Surah Al-Buruj (The Zodiacal Signs)

البروج

22 Verses

In the Name of Almighty Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
22 آية

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Surah Al-Buruj is the 85th chapter of the Quran, containing 22 verses. Revealed in Makkah, it takes its name from its opening oath by the sky with its constellations. The surah condemns the makers of the trench, the People of the Ditch, who lit a fire and burned believers alive for no reason but their faith in Allah the Almighty, the Praiseworthy, and affirms that Allah witnesses all and that His seizure is severe for those who persist in wrongdoing. It closes by praising the Quran as a Glorious Recitation, preserved in a Guarded Tablet. Below you can read the full Surah Al-Buruj in Arabic with a clear English translation and a verse-by-verse tafsir (explanation of the meaning) from Aysar al-Tafaseer, with the option to jump to any specific verse.

Tafsir of the Verses

{ وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْبُرُوجِ }
(1) – يُقْسِمُ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِالسَّمَاءِ وَبُرُوجِهَا.

(وَالبُرُوجُ هِيَ مَنَازِلُ الشَّمْسِ، وَقِيلَ إِنَّ البُرُوجَ هِيَ النُّجُومُ العِظَامُ).
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 1
1. Allah Almighty swears by the sky and its constellation. (‘Constellation’ is said to be the sun’s orbit, or the great stars.)
{ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْمَوْعُودِ }
(2) – وَيُقْسِمُ تَعَالَى بِيَوْمِ القِيَامَةِ وَهُوَ اليَوْمَ المَوْعُودُ لِلْفَصْلِ وَالجَزَاءِ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 2
2. And He swears by Judgement Day, which is the promised day for account and compensation.
{ وَشَاهِدٍ وَمَشْهُودٍ }
(3) – وَيُقْسِمُ تَعَالَى بِجَمِيعِ مَا خَلَقَ فِي هَذَا الكَوْنِ مِمَّا يَشْهَدُهُ النَّاسُ وَيَرَوْنه.

(وَقِيلَ إِنَّ المَعْنِيَّ بِالشَّاهِدِ هُوَ مَنْ يَشْهَدُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ، وَالمَشْهُودُ هُوَ مَنْ يَشْهَدُ غَيْرُهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِكَ اليَوْمِ).
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 3
3. Allah Almighty swears by all that He created in the universe which people can see and witness. (It is said that what is meant by “witness” is he who testifies against another on Judgement Day, and that “witnessed” is he whom others testify against on that day).
{ قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ ٱلأُخْدُودِ }
{ أَصْحَابُ }

(4) – لُعِنَ أَصْحَابُ الأُخْدُودِ، وَقَاتَلَهُمُ اللهُ تَعَالَى (وَهَذَا جَوَابُ القَسَمِ).

(وَالأُخْدُودُ حُفْرَةٌ فِي الأَرْضِ. وَأَصْحَابُ الأُخْدُودِ هُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ يَهُودِ اليَمَنِ عَمَدُوا إِلَى مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ بِدِينِ المَسِيحِ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ، فَأَكْرَهُوهُمْ عَلَى الارْتِدَادِ عَنْ دِينِهِمْ، وَحَفَرُوا حُفْرَةً فِي الأَرْضِ (أُخْدُوداً) أَضْرَمُوا فِيهَا نَاراً عَظِيمَةً، وَوَقَفُوا بِالمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى النَّارِ، فَمَنْ قَبِلَ مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ الارْتِدَادَ عَنْ دِينِهِ أَطْلَقُوهُ، وَمَنْ رَفَضَ أَلْقَوْهُ فِي النَّارِ. فَلَعَنَ اللهُ مَنْ قَامُوا بِهَذَا العَمَلِ المُنْكَرِ).

قُتِلَ – لُعِنَ.

