1. Hasan, Mujahid and Qatadah have said that by buruj the allusion is to stars. There are other explanations. One of them, coming from `Ikrimah and Mujahid (and Ibn `Abbas also: Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi Shawkani) is that it alludes to palaces as Allah said (4: 78): {أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِكْكُمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُشَيَّدَةٍ } [النساء: 78] “Wherever you may be, death will find you, even if you are in fortified forts” (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

The word was originally coined for anything that appeared tall and conspicuous and hence visible from all sides.

In the above sense it came to be applied (to fortified forts, and: Au.) to palaces since in those days they resembled fortified forts (Alusi).

While discussing various theories about what the word buruj means, what Alusi has to say at this point seems partly to criticize the attitude of those of his times who were impressed to an extraordinary degree by the progress of science, and were eager to somehow reconcile scientific theories with the Qur’anic statements. It is also pertinent to our situation today. “When some people came to know,” Alusi writes, “from the astronomers that there were nine planets to the sun, they immediately jumped to the conclusion that the first seven planets were the seven heavens of the Qur’an, the eighth the Kursi and the ninth the `Arsh!”

2. According to several ahadith reported by Abu Hurayrah (in Tirmidhi as well as Hakim who has declared it Sahih: Shawkani), as well as Sa`id and Abu Malik al-Ash`ari that the Prophet said: الْيَوْمُ الْمَوْعُودُ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَالْمَشْهُودُ يَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ، وَالشَّاهِدُ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ، مَا طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ، وَلا غَرَبَتْ عَلَى يَوْمٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ، وَفِيهِ سَاعَةٌ لا يُرَدُّ فِيهَا مُسْلِمٌ يَدْعُو اللَّهَ بِخَيْرٍ إِلا اسْتَجَابَ لَهُ، وَلا يَسْتَعِيذُهُ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلا أَعَاذَهُ اللَّهُ “The words al-yawm al-maw`ud refer to the Day of Judgment, the yawm al-mash-hud is the Day of `Arafah, and shahid refers to Friday. Further, the sun does not shine nor set upon a day better than Friday. It has an hour in which no believer will ask for a good thing nor seek refuge from an evil but shall be granted.”

This is also the opinion of `Ali, Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah, Ibn Zayd. There are several other opinions coming both from the Companions as well as the Followers (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). Nonetheless, the most reliable of all reports is that the terms refer to Friday and the day of `Arafah (Shawkani). This is also the opinion of Baghawi (Ibn Kathir).

Yusuf Ali comments: “... metaphorical application (of the words shahid and mash-hud) has been explained in a variety of ways by different commentators. The words are fairly comprehensive, and I think, must be understood in connection with Judgment. There the Witnesses may be:

a) the Prophets (3: 81);

b) Allah Himself (3: 81, & 10: 61);

c) the Recording Angels (50: 21);

d) the Sinner’s own misused limbs (24: 24);

e) his record of deeds (17: 14); or,

f) the Sinner himself (14: 14).

The subject of the witness may be the deed or crime, or the Sinner against whom the testimony cries out. The appeal to these things means that the Sinner cannot possibly escape the consequences of his crime. He should repent, seek Allah’s Mercy, and amend his life."

Shanqiti has, independently, presented a similar argument (Au.).

3. There are several opinions about the identity of the makers of the Pit. Ibn abi Hatim has reported Ibn Jubayr as saying that history is replete with pits being dug, fires set and believers burned. It happened in Yemen during the time of Tubba`, (who, influenced by the Jews, burned thousands of Christians to death: Au.); in Constantinople at the time of Constantine who persecuted the Christians as heretics, in Iraq at the time of Nebuchadnezzar who got an idol of himself planted in Jerusalem and condemned to flames those Jews who refused to bow down to it. Suddi has also said that pit-burning took place in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. According to Maqatil that happened in Persia, Syria and Yemen, of which Allah spoke of only the one that took place in Yemen (Ibn Kathir).

Ibn Jarir has stated that Persian pit-burning took place when the king of that country committed adultery with his sister, tried to legalize incest and threw into fire those who disagreed with him.

