۡذِيبࣲ ١٩Nay, but those who disbelieve live in denial.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, even after these stories are told, the disbelievers remain immersed in denying Allah’s power and the Qur’an’s promise.20وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِم مُّحِيطُۢ ٢٠And Allah, all unseen, surroundeth them.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, there is no way for them to escape Allah’s knowledge and power.21بَلۡ هُوَ قُرۡءَانࣱ مَّجِيدࣱ ٢١Nay, but it is a glorious Qur’an.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, though the disbelievers deny, this book that tells these things is a glorious Qur’an, preserved in the Guarded Tablet.22فِي لَوۡحࣲ مَّحۡفُوظِۭ ٢٢On a guarded tablet.