Surah 85. Al-Buruj

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Verses [Section]: 1-22[1]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-2285. Al-Buruj Page 59085. Al-Burujبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِوَ السَّمَآءِBy the skyذَاتِcontainingالْبُرُوْجِۙthe constellations وَ الْیَوْمِAnd the DayالْمَوْعُوْدِۙPromised وَ شَاهِدٍAnd (the) witnessوَّ مَشْهُوْدٍؕand what is witnessed قُتِلَDestroyed wereاَصْحٰبُ(the) companionsالْاُخْدُوْدِۙ(of) the pit النَّارِ(Of) the fireذَاتِfullالْوَقُوْدِۙ(of) the fuel اِذْWhenهُمْtheyعَلَیْهَاby itقُعُوْدٌۙ(were) sitting وَّ هُمْAnd theyعَلٰیoverمَاwhatیَفْعَلُوْنَthey were doingبِالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَto the believersشُهُوْدٌؕwitnesses وَ مَاAnd notنَقَمُوْاthey resentedمِنْهُمْ[of] themاِلَّاۤexceptاَنْthatیُّؤْمِنُوْاthey believedبِاللّٰهِin Allahالْعَزِیْزِthe All-Mightyالْحَمِیْدِۙthe Praiseworthy الَّذِیْThe One Whoلَهٗfor Himمُلْكُ(is) the dominionالسَّمٰوٰتِ(of) the heavensوَ الْاَرْضِ ؕand the earth;وَ اللّٰهُand Allahعَلٰیonكُلِّeveryشَیْءٍthingشَهِیْدٌؕ(is) a Witness اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoفَتَنُواpersecutedالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَthe believing menوَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتِand the believing womenثُمَّthenلَمْnotیَتُوْبُوْاthey repentedفَلَهُمْthen for themعَذَابُ(is) the punishmentجَهَنَّمَ(of) Hellوَ لَهُمْand for themعَذَابُ(is the) punishmentالْحَرِیْقِؕ(of) the Burning Fire اِنَّIndeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveوَ عَمِلُواand doالصّٰلِحٰتِthe righteous deedsلَهُمْfor themجَنّٰتٌ(will be) Gardensتَجْرِیْflowمِنْfromتَحْتِهَاunderneath itالْاَنْهٰرُ ؔؕ۬the riversذٰلِكَThatالْفَوْزُ(is) the successالْكَبِیْرُؕthe great اِنَّIndeedبَطْشَ(the) Gripرَبِّكَ(of) your Lordلَشَدِیْدٌؕ(is) surely strong اِنَّهٗIndeed HeهُوَHeیُبْدِئُoriginatesوَ یُعِیْدُۚand repeats وَ هُوَAnd Heالْغَفُوْرُ(is) the Oft-Forgivingالْوَدُوْدُۙthe Most Loving ذُوOwner (of)الْعَرْشِthe Throneالْمَجِیْدُۙthe Glorious فَعَّالٌDoerلِّمَاof whatیُرِیْدُؕHe intends هَلْHasاَتٰىكَcome to youحَدِیْثُ(the) storyالْجُنُوْدِۙ(of) the hosts فِرْعَوْنَFiraunوَ ثَمُوْدَؕand Thamud بَلِNay!الَّذِیْنَThose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelieveفِیْ(are) inتَكْذِیْبٍۙdenial وَّ اللّٰهُBut Allahمِنْfromوَّرَآىِٕهِمْbehind themمُّحِیْطٌۚencompasses بَلْNay!هُوَItقُرْاٰنٌ(is) a QuranمَّجِیْدٌۙGlorious فِیْInلَوْحٍa Tabletمَّحْفُوْظٍ۠Guarded

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Surah Introduction

The beginning of this Meccan sûrah condemns the persecution of the Christians of Najrân (a city on the border of Yemen and Saudi Arabia) at the hands of the pagans around 524 C.E. The tyrants are warned of the torment of burning, whereas the believers are promised a great reward in Paradise. Both this sûrah and the next swear by the towering sky, emphasize Allah's infinite power, pose a warning to the evildoers, and stress the divinity of the Quran.

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Translation of Verse 1-221. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. By the sky full of constellations,

2. and the promised Day ˹of Judgment˺,

3. and the witness and what is witnessed! ¹²⁹⁸

4. Condemned are the makers of the ditch-

5. the fire ˹pit˺, filled with fuel-

6. when they sat around it,

7. watching what they had ˹ordered to be˺ done to the believers,

8. who they resented for no reason other than belief in Allah-the Almighty, the Praiseworthy-

9. ˹the One˺ to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and earth. And Allah is a Witness over all things.

10. Those who persecute the believing men and women and then do not repent will certainly suffer the punishment of Hell and the torment of burning.

11. Surely those who believe and do good will have Gardens under which rivers flow. That is the greatest triumph.

12. Indeed, the ˹crushing˺ grip of your Lord is severe.

13. ˹For˺ He is certainly the One Who originates and resurrects ˹all˺.

14. And He is the All-Forgiving, All-Loving-

15. Lord of the Throne, the All- Glorious,

16. Doer of whatever He wills.

17. Has the story of the ˹destroyed˺ forces reached you ˹O Prophet˺-

18. ˹the forces of˺ Pharaoh and Thamûd?

19. Yet the disbelievers ˹still˺ persist in denial.

20. But Allah encompasses them from all sides.

21. In fact, this is a glorious Quran,

22. ˹recorded˺ in a Preserved Tablet.

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Commentary

1298. The witness can be Allah, the angels, or the prophets, and the witnessed can be the people standing for judgment or the overwhelming events of Judgment Day.