Surah 85
The Towering Constellations
Al-Buruj 🕳️
Comforting early believers who faced torture, this surah recounts the story of an ancient, ruthless tyrant who burned a community of righteous people alive in a trench, reminding readers that God sees everything. The title comes from the first verse, which swears an oath by the sky filled with the towering constellations.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
1By the sky with its towering constellations,
2By the promised Day,
3By the Witness and that which is witnessed,
4Damned were the makers of the trench,
5The makers of the fuel-stoked fire!
6They sat down
7To watch what they were doing to the believers.
8Their only grievance against them was their faith in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy,
9To whom all control over the heavens and earth belongs: God is witness over all things.
10For those who persecute believing men and women, and do not repent afterwards, there will be the torment of Hell and burning.
11But for those who believe and do good deeds there will be Gardens graced with flowing streams: that is the great triumph.
12[Prophet], your Lord’s punishment is truly stern —
13It is He who brings people to life, and will restore them to life again —
14And He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Loving.
15The Glorious Lord of the Throne,
16He does whatever He will.
17Have you [not] heard the stories of the forces
18Of Pharaoh and Thamud?
19Yet still the disbelievers persist in denial.
20God surrounds them all.
21This is truly a glorious Qur’an
22[written] on a preserved Tablet.