Surah al-Buruj – An Overview

Period of Revelation: Makkan

Order of Revelation: 27

Theme and Subject Matter:

This short Surah was revealed at a time when the persecution of the Muslims was at its peak.
Its theme is to warn the disbelievers of the evil consequences of the persecution and tyranny
that they were perpetrating on the converts to Islam, and to console the believers, so as to say:
If you remain firm and steadfast against tyranny and coercion, you will be rewarded richly for it,
and Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala will certainly avenge Himself on your persecutors on your
behalf.

The background is the pit incident, when a community of believers who lived before the advent
of Islam, said to be Unitarian Christians, were faced by ruthless and tyrannical enemies who
sought to force them away from their faith. The believers refused. The tyrants then lit a great fire
in a pit they had dug, and threw them into it. The believers were thus burnt to death in front of
large crowds that had gathered to witness this ghastly act of extermination. The tyrants sat by,
amused by the believers’ sufferings.

By means of this story the believers and the disbelievers have been taught a few lessons. First,
that just as the people of the ditch (ashab-ul-ukhdud) became worthy of Allah’s curse and
punishment, so are the chiefs of Makkah also becoming worthy of it. Second, that just as the
believers at that time had willingly accepted to sacrifice their lives by being burnt to death in the
pits of fire instead of turning away from the faith, so also the believers now should endure every
persecution but should never give up the faith. Third, that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala is watching
what the two groups are striving for. Therefore, it is certain that the disbelievers will not only be
punished in Hell for their disbelief but, more than that, they too will suffer punishment by fire as
a fit recompense for their tyranny and cruelties. Likewise, this also is certain that those, who
believe and follow up their belief with good deeds, should go to Paradise and this indeed is the
supreme success.

Then the disbelievers have been warned, so as to say: Allah’s grip is severe. If you are proud of
the strength of your hosts, you should know that the hosts of Pharaoh and Thamoud were even
stronger and more in number. Therefore, you should learn a lesson from the fate they met.
Allah’s power has so encompassed you that you cannot escape His encirclement, and the
Qur’an that you are bent upon belying, is unchangeable: it is inscribed in the Preserved Tablet,
which cannot be corrupted in any way.
1) By the sky/heaven that possesses large stars

Large stars in the night sky are also called burj. In previous surahs we found the words nujoom
and kawakib used to refer to stars but burooj is specifically mentioned here. By using the word
burooj we are told that the sky is full of forts and forts typically have solders within them. In this
case, the soldiers are angels that are positioned in military posts all over the universe. Through
the depiction of these large stars Allah (swt) is helping us visualise the forts full of angels that
are stationed in the sky. A day is coming when they will be called to duty and leave these forts
and come down from the sky in rows upon rows (mentioned in Surah Al Fajr 89:22).

2) And by the Promised Day

Allah (swt) takes a second oath with this verse and swears by the promised day, the day that he
has been promising over and over in the previous surahs. In this surah Allah (swt) announces
his support to the believer. Allah (swt) announces that His military angels stationed in the Burooj
are at the ready to support the Muslims. So the oppressed Muslim should not think he is alone
and defenceless as Allah (swt) has arranged support for him in the sky and has sworn by it and
made the angels a witness to it and to what is going on on Earth and they will descend
whenever Allah (swt) wills it (like at Badr). This is also a threat to the disbeliever. There is
another threat issued in this verse that is even more devastating than this – the promised day –
the Day of Judgement.

3) By the witness and that which is witnessed

The one who witnesses something is called a shahid and whatever he witnessed is called
mash-hood. So, Allah (swt) in this verse swears by the witness and by that which has been
witnessed.