As-hab al-Ukhdud

Ibn Ishaq’s version, of the pit-burning incident that took place in Yemen, as reported by Kashshaf, Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir, is as follows. The translation here is largely that of Alfred Guillaume (Seerah Rasulullah, Ibn Ishaq, Oxford Pub.).

“Yazid b. Ziyad told me on the authority of Muhammad b. Ka`b al-Qurazi, while a man of Najran also told me, that according to his people they used to worship idols. Najran is the largest town in which the people of the neighboring districts congregated, and in a village hard by there was a sorcerer who used to instruct the young men of Najran in his art. When Faymiyyun came there - they did not call him by the name that Wahb b. Munabbih gave him but simply said a man came there - he put up a tent between Najran and the place where the sorcerer was. Now the people of Najran used to send their young men to that sorcerer to be taught sorcery and al-Tamir (according to some versions al-Thamir: Au.) sent his son `Abdullah along with them. When he passed by the man in the tent the boy was immensely struck by his prayers and devotions and began to sit with him and listen to him until he became a Muslim and acknowledged the unity of God and worshipped Him. He asked questions about the laws of Islam until, when he became fully instructed therein, he asked the man what was the Great Name of God al-Ism al-A`zam: Au.). Although he knew it he kept it from him saying: 'My dear young man, you will not be able to bear it; I feel you are not equal to the task.’

“Now al-Tamir had no idea that his son `Abdullah was not visiting the sorcerer along with the other young men. `Abdullah seeing that his master had kept the knowledge from him and was afraid of his weakness, collected a number of arrows and whenever he taught him a name of Allah he wrote that name on a stick. When he had got them all he lit a fire and began to throw them in one by one until when he reached the arrow with the Great Name inscribed on it he threw it in, and it immediately sprang out untouched by the fire. Thereupon he took it and went and told his master that he knew the Great Name which he had concealed from him. The latter questioned him and when he learned how he had found out the secret he said, 'O my young friend you have got it, but keep it to yourself, though I do not think you will.’

“Thereafter, whenever `Abdullah b. al-Tamir entered Najran and met a sick person he would tell him, 'O servant of God, will you acknowledge the unity of God and adopt my religion so that I may pray to God that he may heal you of your affliction?’ The man would agree, acknowledge the unity of God, and become a Muslim, and he would pray for him and he would he healed, until in the end there was not a single sick person in Najran but had adopted his religion and become whole from his sickness. When the news reached the king he sent for him and said: 'You have corrupted the people of my town so that they are against me and have corrupted my religion and the religion of my fathers. I will make a terrible example of you.’ He replied: 'You have not the power to do that.’ The king had him taken to a high mountain and thrown down headlong, but he reached the ground unhurt. Then he had him thrown into deep waters in Najran from which no one had ever emerged alive, but he came out safely.

“Having thus got the better of him, `Abdullah told him that he would not be able to kill him until he acknowledged the unity of God and believed in his religion; but that if he did that he would be given the power to kill him. The king then acknowledged the unity of God and pronounced the creed of `Abdullah, and hitting him a moderate blow with a stick which he had in his hand he killed him and died himself on the spot. The people of Najran accepted the religion of `Abdullah b. al-Tamir according to the Gospel and the law which `Isa b. Maryam brought. Afterwards they were overtaken by the misfortune which befell their co-religionists...

To continue, Dhu Nuwas brought against them his Himyarite army and invited them to Judaism, giving them the choice between that or death: they chose death. (According to Ibn Ishaq, the real name of Dhu Nuwas was Yusuf. But Prof. G. Ryckmans discovered in 1952 an inscription at Qara on which His name is written as Yaf’s’ar: A. Guillaume in footnote: Au.). So Dhu Nuwas dug trenches for them; burnt some in fire, slew others with the sword, and mutilated great many until he had killed nearly twenty thousand of them ... It was concerning Dhu Nuwas and his armies that Allah revealed these verses...

