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Surah 53. An-Najm

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53:6
ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ Th oo mirratin fa i staw a
[an angel] endowed with surpassing power, who in time manifested himself in his true shape and nature,
  - Mohammad Asad
the one free from defects who became stable in the view.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
and great perfection, who once rose to 'his' true form1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Gabriel used to come to the Prophet in a human form. But he appeared to him (ﷺ) twice in his angelic form: once at the beginning of the Prophet’s mission (when the angel manifested himself, filling the horizon, the Prophet (ﷺ) lost his consciousness), and another time during the Prophet’s Night Journey to the seventh heaven to receive the order to pray directly from Allah (see 17:1).

One vigorous; and he grew clear to view
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Endued with Wisdom: For he appeared (in stately form)
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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53:7
وَهُوَ بِٱلْأُفُقِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ Wahuwa bi a lofuqi alaAAl a
appearing in the horizon's loftiest part,4
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 81:23 and the corresponding note [8]. According to the Qur'an and the testimony of authentic Traditions, the Prophet had no more than twice in his lifetime a vision of this angelic force "manifested in its true shape and nature" (which, as pointed out by Zamakhshari, is the meaning of the expression istawa in this context): once after the period called fatrat al-wahy (see introductory note to surah {74}), and another time, as alluded to in verses {13-18}, in the course of his mystic vision known as the "Ascension" (see Appendix IV).

He stood poised at the uppermost horizon,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
while on the highest point above the horizon,
  - Mustafa Khattab
When he was on the uppermost boon.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
While he was in the highest part of the horizon: 5088
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Gabriel appeared in stately form. Istawa in verse 61 translated "appeared", means literally "mounted" or "ascended", or "set himself to execute a design"; see n. 1386 to x. 3.

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53:8
ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ Thumma dan a fatadall a
and then drew near, and came close,
  - Mohammad Asad
then he drew near, coming closer
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
then he approached 'the Prophet', coming so close
  - Mustafa Khattab
Then be drew nigh and came down
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then he approached and came closer
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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53:9
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ Fak a na q a ba qawsayni aw adn a
until he was but two bow-lengths away, or even nearer.5
  - Mohammad Asad

This graphic "description" of the angel's approach, based on an Arabian figure of speech, is meant to convey the idea that the Angel of Revelation became a clearly perceptible, almost tangible, presence.

within the length of two bows or even closer,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
that he was only two arms-lengths away or even less.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., he was only two bow-draws away.

Till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer; 5089
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Two bow-shots (counting 100 to 150 yards to a bow-shot) would be a clearly visible distance.

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53:10
فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِۦ مَآ أَوْحَىٰ Faaw ha il a AAabdihi m a aw ha
And thus did [God] reveal unto His servant whatever He deemed right to reveal.6
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "whatever He revealed": an allusion to the exceptional manifestation of the angel "in his true shape and nature" as well as to the contents of divine revelation as such. In its deeper sense the above phrase implies that even to His chosen prophets God does not entirely unveil the ultimate mysteries of existence, of life and death, of the purpose for which He has created the universe, or of the nature of the universe itself.

and revealed to Allah's servant that what he was supposed to reveal.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Then Allah revealed to His servant what He revealed 'through Gabriel'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And He revealed unto His slave that which He revealed.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
So did (Allah) convey the inspiration to His Servant (conveyed) what He (meant) to convey. 5090
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Gabriel would be just a messenger, to do no more than convey Allah's Message to Allah's Messenger.

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53:11
مَا كَذَبَ ٱلْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰٓ M a ka th aba alfu a du m a ra a
The [servant's] heart did not give the lie to what he saw:7
  - Mohammad Asad

Inasmuch as the Prophet was fully aware of the spiritual character of his experience, there was no conflict between his conscious mind and his intuitive perception (the "vision of the heart") of what is normally not perceptible.

