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Tafsir of Surah An-Najm (53) — The Star · النجم

Meccan surah, 62 ayat. Read the whole surah

Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Quran — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. QuranEnc.com (english_mokhtasar), 2026-10-30.

An-Najm 53:1

وَٱلنَّجۡمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ

By the star when it descends

Tafsir 53:1

He (may He be glorified) swore by the star when it descends.

An-Najm 53:2

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمۡ وَمَا غَوَىٰ

Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred

Tafsir 53:2

Muhammad (peace be upon him) the Messenger of Allah did not deviate from the path of guidance nor did he go astray, but rather he is rightly-guided.

An-Najm 53:3

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰٓ

Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination

Tafsir 53:3

And he did not speak this Qur’ān out of following his desires.

An-Najm 53:4

إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحۡيٞ يُوحَىٰ

It is not but a revelation revealed

Tafsir 53:4

This Qur’ān is nothing but a revelation which Allah revealed to him through the medium of Gabriel (peace be upon him)

An-Najm 53:5

عَلَّمَهُۥ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡقُوَىٰ

Taught to him by one intense in strength

Tafsir 53:5

An angel of great strength, Gabriel (peace be upon him), taught him it.

An-Najm 53:6

ذُو مِرَّةٖ فَٱسۡتَوَىٰ

One of soundness. And he rose to [his] true form

Tafsir 53:6

And Gabriel (peace be upon him) is of excellent form, so he rose up appearing to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in his form in which Allah created him.

An-Najm 53:7

وَهُوَ بِٱلۡأُفُقِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ

While he was in the higher [part of the] horizon

Tafsir 53:7

Whilst he was on the highest horizon.

An-Najm 53:8

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ

Then he approached and descended

Tafsir 53:8

Then Gabriel (peace be upon him) came close to the Prophet (peace be upon him), then he came even closer.

An-Najm 53:9

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوۡسَيۡنِ أَوۡ أَدۡنَىٰ

And was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer

Tafsir 53:9

So his closeness to him was the distance of two bow lengths or even closer.

An-Najm 53:10

فَأَوۡحَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ عَبۡدِهِۦ مَآ أَوۡحَىٰ

And he revealed to His Servant what he revealed

Tafsir 53:10

So Gabriel (peace be upon him) revealed to Allah’s servant, Muhammad (peace be upon him), what he revealed.

An-Najm 53:11

مَا كَذَبَ ٱلۡفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰٓ

The heart did not lie [about] what it saw

Tafsir 53:11

The heart of Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not lie about what his eye saw.

An-Najm 53:12

أَفَتُمَٰرُونَهُۥ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ

So will you dispute with him over what he saw

Tafsir 53:12

So do you, O idolaters, argue with him about what he saw on the night he was taken on the journey?

An-Najm 53:13

وَلَقَدۡ رَءَاهُ نَزۡلَةً أُخۡرَىٰ

And he certainly saw him in another descent

Tafsir 53:13

And Muhammad (peace be upon him) had seen Gabriel (peace be upon him) in his true form another time on the night he was taken for the journey.

An-Najm 53:14

عِندَ سِدۡرَةِ ٱلۡمُنتَهَىٰ

At the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary

Tafsir 53:14

By the lote tree of the utmost boundary, which is a tree on the seventh heaven.

An-Najm 53:15

عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلۡمَأۡوَىٰٓ

Near it is the Garden of Refuge

Tafsir 53:15

By this tree is the Garden of Refuge.

An-Najm 53:16

إِذۡ يَغۡشَى ٱلسِّدۡرَةَ مَا يَغۡشَىٰ

When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it]

Tafsir 53:16

When the lote tree was covered through the command of Allah by something great whose true nature only Allah knows.

An-Najm 53:17

مَا زَاغَ ٱلۡبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ

The sight [of the Prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit]

Tafsir 53:17

The eye of Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not swerve left or right, nor did it trespass what was fixed for it.

An-Najm 53:18

لَقَدۡ رَأَىٰ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡكُبۡرَىٰٓ

He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord

Tafsir 53:18

Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw on the night he was raised great signs of his Lord which show His power. He saw Paradise, hell and other things.

An-Najm 53:19

أَفَرَءَيۡتُمُ ٱللَّـٰتَ وَٱلۡعُزَّىٰ

So have you considered al-Lat and al-'Uzza

Tafsir 53:19

Have you, O idolaters, seen these idols that you worship besides Allah: Lat and Uzza

An-Najm 53:20

وَمَنَوٰةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰٓ

And Manat, the third - the other one

Tafsir 53:20

And Manat, another third one amongst your idols? Tell me do they possess any benefit or harm for him?