“I (Ibn Ishaq) was told by `Abdullah b. Abu Bakr b. Muhammad b. `Amr b. Hazm that he was told that in the days of `Umar b. al-Khattab a man of Najran dug up one of the ruins of Najran intending to make use of the land, when they came upon `Abdullah b. al-Tamir under a grave; he was in a sitting posture with his hand covering a wound in his head and holding firmly to it. When his hand was removed blood began to flow; when they let go off his hand it returned to its place and the flow of blood ceased. On his finger was a ring inscribed `Allah is my Lord.’ A report was sent to `Umar (ra) and he replied: 'Leave him alone and cover him up in the grave.’ His orders were duly carried out.”

Ibn Kathir adds (from Ibn Is-haq): A solitary survivor escaped to the Romans and sought their help in revenge. The Romans ordered the (Christian: Au.) Abyssinian king to raid Yemen. The Abyssinians, commanded by two men: Aryat and Abraha (the man who later raided Makkah: Au.), overcame Dhu Nuwas who fell into the sea and was drowned. That is how the Christians came to power in Yemen and ruled it for next seventy years (during the latter half of the sixth Christian century: Yusuf Ali and others).

Majid has written: “In the early part of the sixth century the Hebrew religion had such a hold upon al-Yaman that the last Himyarite King Dhu-Nuwas was a Jew ... Rivalry between the South Arabian converts of the two newly introduced monotheistic religions led to active hostility. Evidently Dhu-Nuwas representing the nationalistic spirit, associated the native Christian with the hated rule of the Christian Abyssinians. To this Jewish monarch (is) ascribed the famous massacre of the Christians of Najran in October 523 (Hitti, History of the Arabs, p. 62). The event is of great historical importance, since it led to the intervention of the Negus of Ethiopia, at the instance of the Emperor Justinian, in the Yaman and capture by him (Cf. JE. II, p.363).”

Hadith literature has another story of believers burned for their faith. It does not state where it took place, nor, as Ibn Kathir has pointed out, is it clear that the Prophet (saws) related it to the verses in question. But, having come as it does, in the books of Imam Ahmad, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i, we reproduce one here. The source is Muslim.

A Second Incident

Suhayb reports that the Prophet said: “In earlier times there used to be a king who had a sorcerer (in his employment). When the sorcerer got old he told the king, 'I’ve gotten old and am near my end. Send me a boy whom I can train in my art’. (According to another version, "send me a talented boy.") The king nominated a boy whom he began to teach.

Now, on the path between the king and the sorcerer there lived an ascetic. The boy happened to drop in at his place. He was much impressed by the man and his talk. However, when he sat with the ascetic the sorcerer beat him for arriving late, and so would the folks at home when he arrived late there. He complained of this to the ascetic who told him to tell the magician when he was late that he was held up by his folks at home, and tell the folks at home that he was delayed by the sorcerer. It went on until one day the boy came across a huge beast that had blocked the people’s passage. He said to himself, 'Today I’ll know which of the two ways is dearer to God: that of the sorcerer or of the ascetic.’ He picked up a stone and said, `

'O Allah if the ways of the ascetic are dearer to You than those of the sorcerer then kill it so that the people can cross the road.’ Saying that he flung it at the beast. The stone killed it. The path was freed for the people. Later he spoke of the incident to the ascetic. He told him, 'Yes my son. You have an edge over me now and you’ll be tested. But if you are tested don’t reveal my identity.’

So the young man began to treat the blind, the leper and those with various diseases, curing them all. Now, the king had a courtier who became blind. He came to him loaded with gifts and said, 'Cure me and these are yours.’ The boy said, 'It is not me who cures anyone. It is Allah the Mighty, the Exalted who does it. If you’ll believe in Him I’ll pray to Him to cure you.’ The man accepted the faith. So the boy prayed for him and he was cured.