His (Muhammad's) own heart did not deny that which he saw.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The 'Prophet's' heart did not doubt what he saw.
  - Mustafa Khattab
The heart lied not (in seeing) what it saw.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart in no way falsified that which he saw. 5091
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Heart" in Arabic includes the faculty of intelligence as well as the faculty of feeling. The impression conveyed was pure truth; there was no illusion in it.

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53:12
أَفَتُمَـٰرُونَهُۥ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ Afatum a roonahu AAal a m a yar a
will you, then, contend with him as to what he saw?8
  - Mohammad Asad

Thus the Qur'an makes it clear that the Prophet's vision of the angel was not a delusion but a true spiritual experience: but precisely because it was purely spiritual in nature, it could be conveyed to others only by means of symbols and allegories, which sceptics all too readily dismiss as fancies, "contending with him as to what he saw".

How can you, O unbelievers then, question what he saw?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
How can you 'O pagans' then dispute with him regarding what he saw?
  - Mustafa Khattab
Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he seeth?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Will ye then dispute with him concerning what he saw?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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53:13
وَلَقَدْ رَءَاهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ Walaqad ra a hu nazlatan okhr a
And, indeed, he saw him9 a second time
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., he saw the angel "manifested in his true shape and nature".

And he (Muhammad) saw him once again
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
And he certainly saw that 'angel descend' a second time
  - Mustafa Khattab
And verily he saw him, yet another time
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
For indeed he saw him at a second descent. 5092
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The first occasion when Gabriel appeared in a visible form was at the Mountain of Light, when he brought his first revelation beginning with Iqraa:. The second was at the Prophet's Miraj or Ascension: see Introduction to S. xvii.

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53:14
عِندَ سِدْرَةِ ٱلْمُنتَهَىٰ AAinda sidrati almuntah a
by the lote-tree of the farthest limit,10
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., on the occasion of his mystic experience of the "Ascension" (mi'raj). Explaining the vision conveyed in the expression sidrat al-muntaha, Raghib suggests that owing to the abundance of its leafy shade, the sidr or sidrah (the Arabian lote-tree) appears in the Qur'an as well as in the Traditions relating to the Ascension as a symbol of the "shade - i.e., the spiritual peace and fulfilment - of paradise. One may assume that the qualifying term al-muntaha ("of the utmost [or "farthest"] limit") is indicative of the fact that God has set a definite limit to all knowledge accessible to created beings, as pointed out in the Nihayah: implying, in particular, that human knowledge, though potentially vast and penetrating, can never - not even in paradise (the "garden of promise" mentioned in the next verse) - attain to an understanding of the ultimate reality, which the Creator has reserved for Himself (cf. note [6] above).

near Sidra-tul-Muntaha (the Lot-tree at the farthest end of the seven heavens, beyond which none can pass).
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
at the Lote Tree of the most extreme limit 'in the seventh heaven'-
  - Mustafa Khattab
By the lote tree of the utmost boundary,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Near the Lote-tree beyond which none may pass: 5093
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For the Lote-tree in its literal meaning, see n. 3814 to xxxiv. 16. The wild Lote is thorny; under cultivation it yields good fruit and shade, and is symbolic of heavenly bliss, as here and in lvi. 28.

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53:15
عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰٓ AAindah a jannatu almaw a
near unto the garden of promise,
  - Mohammad Asad
Near it is Janna-tul-M'awa (the rest-house of paradise).
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
near which is the Garden of 'Eternal' Residence-
  - Mustafa Khattab
Nigh unto which is the Garden of Abode.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Near it is the Garden of Abode. 5094
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The "Garden of Abode" (Jannat al-Mawa) lies close to the Lote-Tree and, in the opinion of some authorities, is so called because the souls of believers will find their abode therein.

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53:16
إِذْ يَغْشَى ٱلسِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ I th yaghsh a a l ssidrata m a yaghsh a
with the lote-tree veiled in a veil of nameless splendour....11
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "when the lote-tree was veiled with whatever veiled [it]": a phrase deliberately vague (mubham), indicative of the inconceivable majesty and splendour attaching to this symbol of paradise "which no description can picture and no definition can embrace" (Zamakhshari).