An-Najm 53:21

أَلَكُمُ ٱلذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ ٱلۡأُنثَىٰ

Is the male for you and for Him the female

Tafsir 53:21

O idolaters, do you have boys whom you like, whilst He (may He be glorified) has girls which you dislike?

An-Najm 53:22

تِلۡكَ إِذٗا قِسۡمَةٞ ضِيزَىٰٓ

That, then, is an unjust division

Tafsir 53:22

This distribution which you made with your desires is an unjust distribution.

إِنۡ هِيَ إِلَّآ أَسۡمَآءٞ سَمَّيۡتُمُوهَآ أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَآؤُكُم مَّآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلۡطَٰنٍۚ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهۡوَى ٱلۡأَنفُسُۖ وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ

They are not but [mere] names you have named them - you and your forefathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what [their] souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance

Tafsir 53:23

These idols are nothing but names without meaning, so they have no share of divine qualities. You and your fathers named them on your own part. Allah did not reveal any proof for them. The idolaters do not follow in their belief except assumption and what their souls desire from what the satan has adorned in their hearts. And the guidance has come to them from their Lord on the tongue of Muhammad (peace be upon him), but they were not guided.

An-Najm 53:24

أَمۡ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ

Or is there for man whatever he wishes

Tafsir 53:24

Or will man have what he desired i.e., the idols interceding with Allah?

An-Najm 53:25

فَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ

Rather, to Allah belongs the Hereafter and the first [life]

Tafsir 53:25

No, he will not have what he desired. For Allah alone is the afterlife and the first [life]; He grants of them whatever He wishes and withholds whatever He wishes.

An-Najm 53:26

۞وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكٖ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ لَا تُغۡنِي شَفَٰعَتُهُمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن يَأۡذَنَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَرۡضَىٰٓ

And how many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession will not avail at all except [only] after Allah has permitted [it] to whom He wills and approves

Tafsir 53:26

How many angels are there in the heavens whose intercession cannot help at all if they were to intend to help someone, except after Allah permits intercession for whom He wishes among them and He is pleased with the one being interceded for. Allah will never permit one who associates a partner with Him to intercede and He will never be pleased with the one he is interceding for who worships him besides Allah.

An-Najm 53:27

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ تَسۡمِيَةَ ٱلۡأُنثَىٰ

Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter name the angels female names

Tafsir 53:27

Those who do not believe in the resurrection in the afterlife give the angels female names in their belief that they are the daughters of Allah. Allah is far above what they say.

An-Najm 53:28

وَمَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍۖ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّۖ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا يُغۡنِي مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ شَيۡـٔٗا

And they have thereof no knowledge. They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all

Tafsir 53:28

In giving them female names they have no knowledge to base this on. They merely follow speculation. Speculation is of no value against the truth, to take its place.

An-Najm 53:29

فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَلَمۡ يُرِدۡ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا

So turn away from whoever turns his back on Our message and desires not except the worldly life

Tafsir 53:29

So, O Messenger, ignore those who turn away from Allah’s remembrance without showing any concern for it, and who want only the life of this world and therefore do not work for their Hereafter because they do not believe in it.

An-Najm 53:30

ذَٰلِكَ مَبۡلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱهۡتَدَىٰ

That is their sum of knowledge. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who strays from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided

Tafsir 53:30

That which the idolaters say - about giving the angels female names - is the limit of their knowledge because they are ignorant. They have not reached certainty. Your Lord - O Messenger- knows best about those who deviate from the path of truth and He knows best about those who are guided to its path. Nothing of that is hidden from Him.

An-Najm 53:31

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لِيَجۡزِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسَـٰٓـُٔواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَيَجۡزِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَى

And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward]

Tafsir 53:31

To Allah alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and to Him alone belongs whatever is on earth. He created, owns and controls all of it. To recompense whose who do evil actions in the world with the punishment that they deserve and to repay the believers who do good actions with Paradise.

An-Najm 53:32

ٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَٰسِعُ ٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِۚ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِكُمۡ إِذۡ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَإِذۡ أَنتُمۡ أَجِنَّةٞ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَٰتِكُمۡۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡۖ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰٓ

Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him

Tafsir 53:32

Those who stay away from major sins and evil wrongs, besides minor sins as these are forgiven by leaving out the major ones and by an abundance of good deeds. Your Lord, O Messenger, is of vast forgiveness. He forgives the sins of His servants when they repent from them. He, (may He be glorified), knew best about their states and affairs when He created their father, Adam, from earth and when you were in the wombs of your mothers, being created in one form after another. Nothing of that is hidden from Him. So do not claim purity for your souls by praising them and asserting their piety. He, (may He be glorified), knows best about those who are mindful of Him, by fulfilling His instructions and avoiding His prohibitions.