When the courtier went to the king and occupied his usual place the king asked him about who had cured his blindness. He said, 'My Lord.’ The king asked, '(You mean) I?’ The man said, 'No. Your, and My Lord.’ The king retorted, 'Do you have a Lord besides me?’ 'Yes,’ the courtier replied, 'He is my Lord and your Lord.’ The king tortured him until he revealed the name of the boy. He sent for the boy and when he was presented to him he said, 'Son. You seem to have made great progress in magic, now that you can heal the blind, the leper and the other diseased.’ The boy replied, 'I do not cure anyone. It is Allah the Mighty, the Exalted who cures.’ The king asked, 'Is it I you mean?’ The boy replied, 'No.’ The King asked, 'Do you have a Lord besides me?’ The boy answered, 'My Lord and your Lord is Allah.’

So the king tortured him until he led him to the ascetic. He got the ascetic brought up and ordered him to accept him as his Lord. He refused. So he ordered a saw run through the middle of his head that slit him into two. Then he ordered the once blind courtier to abandon his religion. He refused. So he got him slit into two also. Then he ordered the boy to abandon his religion. When he refused he ordered his soldiers to take him to such and such a cliff and, 'give the boy a last chance there, if he refuses hurl him down.’ When they climbed the mountain the boy prayed: 'My Lord. Be Thou sufficient for me against these in the manner You will.’ The mountain shook and scattered them dead. The boy came down and found his way back to the king. He inquired about the soldiers. He told him, 'Allah was sufficient for me against them.’ So the king ordered his soldiers to take him into the sea in a large vessel. If the boy would not recant he was to be tossed into the sea. When they entered deep waters the boy prayed: 'My Lord. Be Thou sufficient for me against these in the manner You will.’ They all sank but the boy made it back to the king. He enquired about the soldiers. He said, 'Allah was sufficient for me against them.’ Then he added, 'You’ll not be able to kill me until you’ll do as I say.’ He asked, 'What is it?’ He replied, 'You’ll gather the people in a plain field. Then you’ll tie me up to a cross, take an arrow from my quill and shoot it at me saying: “In the name of Allah the Lord of the boy.” If you do that you’ll be able to kill me.’

The king did as he was told. He placed the arrow in his bow and shot it out saying, “In the name of Allah the Lord of the boy.” The arrow hit the boy at the ear lock. The boy put his hand to where the arrow had hit and died. At this the people cried out: “We believe in the Lord of the boy.” The king was told: “Isn’t this what you were afraid of? By God, you fell into the trap and the people have all entered into Allah’s faith.” The king ordered pits dug in every street and every lane of the town and fires lit. Then he ordered, 'Give the people a choice. Whoso renounces his new faith, spare him. The rest, cast them into the flames.’ The believers began to appear in droves surrendering themselves without the least hesitation. Then came a woman with an infant she was breast feeding. She hesitated for a moment. The infant said: 'Mother! Stay firm. You are on the truth’" (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi).

It is said that it was this boy who was discovered in a grave during the time of `Umar, with his hand on his forelock. (Ibn Kathir from Tirmidhi who classifies this report as hasan gharib.)

4. The word in the original is fatanu which is very commonly used for burning things as Allah said (51: 13): { يَوْمَ هُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ يُفْتَنُونَ} [الذاريات: 13] “The day when they shall be roasted on the Fire (Razi, Qurtubi, Shawkani).

5. “(The chastisement of burning) ...assumes a special significance in the background of the cruel burning of the faithful by the "makers of the Pit." These criminals would be duly retributed by being subjected to a similar kind of suffering that they had caused their innocent victims" (Yusuf Ali).

6. Hasan (al-Busri) said: Note the generosity. They burned His friends and He offered them repentance and forgiveness (Ibn Kathir).

Razi said: “The story of those who were burned to death implies that when facing a similar situation one should preferably take the hard line opting to die rather than live as an apostate. Nevertheless, the other choice is also open which is to outwardly profess unbelief as did a Companion when Musaylimah the Liar asked him if he believed in him. He said yes. When the Prophet learnt of it he said, "As for him who was released because he took the easy line, there is no sin upon him."

7. As Allah said in surah Hud, verse 102: { وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ} [هود: 102] “Such is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the cities that are evildoing. Verily His seizure is painful, severe” (Qurtubi).

8. That is, it is He who began the punishment of those who persecuted the believers in Him and did not repent, and it is He who is going to repeat the punishment in the Hereafter (Zamakhshari).