الأُخْدُودِ – الشِّقِّ العَظِيمِ فِي الأَرْضِ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 4
4. Woe to the makers of the pit. This is the answer to the oath. (The pit is a hole in the earth; the makers of the pit were a group of Jews from Yemen who tried to force the people who believed in Jesus to apostatize from their religion. Thus they dug a pit in the ground in which they built a big fire and stood the believers next to it. They then released whoever among the believers agreed to apostatize from his religion; as for those who did not, they were thrown in the fire. So Allah cursed those who did this detestable deed.)
{ ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلْوَقُودِ }
(5) – وَأَصْحَابُ الأُخْدُودِ هُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ التِي فِيهَا مِنَ الحَطَبِ الكَثِير مَا يَشْتَدُّ بِهِ لَهِيبُهَا.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 5
5. The makers of the pit are the companions of the fire which has a big quantity of firewood, thus helping it to burn stronger.
{ إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌ }
(6) – وَكَانَ هَؤُلاَءِ المُجْرِمُونَ قَاعِدِينَ حَوْلَ النَّارِ، يُشْرِفُونَ عَلَى تَعْذِيبِ المُؤْمِنِينَ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 6
6. Those criminals were seated around the fire, supervising the torture of the believers.
{ وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌ }
(7) – وَكَانَ الطُّغَاةُ الذِينَ أَمَرُوا بِإِحْرَاقِ المُؤْمِنينَ يُشَاهِدُونَ مَا يَفْعَلُهُ أَتْبَاعُهُمْ بِالمُؤْمِنِينَ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 7
7. The oppressors who had given the order to burn the believers witnessed what their followers were doing.
{ وَمَا نَقَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ }
(8) – وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِهَؤُلاَءِ المُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ يُسَبِّبُ نِقْمَةَ الطُّغَاةِ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِم العَزِيزِ، الذِي يُخْشَى عِقَابُهُ المُنْعِمِ، الذِي يُرْجَى ثَوَابُهُ.

مَا نَقَمُوا – مَا أَنْكَرُوا، أَوْ مَا كَرِهُوا.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 8
8. The only guilt of those believers which had provoked the resentment of the oppressors was that they believed in their Mighty Lord Whose punishment is to be feared. He is the Bestower Whose reward is to be awaited.
{ ٱلَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلأَرْضِ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ }
{ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ }

(9) – وَاللهُ تَعَالَى هُوَ المُسْتَحِقُّ لِلْعِزَّةِ وَالحَمْدِ لأَِنَّهُ مَالِكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، فَلاَ مَهْرَبَ لِهَؤُلاَءِ الظَّالِمِينَ مِنْهُ، وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ عَلَى مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، وَمُجَازِيهِمْ عَلَيْهِ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 9
9. Allah Almighty deserves all praise and glory, for to Him belong the dominion of the heavens and earth. There is no escape from Him for those who are unjust. He is the witness to what His creatures do and He will recompense them.
{ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُواْ فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ ٱلْحَرِيقِ }
{ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ }

(10) – إِنَّ الذينَ حَاوَلُوا فِتْنَةَ المُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَاتِ عَنْ دِينِهِمْ، وَعَذَّبُوهُمْ لِيُجْبِرُوهُمْ عَلَى الارْتِدَادِ عَنِ الإِيْمَانِ، وَأَصَرُّوا عَلَى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ مِنَ الكُفْرِ وَالعِنَادِ والطُّغْيَانِ، وَلَمْ يَتُوبُوا مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ حَتَّى أَدْرَكَهُمُ المَوْتُ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ أَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَاءً لَهُمْ.

