Sura 53: The Stars
(El-Necm)
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

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والنجم اذا هوى

As the stars fell away.*

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ما ضل صاحبكم وما غوى

Your friend (Muhammad) was not astray, nor was he deceived.

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وما ينطق عن الهوى

Nor was he speaking out of a personal desire.

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ان هو الا وحي يوحى

It was divine inspiration.

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علمه شديد القوى

Dictated by the Most Powerful.

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ذو مرة فاستوى

Possessor of all authority. From His highest height.

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وهو بالافق الاعلى

At the highest horizon.

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ثم دنا فتدلى

He drew nearer by moving down.

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فكان قاب قوسين او ادنى

Until He became as close as possible.

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فاوحى الى عبده ما اوحى

He then revealed to His servant what was to be revealed.

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ما كذب الفؤاد ما راى

The mind never made up what it saw.

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افتمارونه على ما يرى

Are you doubting what he saw?

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ولقد راه نزلة اخرى

He saw him in another descent.

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عند سدرة المنتهى

At the ultimate point.

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عندها جنة الماوى

Where the eternal Paradise is located.

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اذ يغشى السدرة ما يغشى

The whole place was overwhelmed.

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ما زاغ البصر وما طغى

The eyes did not waver, nor go blind.

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لقد راى من ايات ربه الكبرى

He saw great signs of his Lord.

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The Flimsy Idols

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افرايتم اللات والعزى

Compare this with the female idols Allaat and Al-‘Uzzah.

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ومناة الثالثة الاخرى

And Manaat, the third one.

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الكم الذكر وله الانثى

Do you have sons, while He has these as daughters?

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تلك اذا قسمة ضيزى

What a disgraceful distribution!

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ان هي الا اسماء سميتموها انتم واباؤكم ما انزل الله بها من سلطان ان يتبعون الا الظن وما تهوى الانفس ولقد جاءهم من ربهم الهدى

These are but names that you made up, you and your forefathers. GOD never authorized such a blasphemy. They follow conjecture, and personal desire, when the true guidance has come to them herein from their Lord.

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ام للانسان ما تمنى

What is it that the human being desires?

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فلله الاخرة والاولى

To GOD belongs both the Hereafter, and this world.

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وكم من ملك في السماوات لا تغني شفاعتهم شيئا الا من بعد ان ياذن الله لمن يشاء ويرضى

Not even the angels in heaven possess authority to intercede. The only ones permitted by GOD are those who act in accordance with His will and His approval.

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ان الذين لا يؤمنون بالاخرة ليسمون الملائكة تسمية الانثى

Those who disbelieve in the Hereafter have given the angels feminine names.

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وما لهم به من علم ان يتبعون الا الظن وان الظن لا يغني من الحق شيئا

They had no knowledge about this; they only conjectured. Conjecture is no substitute for the truth.

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Choose Your Friends Carefully

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فاعرض عن من تولى عن ذكرنا ولم يرد الا الحياة الدنيا

You shall disregard those who turn away from our message, and become preoccupied with this worldly life.

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ذلك مبلغهم من العلم ان ربك هو اعلم بمن ضل عن سبيله وهو اعلم بمن اهتدى

This is the extent of their knowledge. Your Lord is fully aware of those who strayed away from His path, and He is fully aware of those who are guided.

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ولله ما في السماوات وما في الارض ليجزي الذين اساءوا بما عملوا ويجزي الذين احسنوا بالحسنى

To GOD belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. He will requite those who commit evil for their works, and will reward the righteous for their righteousness.

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الذين يجتنبون كبائر الاثم والفواحش الا اللمم ان ربك واسع المغفرة هو اعلم بكم اذ انشاكم من الارض واذ انتم اجنة في بطون امهاتكم فلا تزكوا انفسكم هو اعلم بمن اتقى

They avoid gross sins and transgressions, except for minor offenses. Your Lord’s forgiveness is immense. He has been fully aware of you since He initiated you from the earth, and while you were embryos in your mothers’ bellies. Therefore, do not exalt yourselves; He is fully aware of the righteous.

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افرايت الذي تولى

Have you noted the one who turned away?

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واعطى قليلا واكدى

Rarely did he give to charity, and then very little.

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اعنده علم الغيب فهو يرى

Did he possess knowledge of the future? Could he see it?

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ام لم ينبا بما في صحف موسى

Was he not informed of the teachings in the scripture of Moses?

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وابراهيم الذي وفى

And Abraham who fulfilled?

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الا تزر وازرة وزر اخرى

No soul bears the sins of another soul.

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وان ليس للانسان الا ما سعى

Every human being is responsible for his own works.

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وان سعيه سوف يرى

And everyone’s works will be shown.

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ثم يجزاه الجزاء الاوفى

Then they will be paid fully for such works.

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وان الى ربك المنتهى

To your Lord is the final destiny.

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وانه هو اضحك وابكى

He is the One who makes you laugh or cry.

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وانه هو امات واحيا

He is the One who controls death and life.

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The Husband Determines<br>The Baby’s Gender

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وانه خلق الزوجين الذكر والانثى

He is the One who created the two kinds, male and female—

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من نطفة اذا تمنى

from a tiny drop of semen.

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وان عليه النشاة الاخرى

He will effect the recreation.

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وانه هو اغنى واقنى

He is the One who makes you rich or poor.

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وانه هو رب الشعرى

He is the Lord of the galaxies.

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وانه اهلك عادا الاولى

He is the One who annihilated ancient ‘Aad.

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وثمود فما ابقى

And wiped out Thamoud.

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وقوم نوح من قبل انهم كانوا هم اظلم واطغى

Also the people of Noah before that; they were evil transgressors.

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والمؤتفكة اهوى

The evil communities (of Sodom and Gomorrah) were the lowliest.

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فغشاها ما غشى

Consequently, they utterly vanished.

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فباي الاء ربك تتمارى

Which of your Lord’s marvels can you deny?

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هذا نذير من النذر الاولى

This is a warning like the older ones.

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ازفت الازفة

The inevitable is imminent.

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ليس لها من دون الله كاشفة

None beside GOD can relieve it.

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افمن هذا الحديث تعجبون

Are you questioning this matter?

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وتضحكون ولا تبكون

Are you laughing, instead of crying?

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وانتم سامدون

Are you insisting on your ways?

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فاسجدوا لله واعبدوا

You shall fall prostrate before GOD, and worship.

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