9. The wadud of the original can also be translated as “The Beloved” (Razi, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

10. When Abu Bakr was dying he was asked: “Did you consult a doctor?” He answered, “Yes.” They asked: “What did he say?” He said: “Well, He told me, 'Verily I am the Doer of what I intend’” (Ibn Kathir).

11. Allah gave the example of Fir`awn in connection with the story of the “People of the Pit” perhaps because both had claimed divinity (Shanqiti), and followed up with the mention of Thamud perhaps because the people of Fir`awn and Thamud both produced mighty constructions that gave them the cause for pride (Au.).

Ibn Abi Hatim has reported from `Amr b. Maymun that once the Prophet (saws) passed by a woman who was reciting this verse: “Have you received the stories of the armies, Fir`awn and Thamud?” He responded: “Yes, it has reached me” (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Yusuf Ali notes: “In contrast to the real, all-embracing, and eternal power of Allah, what are the forces of man at their best? Two examples are mentioned. (1) Pharaoh was a proud monarch of a powerful kingdom, with resources and organization, material, moral and intellectual, as good as any in the world. When he pitted himself against Allah’s Prophet, he and his forces were destroyed. See 79: 15-26. (2) The Thamud were great builders, and had a high standard of material civilization. But they defied the law of Allah and perished. See 7: 73-79.”

12. Abu al-Shaykh has reported Ibn `Abbas as saying through a chain of narrators which, according to Suyuti is reliable: “Allah first created Al-Lawh al-Mahfuz (the well preserved Tablet) of length a hundred years. Then, before creating other things, He ordered the Pen (Al-Qalam) to write down saying: 'Write down My knowledge about My creations.’ It began to write all that is to take place until the Day of Judgment” (Shawkani).

According to some scholars this Lawh al-Mahfuz has an airy existence. Mujahid has said that it is the same thing as the Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book) [of verse 39, ch. 13: ed.] - (Ibn Jarir). Anas b. Malik’s opinion is that it is called Al-Mahfuz because it is preserved on the forehead of the angel Israfil (Ibn Jarir, Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Shawkani).

No hadith has been quoted to substantiate the above opinions (Au.).

Introductory Remark

Khalid al-`Udwani reports from his father Abu Habl al-`Udwani that when the Prophet visited Tayif seeking help from Banu Thaqif, he stood before them resting himself on either a bow or a cane he was carrying. He recited the whole of surah Al-Tariq (to those he was seeking help from: Au.), which, although then an unbeliever, I memorized on the spot. When I went back to my people they asked me what was it that Muhammad was saying. I recited these verses to them. At this some of the Quraysh that were there with the Banu Thaqif remarked: “We know this man better than you. If we knew he was right we would not have hesitated to follow him (Ibn Kathir from Ahmad). The hadith is also reported by Tabarani, Ibn Marduwayh and Imam Bukhari in his Tarikh al-Kabir (Shawkani).

Sayyid Qutb comments: “It has been stated in the introduction to this thirtieth part of the Qur’an that its surahs are like continuous loud and violent knocks, or like shouts addressed to people who are fast asleep. Both knocks and shouts repeatedly strike their senses with the same message and the same warning: ”Wake up! rise! reflect! look around! think! consider! There is a God. There is an organization and a deliberate system of creation. There is trial and liability, reckoning and reward, sever chastisement and endless happiness". The present surah is a typical example of these qualities. Its tone is sharp. The scenes portrayed, the rhythm chosen, the sounds of the individual words and their meanings all contribute to this sharpness of tone. The scenes include the night visitor, the star piercing with brightness. The meanings include watching over souls, ... the lack of strength and help, ... (and) the complete seriousness."

Yusuf Ali remarks: “In the last surah we considered the persecution of Allah’s votaries, and how Allah protects them. Here (in this surah) the same theme is presented in another aspect. In the darkest sky shines out most brilliantly the light of the most brilliant star. So in the night of spiritual darkness - whether through ignorance or distress - shines the glorious star of Allah’s revelation.”