فَتَنُوا – عَذَّبُوا المُؤْمِنِينَ لِيُجْبِرُوهُمْ عَلَى تَرْكِ دِينِهِمْ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 10
10. Those who tried to lure the believing men and women away from their faith; tortured them to force them to apostatize; persisted in their disbelief and tyranny, and did not repent of their sins until death overtook them; Allah has prepared for them, a severe punishment in Hellfire.
{ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلأَنْهَارُ ذَلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ }
{ آمَنُواْ } { ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ } { جَنَّاتٌ } { ٱلأَنْهَارُ }

(11) – إِنَّ الذِينَ أَقَرُّوا بِوَحْدَانِيَّةِ اللهِ، وَقَامُوا بِمَا أَمَرَهُمْ بِهِ رَبُّهُمْ، وَانْتَهَوْا عَمَّا نَهَاهُمْ عَنْهُ، ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِهِ وَرِضْوَانِهِ، فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي الأَنْهَارُ فِي جَنَبَاتِهَا، وَهَذَا هُوَ الفَوْزُ الكَبِيرُ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 11
11. Those who give credence to the Oneness of Allah, conform to their Lord’s commands, and restrain themselves from what He has forbidden them, seeking His satisfaction, those He will admit to gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great triumph.
{ إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ }
(12) – إِنَّ انْتِقَامَ اللهِ تَعَالَى مِنَ الجَبَابِرَةِ وَالطُّغَاةِ هُوَ فِي غَايَةِ الشِّدَّةِ، وَفِي مُنْتَهَى الإِيْلاَمِ.

بَطْشُ رَبِّكَ – أَخْذُهُ الجَبَابِرَةَ بِالعَذَابِ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 12
12. Allah Almighty’s revenge against those arrogant oppressors is great and severely painful.
{ إِنَّهُ هُوَ يُبْدِىءُ وَيُعِيدُ }
(13) – وَهُوَ يُبْدِئُ الخَلْقَ (أَيْ يَخْلُقُهُمْ ابْتِدَاءً) ثُمَّ يُعِيدُ خَلْقَهُمْ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، بَعْدَ أَنْ يَصِيرُوا تُرَاباً.

يُبْدِئُ – يَخْلُقُ خَلْقاً ابْتِدَاءً.

يُعِيدُ – يَبْعَثُ المَوْتَى بِقُدْرَتِهِ، وَيُعِيدُ خَلْقَهُمْ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 13
13. It is He who initiates their creation, then restores them after they have turned to dust.
{ وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلْوَدُودُ }
(14) – وَهُوَ الغَفُورُ لِمَنْ بَادَرُوا إِلَيهِ بِالتَّوْبَةِ فَيَتَجَاوَزُ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ، وَهُوَ تَعَالَى كَثِيرُ الوِدِّ وَالمَحَبَّةِ لِمَنْ خَلُصَتْ نَفْسُهُ لِرَبِّهِ بِالمَحَبَّةِ وَالطَّاعَةِ.

الوَدُودُ – المُتَوَدِّدُ إِلَى أَوْلِيَائِهِ بِالكَرَامَةِ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 14
14. He is All-Forgiving to those who repent and overlooks their wrong-doings. He is full of kindness to those who are loyal, faithful and obedient to Him.
{ ذُو ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْمَجِيدُ }
(15) – وَهُوَ ذُو العَرْشِ، أَيْ صَاحِبُ العَرْشِ العَظِيمِ العَالِي عَلَى جَمِيعِ الخَلاَئِقِ.

المَجِيدُ – العَظِيمُ الجَلاَلِ المُتَعَالِي.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 15
15. He is Lord of the Throne, great and high above all creatures.
{ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ }
(16) – يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ، وَيَقُولُ للشَّيءِ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ، فَإِذَا أَرَادَ هَلاَكَ الجَاحِدِينَ، وَنَصْرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ لَمْ يُعْجِزْهُ ذَلِكَ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 16
16. He does what He wills; He says to a thing: “Be!” and it is. If He willed to destroy the ungrateful and grant victory to the believers, He is not incapable of doing so.
{ هَلُ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلْجُنُودِ }
{ أَتَاكَ }