The commentators have expressed many different views about “the witness” and “that which is
witnessed”. In our opinion what fits in well with the context is that it is every such person who
will witness the Day of Resurrection, and that which is witnessed is the Resurrection itself, the
dreadful scenes of which will be seen by all. This is the view of Mujahid. Ikrimah, Dahhak, lbn
Nujaih and some other commentators

4) May the people of the ditch be destroyed

Cursed are the companions of the ditch

Having grabbed our attention, the Surah then refers to the people of the pit: “Cursed were the
companions of the trench. [Containing] the fire full of fuel.” The reference to the event
begins with a declaration of anger with the tyrants. They were a group of people who were
among the disbelievers. They went after those among them who believed in Allah and they
attempted to force them to give up their religion. However, the believers refused to recant, so
they dug a ditch, lit a fire and prepared some fuel for it in order to keep it ablaze. They then
again tried to convince the believers to apostate from their religion, but they refused. As a result,
they were thrown into the fire while the disbelievers sat aside in the vicinity to watch the ghastly
scene of torture and human flesh burning

5) Of fire fed with fuel

These criminals have placed believers in a ditch filled with fire and it is fire that is possessive of
fuel, things used to excite flames. The word waqood means to kindle so the fire was kindled with
fuel to keep the flames alight. The same people who are destroying the believers in a ditch of
fire, Allah (swt) will destroy in the fire of hell. They will become the fuel for that fire; thus, their
crime of setting people alight with fuel will be their ultimate fate in the next life.

6) When they sat by it (the fire)

It’s narrated that the last of those to enter the fire was a mother with her baby. When she was
reluctant to enter the fire with her baby the baby was given the ability to speak and told her that
she was on the truth and so she jumped in. The word juloos in Arabic means to sit for a short
while whereas qu’ood means to sit for a long period of time. At the very brink of the ditch they
would find themselves a seat and watch these people being forced into the fire and set alight. In
the previous surah we learnt of the people handed their book behind their back asking to be
killed and then thrown into the fire so that their pain and torment can be limited. The pain they
caused the believers pales in comparison to what Allah (swt) has planned for them.

7) And they witnessed what they were doing against the believers

Watching what they did to the believers

The word ‘aml is to perform an action with intention like reading a book whereas fi’l is
to perform an action without thinking such as blinking or breathing. By using the word
yaf’aloon Allah (swt) informs us that these people did not think twice about
perpetrating their evil crime on the believers. when you see something such as an
accident out of the blue whilst walking you will be able to recall parts of it, as it was
unexpected. Yet, when you select a seat and settle down to enjoy something then
surely you become an excellent witnesses.So, Allah (swt) has made them a most
thorough witness of their own crime and needs the testimony of no one else.
8) They took vengeance on them for no reason other than that they believed in Allah, the
Almighty, to whom all praise is due

The word niqma comes from the verb naqama and is something, whether it is good or bad, that one is
personally disgusted by. Allah (swt) asks what it was that filled the disbelievers with such disgust and
intolerance of the believers. Naqam also refers to the urge to want to hurt someone for an offence they’ve
caused you; an offence that is trivial or was not intended to be offensive. Thus, before the disbelievers
even got to the stage of genocide against the believers, the mere fact that they believed was enough for
them to be disgusted and offended. Yet, it was not the belief in Allah (swt) alone that made them hated
but also their acknowledgement of two powerful names of Allah (swt) in this verse – Al Aziz and Al
Hameed.

9) To whom belongs the dominion/kingdom of the heavens and the earth.

And Allah is Witness over everything
Mulk means sovereignty and is different to milk which more often means
ownership. The surah started with the mention of the sky and Allah’s army in the
sky and then continued by mentioning the people of the ditch on earth. Allah (swt)
is both the sovereign in the sky and in the earth and His authority over all is
complete. By placing lahu earlier in the ayah exclusivity is implied in that the skies
and the earth belongs only to Him. If it was placed at the end of the ayah and not
at the beginning it would also imply that it belongs to Him but not only to Him and
suggests ownership by others in addition.
When you are sovereign over something that means that no one can question what
you do. A sovereign nation is one that has authority within its borders and no other
nation can question its rule. Similarly, sovereign rulers from ancient times had
absolute authority over their people. Allah (swt) tells us here that sovereignty and
absolute authority belongs to Him.
10) Indeed those who persecuted the believing men and women and do not
then repent, shall suffer the punishment of hell and the punishment of
burning

Inna adds certainty to a statement and in classical Arabic removes doubt and in this
verse is used to address two groups of people. The first are the sinners engaged in this
crime, those that are skeptical of what is being promised, and the use of inna is to
eliminate the doubt from their minds. The second group being addressed is the
Muslims that are being oppressed. When people are oppressed they may begin to
question why this is happening to them and where Allah’s help is. As a result doubt can
start to creep into their minds and it is this doubt that Allah (swt) seeks to address by
using inna.

11) Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have
gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great success

n simple English ‘fa’ means therefore or then as a result of, meaning that in the
previous verse the punishment of the disbelievers is a result of the crimes they
committed. Notice, in this verse that for those who believe and do righteous deeds
there is no ‘fa’. This is because nobody gets jannah as a result of his or her good deeds
but only through the mercy of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is merciful by covering and
forgiving our sins and multiplying our good deeds. Hence, it is a gift and mercy from
Allah (swt).

The phrase ‘jannaatun tajree min tahtiha al anhaar’ appears over and over in the
Quran and is commonly translated as ‘gardens underneath which rivers flow’ but so
much is lost in translation. Jannaat is the plural of Jannah which is a lush garden dense
and covered with plants and greenery to the extent that the soil cannot be seen

In the Quran when fawz is used it is used with three adjectives: fawz ul-mubeen (clear
success), fawz ul-kabeer (huge success) and fawz ul-azeem (great success). Out of all
three fawz ul-azeem is the greatest and wherever this is mentioned in the Quran more
detail about jannah is told. When slightly less is told such as in this verse it is fawz ul-
kabeer but still huge success and when fawz ul-mubeen is mentioned it refers to the
least out of the three and is in reference, for example, to the one who is turned away
from jannah and earned Allah’s mercy and even this is clearly success. This shows us
that there are many degrees of success (fawz) and in this surah we are discussing
believers that went through a tougher trial than those in the previous surah.

12) Surely the grip of your Master (O Muhammad) is severe

Stern indeed is your Master’s vengeance (O Muhammad)

Allah (swt) in the previous verses informs us that the believers who were oppressed
will get justice and instructs those who continue to believe even though they are
oppressed to focus on their reward of a beautiful garden with flowing rivers. Even
though the Messenger (pbuh) who is the shepherd of this ummah is aware that the
ultimate reward of his followers who are being tortured and oppressed is paradise, he
still feels pain and concern. So, Allah (swt) turns away from the discourse of believers
and disbelievers and turns to the messenger (pbuh) and gives him counsel. The word
battsha means to seize and grip someone who is weaker than you and who is unable to
break free and then to continue squeezing them tighter. The word shadeed comes from
shidda which means to tie something up, to knot it over and over and then to finally
pull it forcefully to tighten it. Allah (swt) informs the messenger (swt) that the seizing
of his Master is extremely tight and intense and that He is extremely powerful when it
comes to punishing the oppressors. Thus, the disbeliever in his state of authority and
power would seize the believers and physically harm them but the Messenger (pbuh) is
told to visualise the gripping and seizure of his Master (rabbi-ka) who is watching and
has the power to exact revenge even now if He wants.

13) Surely it is He Who begins and repeats (the creation)

Allah (swt) strongly emphasises that ‘He’ mentioned thrice will bring back to life the
believers and disbelievers. It was Allah (swt) who brought the believers into this world
the first time round and the disbelievers are mistaken in thinking that the believers
will just die. The kuffar who think they have free rein on this world will also be brought
back. Thus, the One who originated everyone will repeat the creation and bring all
back to life on Judgement Day.

14) He is the Forgiving, the Loving

This surah is about recognising the next life through Allah’s names and through His
power and in this verse Allah (swt) now addresses everybody and gives two further
names. Many people who believe in a Creator sometimes wonder how He can let so
much oppression and tyranny exist and doubt can creep into the believer’s mind. Yet,
we learn that Allah (swt) is al Ghafoor, the forgiving, and perhaps that same
oppression will provide the believers a path to paradise. Allah (swt) is also willing to
forgive those who oppressed providing they repent and stop oppressing the Muslims.
Al Wadood is the One who loves intensely and passionately. This word is important as
the surah describes a lot of oppression and the first thing you can lose sight of when
you are being oppressed and experiencing a bad time is Allah’s love. The believer may
think that Allah (swt) does not love them. So, Allah (swt) reminds the believers that He
forgives and loves intensely