When that Lot-tree was covered with what covered it,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
while the Lote Tree was overwhelmed with 'heavenly' splendours!
  - Mustafa Khattab
When that which shroudeth did enshroud the lote tree,
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Behold the Lote-tree was shrouded (in mystery unspeakable!)
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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53:17
مَا زَاغَ ٱلْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ M a z a gha alba s aru wam a t agh a
[And withal,] the eye did not waver, nor yet did it stray:
  - Mohammad Asad
his eyes did not turn aside nor did it exceed the limit:
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The 'Prophet's' sight never wandered, nor did it overreach.
  - Mustafa Khattab
The eye turned not aside nor yet was overbold.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(His) sight never swerved nor did it go wrong!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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53:18
لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰٓ Laqad ra a min a y a ti rabbihi alkubr a
truly did he see some of the most profound of his Sustainer's symbols.12
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "[some] of the greatest of his Sustainer's symbols (ayat)" For this specific rendering of the term ayah, see note [2] on 17:1 , which refers to the same mystic experience, namely, the Ascension. In both these Qur'anic allusions the Prophet is said to have been "made to see" (i.e., given to understand) some, but not all, of the ultimate truths (cf. also {7:187-188}); and this, too, serves to explain the idea expressed in verse {10} above.

and he did indeed see some of his Rabb's greatest signs.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He certainly saw some of his Lord's greatest signs.1
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The Prophet was taken to heaven to see some of Allah’s magnificent signs. He only saw what he was told to see.

Verily he saw one of the greater revelations of his Lord.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
For truly did he see of the Signs of his Lord the Greatest!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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53:19
أَفَرَءَيْتُمُ ٱللَّـٰتَ وَٱلْعُزَّىٰ Afaraaytumu all a ta wa a lAAuzz a
HAVE YOU, then, ever considered [what you are worshipping in] Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza,
  - Mohammad Asad
Have you ever seen Lat and Uzza
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Now, have you considered 'the idols of' Lat and 'Uzza,
  - Mustafa Khattab
Have ye thought upon Al Lat and Al Uzza
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Have ye seen Lat an Uzza 5095
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

From the heights of divine Glory, we come back again to this sorry earth, with its base idolatries. We are asked to "look at this picture, and at that!" The three principal idols of Pagan Arab Idolatry were the goddesses Lat, Uzza, and Manat. Opinions differ as to their exact forms: one version is that Lat was in human shape, Uzza had its origin in a sacred tree, and Manat in a white stone.

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53:20
وَمَنَوٰةَ ٱلثَّالِثَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰٓ Waman a ta a l thth a lithata alokhr a
as well as [in] Manat, the third and last [of this triad]?13
  - Mohammad Asad

After pointing out that the Prophet was granted true insight into some of the most profound verities, the Our'an draws our attention to the "false symbols" which men so often choose to invest with divine qualities or powers: in this instance - by way of example - to the blasphemous imagery of the Prophet's pagan contemporaries epitomized in the triad of Al-Lat, Manat and Al-Uzza. These three goddesses - regarded by the pagan Arabs as "God's daughters" side by side with the angels (who, too, were conceived of as females) - were worshipped in most of pre-Islamic Arabia, and had several shrines in the Hijaz and in Najd. The worship of Al-Lat was particularly ancient and almost certainly of South-Arabian origin; she may have been the prototype of the Greek semi-goddess Leto, one of the wives of Zeus and mother of Apollo and Artemis.

and another, the last third Manat (names of Arabian idols, claimed by the pagans of Makkah to be the daughters of Allah)?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
and the third one, Manat, as well?
  - Mustafa Khattab
And Manat, the third, the other?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And another the third (goddess) Manat?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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