(17) – هَلْ بَلَغَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ حَدِيثُ الجُنُودِ مِنَ الأُمَمِ الطَّاغِيَةِ الخَالِيَةِ، الذِينَ تَمَادَوا فِي الكُفْرِ والضَّلاَلَةِ، وَمَا أَنْزَلَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِهِمْ مِنَ العَذَابِ وَالنَّكَالِ؟.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 17
17. Has the story of the hosts of ancient unjust nations and the punishment that Allah Almighty sent down upon them reached you, O Mohammad? They had exceeded all bounds in their disbelief and perversity.
{ فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ }
(18) – وَهَؤُلاَءِ الجُنُودُ هُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ، الذِي طَغَى وَادَّعَى اَلأُلُوهِيَّةَ، وَقَوْمُهُ، الذِينَ أَغْرَقَهُمُ اللهُ فِي البَحْرِ. وَثَمُودُ قَوْمُ صَالِحٍ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، الذِينَ عَقَرُوا النَّاقَةَ التِي جَعَلَهَا اللهُ لَهُمْ آيةً عَلَى صِدْقِ رِسَالَةِ نَبِيِّهِمْ، فَدَمَّرَ اللهُ بِلاَدَهُمْ وَأَهْلَكَهُمْ، وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ لَهُمْ فِي أَرْضِهِمْ مِنْ بَاقِيَةٍ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 18
18. Those hosts were Pharaoh and his people. Pharaoh transgressed and claimed divinity; as for his people, Allah drowned them in the sea. And also the tribe of Thamud, the people of Saleh, who hamstrung the she-camel which Allah sent as a sign of the veracity of their prophet’s message. So Allah Almighty destroyed them and their land and left none alive.
{ بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي تَكْذِيبٍ }
(19) – بَلِ الكَافِرُونَ مِنْ قَوْمِكَ أَشَدُّ فِي تَكْذِيبِهِمْ لَكَ مِنْ تَكْذِيبِ تِلْكَ الأَقْوَامِ لِرُسُلِهِمْ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 19
19. And yet the unbelievers among your people deny you far more than did those former nations their messengers.
{ وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِمْ مُّحِيطٌ }
{ وَرَآئِهِمْ }

(20) – وَاللهُ تَعَالَى قَادِرٌ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَهُمْ فِي قَبْضَتِهِ وَتَحْتَ قَهْرِهِ، لاَ مَهْرَبَ لَهُمْ مِنْهُ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 20
20. Allah Almighty is able to subdue them. They are in His grip and His power. There is no escape for them, from Him.
{ بَلْ هُوَ قُرْآنٌ مَّجِيدٌ }
{ قُرْآنٌ }

(21) – وَهَذَا القُرْآنُ الذِي جِئْتَهُمْ بِهِ، وَكَذَّبُوا بِهِ، هُوَ كِتَابٌ عَظِيمٌ مَجِيدٌ أَنْزَلَهُ اللهُ وَصَانَهُ مِنَ التَّبْدِيلِ وَالتَّحْرِيفِ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 21
21. This Quran which you brought to them and which they denied is a great and glorious Book. Allah Almighty revealed it and safeguarded it against any alteration or distortion.
{ فِي لَوْحٍ مَّحْفُوظٍ }
(22) – وَقَدْ جَعَلَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِي المَلأِ الأَعْلَى مَحْفُوظاً مِنَ الزِّيَادَةِ وَالنَّقْصِ، فَهُوَ فِي لَوْحٍ مَحْفُوظٍ.
Surah Al-Buruj: Verse 22
22. Allah Almighty kept it in Heaven and guarded it from any additions or loss. It is on a preserved tablet.
Source: This series of Tafsir books has been made available online by the family of Dr. Assaad Homad (may Allah have mercy on him). These volumes were entirely digitized to provide an accessible and easy format for todays digital age. Please keep Dr. Assaad and his family in your sincere prayers.
تم إتاحة هذه السلسلة من كتب التفسير عبر الإنترنت من قبل عائلة الدكتور أسعد حومد (رحمه الله). لقد قمنا برقمنة هذه المجلدات بالكامل لتوفير تنسيق يسهل الوصول إليه واستخدامه في عصرنا الرقمي الحالي. نرجو منكم ألا تنسوا الدكتور أسعد وعائلته من صالح دعائكم.