English - Chapter 53 - An-Najm

By the star when it goes down

Your Companion (the Messenger) has neither gone astray nor adopted a wrong way (in belief and action)

He does not speak on his own, out of his own desire

That (which he conveys to you) is but a Revelation that is revealed to him

One of forceful might (Gabriel) has taught it

One firm, with ability to penetrate and perfect in spirit, rose with all his splendor

When he was in the highest part of the horizon

Then, he drew near and came close

So he was (so near that there was left only the distance between) the strings of two bows (put adjacent to each other) or even nearer (than that)

And He revealed to His servant what He revealed

The heart did not contradict what he saw (with his eyes)

Will you then dispute with him concerning what he saw

Assuredly he saw him during a second descent

Near it is the Garden of Refuge and Dwelling

Meanwhile that was covering the Lote-tree which was covering it

The sight (of the Messenger) did not swerve (so that he looked elsewhere and saw something different), nor did it go wrong (so that he might have seen an illusion)

Indeed, he saw one among the greatest signs of His Lord

(As compared to that) have you considered al-Lat and al-‘Uzza

And the other, the third (idol), al-Manat: (what things are these that you concoct)

What? For you the males and for Him the females

That is an unfair division indeed

They (your false deities) are nothing but made-up names that you and your forefathers have invented; God sent no authority for them. They follow only conjecture and that which they themselves lust after. But now there has certainly come to them guidance from their Lord (Who has created them, and sustains them)

Or will human attain whatever he craves

But (whatever human desires, be it to serve his higher good, or to serve his carnal appetites) to God belong the after(life) and the former (life)

How many an angel there is in the heavens (even supposing they would intercede for a human) whose intercession does not avail at all except after God has given permission to whomever He wills (to intercede on behalf of whomever He wills) and is pleased with

It is those who do not believe in the Hereafter who name the angels (whom they regard as God’s daughters) with feminine names

They have no knowledge of this. They follow nothing other than conjecture, and conjecture can never substitute for anything of the truth

So withdraw from those who turn away from Our Book and remembrance, and desire nothing but the life of this world

Such is their sum of knowledge (limited by desires of the moment, and the falsehoods they have inherited unthinkingly and become used to, limited to the outer surface of things). Surely your Lord knows best him who has gone astray, and He knows best him who goes right (following the Straight Path of his Lord)

To God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and (since He knows best him who has gone astray and him who follows the right path) He will recompense those who do evil with what they have done, and recompense those who do good with the best reward

Those who avoid the major sins and indecent, shameful deeds (which are in fact included in the major sins), only falling into small fault, – surely your Lord is of extensive forgiveness. He knows you well when He originates you from (the particles of) earth, and when you are hidden (fetuses) in the wombs of your mothers. So do not hold yourselves pure (sinless; it is vain self-justification). He knows best him who keeps from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety

Have you considered him who turns away (from your call)

He has given (the needy) a little, then he is stern (in not giving)

Does he have knowledge of the Unseen, and so he sees (what is to happen in the future)

Or has he not been informed of all (that is to follow and) was in the Scrolls of Moses

And of Abraham who discharged his due (fulfilling all his duties to perfection)

That no soul, as bearer of burden, is made to bear the burden of another

And that human has only that for which he labors

And his labor will be brought forth to be seen

And afterward he will be repaid for it with fullest payment

And in your Lord everything ends

And He it is Who (by His Will, Power, and creation) enables to laugh and to weep

And He it is Who causes to die and gives life

And He creates the pairs, the male and the female

From a drop of (seminal) fluid when it is emitted

And He has taken on Himself the other bringing forth

And He it is Who grants abundant wealth and suffices (all need by His providing)

And surely He it is Who is the Lord of Sirius

And He destroyed the former (tribe of ) ‘Ad

And the (tribe of) Thamud; He spared no (disbelieving criminal) among them

And the people of Noah before; surely they were further in wrongdoing and further in rebellion

(He also destroyed) the overthrown cities (of Lot’s people)

So that there covered them that which covered

Then which of the gifts of your Lord do you dispute about

And this (Messenger) is a warner like the warners of old

That (the Last Hour) which is bound to draw near has drawn near

None besides God can disclose it (or remove the dread and suffering it entails)

Do you then deem this Discourse (which enables your eternal salvation) strange

And do you laugh and not weep (in consideration of your recalcitrance and sinfulness)

Moreover entertain yourselves (with fun and games)

Rather: prostrate before God (in submission) and worship Him (so that He may protect you from the dread and suffering of the Last Hour)