15) Owner of the Throne, Glorious,

One can feel especially fortunate when he receives the love of someone who is of a
higher rank than himself and Allah (swt) is the one with the highest possible nobility.
The theme of possession runs through this surah. We have seen that the sky possesses
the burooj and that the fire possesses fuel. In this verse we learn that our Rabb
possesses the mighty throne, the ‘arsh. The word ‘arsh means roof and thus the roof of
all creation is known as Allah’s throne. The word majeed means to be great in nobility
and class.
16) Doer of what He wills

Allah (swt) informs us that conditions cannot be put on Him and it is not up to man to
determine when Allah helps and question why he does not. Allah (swt) does whatever
He wants over and over again and as much as He loves man you cannot put conditions
on Allah (swt) and determine what he can and cannot do. You can beg Him but He does
what He wills without anyone controlling Him.

17) Has the story of the armies come to you (O Muhammad)?

Allah’s Messenger is being addressed here and he is asked ‘Has news of the army
come to you?’ The Quran addresses multiple perspectives simultaneously and it is
important that to note that when the messenger recites these verses he knows that he
is being spoken to, however, non-Muslims are also listening and this causes an alert.
The Arabs were always concerned about attacks from other tribes. Asking whether
news of an army had reached them would cause alarm and grab their attention. The
word hadeeth is used to narrate something that is so old but when you are reminded of
it, it sounds like it is new and you are hearing it for the first time such is its relevance.
The word jaysh means an army that has ordinary civilians fighting amongst its ranks
whereas jund is a well organised, trained and paid army and refers to a powerful army.

18) Of Pharaoh and Thamood?

There have been two powerful armies mentioned in this surah thus far. The angels in
their forts in the sky and the companions of the ditch who had power over the people
they oppressed. There are a further two armies mentioned in this verse and these are
two of the most oppressive nations highlighted the most in the Quran, the armies of
Fir’aun and Thamood. Pharaoh was called the possessor of camps, as his massive army
would be encamped in tents. Thamood had a powerful army with great competency in
construction and Allah (swt) has described in the Quran how these two nations were
destroyed. These two nations are important because the Arabs already knew about
them and would literally pass by the ruins of Thamood. The ruins themselves were
immense and gave an indication of the power this tribe once had. Similarly, the people
of the book knew Fir’aun.

Allah (swt) puts the disbelievers in their place by comparing their power to that of the
nations of Fir’aun and Thamood. Allah destroyed Pharaoh with water, and Thamood
with a powerful sound/earthquake, both with no special arrangements or army
required. The Quraysh did not have a great army or big homes and monuments but
were in fact a cluster of Bedouin Arabs. Despite knowing how pathetic they are
compared to the nations Allah (swt) has already destroyed they still did not take heed
and settle down.

19) Yet the disbelievers persist in their denial (of the truth)

Allah (swt) is amazed at the arrogance of the disbelievers and turns back to His
Messenger. In the previous surah the disbelievers deliberately lied against the
messenger and the truth but here Allah (swt) says that they are drowning and
immersed in this state of lying. The fact that they reject the message is not because
there is a deficiency in it or because you (the messenger) have not executed your job
well but because they have already drowned and become stuck in their disbelief.

20) And Allah encompasses them on every side

The word waraa’ means in front of and behind and muheett means to encompass
entirely. Thus, just like the disbelievers have engulfed themselves in lying against the
truth, Allah (swt) has surrounded and engulfed them from all sides.
21) Nay, this is indeed a glorious Quran

Their rejection and ridicule of the Quran will never take away from its nobility. The
Quran is glorified (majeed) just like the Creator who spoke it is glorified. Furthermore,
the glorified words and pages of the Quran is enough to handle any criticism of the
disbelievers.

22) (Inscribed) In the preserved tablet

The believers are given the counsel that Allah (swt) has strength, but that the
protection wasn’t given to them but to the Qur’an. The believers will never fail in their
mission as the source of their belief is the Quran, the word of Allah (swt), protected in
a tablet. Regardless of how much the believers are harmed the Quran can never be
harmed. The crux of this surah is that the Quran is a means of strength and protection
for an ummah that is oppressed when they believe in Allah (swt). If they hold onto the
Quran they will find Allah’s help and support.