An-Najm 53:33

أَفَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِي تَوَلَّىٰ

Have you seen the one who turned away

Tafsir 53:33

Have you seen the evil state of the one who turned away from Islam after coming close to it?

An-Najm 53:34

وَأَعۡطَىٰ قَلِيلٗا وَأَكۡدَىٰٓ

And gave a little and [then] refrained

Tafsir 53:34

He gave a little wealth and then held back, because miserliness was an innate quality in him. Despite this he declares his soul to be pure.

An-Najm 53:35

أَعِندَهُۥ عِلۡمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰٓ

Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so he sees

Tafsir 53:35

Does he have knowledge of the Ghaib and therefore sees and speaks about the Ghaib?

An-Najm 53:36

أَمۡ لَمۡ يُنَبَّأۡ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ

Or has he not been informed of what was in the scriptures of Moses

Tafsir 53:36

Or is he fabricating against Allah? Or has this person, who makes up lies about Allah, not been informed about what was in the earlier scriptures that Allah had revealed to Moses?

An-Najm 53:37

وَإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٱلَّذِي وَفَّىٰٓ

And [of] Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations]

Tafsir 53:37

And the scriptures of Abraham who fulfilled everything His Lord tasked him with?

An-Najm 53:38

أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٞ وِزۡرَ أُخۡرَىٰ

That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another

Tafsir 53:38

That no person will bear the sin of another.

An-Najm 53:39

وَأَن لَّيۡسَ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ

And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives

Tafsir 53:39

And that man will only obtain the reward of the action that he did.

An-Najm 53:40

وَأَنَّ سَعۡيَهُۥ سَوۡفَ يُرَىٰ

And that his effort is going to be seen

Tafsir 53:40

And that his action will be openly seen on the Day of Judgement.

An-Najm 53:41

ثُمَّ يُجۡزَىٰهُ ٱلۡجَزَآءَ ٱلۡأَوۡفَىٰ

Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense

Tafsir 53:41

Then he will be given the recompense of his action in full without reduction.

An-Najm 53:42

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡمُنتَهَىٰ

And that to your Lord is the finality

Tafsir 53:42

And that to your Lord, O Messenger, will be the return and destination of the servants after they die.

An-Najm 53:43

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَضۡحَكَ وَأَبۡكَىٰ

And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep

Tafsir 53:43

And that He makes whoever He wills happy and makes him laugh, and makes whoever He wills sad and makes him cry.

An-Najm 53:44

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحۡيَا

And that it is He who causes death and gives life

Tafsir 53:44

And that He causes the living to die in the world and brings the dead to life by resurrection.

An-Najm 53:45

وَأَنَّهُۥ خَلَقَ ٱلزَّوۡجَيۡنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰ

And that He creates the two mates - the male and female

Tafsir 53:45

And that He created the two types: Male and female.

An-Najm 53:46

مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ إِذَا تُمۡنَىٰ

From a sperm-drop when it is emitted

Tafsir 53:46

From a drop when it is placed in the womb.

An-Najm 53:47

وَأَنَّ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلنَّشۡأَةَ ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰ

And that [incumbent] upon Him is the next creation

Tafsir 53:47

And that He will undertake to recreate them after they die for the resurrection.

An-Najm 53:48

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَغۡنَىٰ وَأَقۡنَىٰ

And that it is He who enriches and suffices

Tafsir 53:48

And that He enriches whichever of His servants He wills by making him the owner of wealth and He gives wealth that people take as possessions they acquire.

An-Najm 53:49

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلشِّعۡرَىٰ

And that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius

Tafsir 53:49

And that He is the Lord of Sirius, the star that is worshipped by some idolaters together with Allah.

An-Najm 53:50

وَأَنَّهُۥٓ أَهۡلَكَ عَادًا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ

And that He destroyed the first [people of] 'Aad

Tafsir 53:50

And that He destroyed the first Ad, who were the people of Hud when they persisted in their disbelief.

An-Najm 53:51

وَثَمُودَاْ فَمَآ أَبۡقَىٰ

And Thamud - and He did not spare [them]

Tafsir 53:51

And He destroyed the Thamud, the people of Salih, and did not spare any one of them.

An-Najm 53:52

وَقَوۡمَ نُوحٖ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ هُمۡ أَظۡلَمَ وَأَطۡغَىٰ

And the people of Noah before. Indeed, it was they who were [even] more unjust and oppressing

Tafsir 53:52

He destroyed the people of Noah before the Ad and Thamud. The people of Noah were more unjust and transgressed even more than the Ad and Thamud, because Noah lived amongst them for nine hundred and fifty years inviting them to Allah’s oneness but they did not respond to him.