بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Buruj 85:21
The Mansions of the Stars · Juz 30 · Page 590
بَلۡ هُوَ قُرۡءَانٞ مَّجِيدٞ ٢١
But this is an honored Qur’ān
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Commentary on 85:10–22
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا (Surely, those who persecuted the believing men and the believing women, then did not repent,...85:10) This verse describes the torment of the wrong-doers who burned the Muslims in the fire pit only on account of their faith. The description points out two things: [ 1] فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ them there is the torment of Jahannam) and [ 2] وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ (and for them there is the torment of burning). The second sentence may be treated as explicative of the first sentence, a statement for emphasis. It signifies that they will be put into Hell and will have to suffer eternal torment of the fire. Another possible interpretation is that the second statement describes the wrong-doers' torment in this world, as is narrated in some reports. The believers, who had been cast in fire pits, were spared the torture of fire, in that the souls of the believers were taken out before the fire could touch them. Only their dead bodies were lying in the fiery furnace. After that the fire flared up so high that it spread out wildly through the city and burned all those who were watching the fun of burning the Muslims. Only Yusuf Dhu Nuwas managed to run away, and threw himself into the sea in order to save himself from the rage of the fire, but he got drowned and died. [ Mazhari ].
Attached to the torment of Hell and the torment of burning for the wrong-doers is the restrictive phrase: ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا (then did not repent). That is, this torment is for those who did not repent of their deed and did not offer taubah. Thus this part of the verse invites people to repent. Sayyidna Hasan ؓ states: "Look at Allah's compassion and benevolence. They burned Allah's friends alive, yet He invites them towards repentance and forgiveness." [ Ibn Kathir ].
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Buruj Ends here
Page 590
85:1
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡبُرُوجِ ١
By the sky containing great stars
85:2
وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡمَوۡعُودِ ٢
And [by] the promised Day
85:3
وَشَاهِدٖ وَمَشۡهُودٖ ٣
And [by] the witness and what is witnessed,
85:4
قُتِلَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡأُخۡدُودِ ٤
Destroyed [i.e., cursed] were the companions of the trench1
1 translator’s note
- Or "May they be destroyed" or "cursed." The "companions of the trench" (or ditch) were agents of a tyrannical king who refused to allow his people to believe in Allāh. Their evil deed in obedience to their ruler earned for them the curse of Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) . ↩
85:5
ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡوَقُودِ ٥
[Containing] the fire full of fuel,
85:6
إِذۡ هُمۡ عَلَيۡهَا قُعُودٞ ٦
When they were sitting near it.
85:7
وَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفۡعَلُونَ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ شُهُودٞ ٧
And they, to what they were doing against the believers, were witnesses. 1
1 translator’s note
- After casting the believers into a trench filled with fire, they sat at its edge, watching them burn to death. This event occurred before the time of Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) . ↩
85:8
وَمَا نَقَمُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِيدِ ٨
And they resented them not except because they believed in Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy,
85:9
ٱلَّذِي لَهُۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدٌ ٩
To whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And Allāh, over all things, is Witness.1
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 4:79. ↩
85:10
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَتُوبُواْ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱلۡحَرِيقِ ١٠
Indeed, those who have tortured1 the believing men and believing women and then have not repented will have the punishment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the Burning Fire.
1 translator’s note
- Or, in this instance, the literal meaning of "burned" is also appropriate. ↩
85:11
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتٞ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡكَبِيرُ ١١
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great attainment.
85:12
إِنَّ بَطۡشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ ١٢
Indeed, the assault [i.e., vengeance] of your Lord is severe.
85:13
إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبۡدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ ١٣
Indeed, it is He who originates [creation] and repeats.
85:14
وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلۡوَدُودُ ١٤
And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate,
85:15
ذُو ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡمَجِيدُ ١٥
Honorable Owner of the Throne,
85:16
فَعَّالٞ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ ١٦
Effecter of what He intends.
85:17
هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلۡجُنُودِ ١٧
Has there reached you the story of the soldiers -
85:18
فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَثَمُودَ ١٨
[Those of] Pharaoh and Thamūd?
85:19
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي تَكۡذِيبٖ ١٩
But they who disbelieve are in [persistent] denial,
85:20
وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِم مُّحِيطُۢ ٢٠
While Allāh encompasses them from behind.1
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:19 ↩
85:21
بَلۡ هُوَ قُرۡءَانٞ مَّجِيدٞ ٢١
But this is an honored Qur’ān
85:22
فِي لَوۡحٖ مَّحۡفُوظِۭ ٢٢
[Inscribed] in a Preserved Slate.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy