Exegesis of Surat al-Najm, verses (5 - 10), and other selected verses, and what is derived from them.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : On a Thursday, and this Thursday is the fifteenth of the month of Jumada al-Akhirah in the year 1418.
We begin, as we have been doing, with the exegesis of where we left off in Surat al-Najm, in the words of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:[An-Najm 53:4-5] meaning that the great Qur'an is nothing but a revelation that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, reveals to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and that is through the trustworthy Jibril, whom Allah, the Exalted, described in this verse by saying: meaning that he is strong, and "mirrah" is a good form, so he is one of strength and one of beauty and goodness. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw him in the form in which he was created, with six hundred wings that filled the horizon. He is the one who brought down this Qur'an, and he is trustworthy, and he is strong, so he delivered it to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as He, the Exalted, said: [Ash-Shu'ara 26:193-195] And His saying: means: so He ascended or He perfected, because "istawa" in the Arabic language is sometimes mentioned absolutely without being restricted, in which case its meaning is perfection, as in His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Qasas 28:14] meaning: he perfected. And sometimes it is restricted with "ala" (upon), in which case its meaning is elevation, as in His saying, the Exalted: [Az-Zukhruf 43:12-13] So He said: And He said: [Az-Zukhruf 43:13] meaning: you were elevated above it. And from this is His saying, the Exalted, in what He described Himself with: [Taha 20:5] meaning: He, Mighty and Majestic, elevated Himself above it. This elevation is specific to the Throne, and this is different from the absolute elevation above all created things. And sometimes it is transitive with "ila" (to), and it is said: "istawa ila" (he ascended to) such a thing, and it is interpreted as intention and completion, as in His saying, the Exalted: [Fussilat 41:11] And sometimes it is restricted with the letter "waw" (and), in which case its meaning is equality, like their saying: "istawa al-ma' wa al-khashabah" (the water and the wood were equal), meaning: it equaled it. So His saying here: "fa-istawa" (so He ascended/perfected) allows for the meaning that He ascended in elevation, because Jibril descends from the sky to deliver the revelation to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), then he ascends to the sky. And it allows for the meaning that He perfected, being perfect in strength, perfect in form, perfect in every aspect befitting created beings. [An-Najm 53:7] meaning: Jibril, peace be upon him. meaning: the highest, which is the horizon of the sky. [An-Najm 53:8] He drew near to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). meaning: he came close from above, so it was, meaning: Jibril was from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) [An-Najm 53:9] And this is a simile used for closeness. meaning: very close, rather even closer. So His saying: means: rather, he is closer than that. meaning: Jibril. meaning: to the servant of Allah. The pronoun in "wa-ha" (revealed) refers to Jibril, and the pronoun in "abdahu" (His servant) refers to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Meaning: Jibril revealed to the servant of Allah what He revealed, and He did not specify what He revealed, in order to honor it, because ambiguity is intended for magnification and honor. And from this is His saying, the Exalted: [Taha 20:78] meaning: something great overtook them. Here, meaning: of the great thing. And there is no speech greater than the Noble Qur'an, because it is the speech of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Then He, the Exalted, said: [An-Najm 53:11] And considering the limited time, we postpone the discussion of it to the next lesson, if Allah wills, and we begin with the questions from the right. Ah, brother, do you have a question?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, please go ahead.
We begin, as we have been doing, with the exegesis of where we left off in Surat al-Najm, in the words of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He:
(4) It is not but a revelation revealed, (5) Taught to him by one intense in strength -
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى * عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىThe one of intense strength. The one of good form.
شَدِيدُ الْقُوَى * ذُو مِرَّةٍThe one of intense strength.
شَدِيدُ الْقُوَى(193) The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down (194) Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] - that you may be of the warners - (195) In a clear Arabic language.
نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ * عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ * بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُبِينٍSo He ascended.
فَاسْتَوَىAnd when he attained his full strength and was [mentally] mature, We bestowed upon him judgement and knowledge
وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَاسْتَوَى آتَيْنَاهُ حُكْماً وَعِلْماًand has made for you of ships and animals those which you mount. (13) That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them
وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْفُلْكِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَ * لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَى ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِSo that you may be carried on their backs.
لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَى ظُهُورِهِwhen you have settled upon them
إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِThe Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَىThen He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke
ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌWhile he was in the higher [part of the] horizon.
وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىat the highest horizon
بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىThen he approached and descended
ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىthen He drew near and hung low
فَتَدَلَّىat a distance of two bow lengths or nearer.
قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىthe distance of two bows' length
قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِor even nearer
أَوْ أَدْنَىSo He revealed
فَأَوْحَىto His servant what He revealed
إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىand there covered them from the sea that which covered them,
فَغَشِيَهُمْ مِنَ الْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْHe revealed to His servant what He revealed
أَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىThe heart did not lie [about] what it saw.
مَا كَذَبَ الفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, please go ahead.