البروج
Al-Buruj
The Mansions of the Stars • makkah • 22 Verses
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وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْبُرُوجِ
15:17; 25:62.
Important Words:
البروج (mansions of stars) is the plural of برج (burj) which is substantive noun from برج (baraja) which means, it was or became apparent, manifest or conspicuous or it was or became high or elevated. برج means, a tower; a sign of the Zodiac. بروج means, mansions (i.e. courses or stages) of the moon or the stars; or asterisms or constellations. See also 15:17 (Lane).
Commentary:
The verse purports to say that just as there are twelve mansions of stars in the physical heaven, similarly there will be twelve Divine Reformers or Mujaddids or twelve mansions in the spiritual firmament of Islam who will keep its light burning after the sun had set, i.e. after the first three best centuries of Islam will have passed resulting in the spread of spiritual darkness over the whole world. These Reformers will bear witness to the truth of Islam, the Quran and that of the Holy Prophet.
15:17; 25:62.
Mujaddids, or twelve mansions in the spiritual firmament of Islam, who will keep its light burning after the Spiritual Sun will have set, i.e. after the first three best centuries of Islam will have passed, resulting in the spread of spiritual darkness over the whole world. These Reformers will bear witness to the truth of Islam, and of the Qur’an and to that of the Holy Prophet.
وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْمَوْعُودِ
Commentary:
"The Promised Day" here signifies the day when the Promised Messiah will be raised to bring about the renaissance of Islam. There have been many such days in the history of Islam which could be called the "Promised Day," namely, the day of the Battle of Badr, the day when the Battle of Ditch came to a glorious end, and the day of the Fall of Mecca. But the Promised Day par excellence was the time of the Second Coming of the Holy Prophet in the person of the Promised Messiah in the 14th Century A.H. when Islam was to receive a new life and to prevail over all other religions.
The verse may also signify the day when the righteous will enjoy the ecstasy of meeting with their Lord.
"The Promised Day" may signify the day when the Promised Messiah will be raised to bring about the renaissance of Islam. In fact, there have been many such days in the history of Islam which could be called the promised day namely, the day of the Battle of Badr, the day when the Battle of the Trench came to a glorious end and the day of the Fall of Mecca. But the Promised Day par excellence is the time of the Second Advent of the Holy Prophet in the person of his Deputy in the 14th century A.H., when Islam is to receive a new life and to prevail over all other religions. The "Promised Day" may also mean the day when the righteous will enjoy the bliss of meeting with their Lord.
وَشَاهِدٍ وَمَشْهُودٍ
Commentary:
Every Prophet or Divine Reformer is شاھد i.e. bearer of witness, because he is a living witness to the existence of God, and he is also مشھود (about whom witness is borne) because God bears witness to his truth by showing signs and miracles at his hands, and by creating conditions and circumstances which establish the truth of his Message and mission. But here, as the text shows, the شاھد (bearer of witness) is the Promised Messiah and (about whom witness is borne) is the Holy Prophet, and the verse signifies that the Promised Messiah will bear witness to the truth of the Holy Prophet by his speeches, discourses and writings, and by the signs that God will show at his hands. The Promised Messiah will also bear witness to the truth of the Holy Prophet in the sense that in his person the prophecy of the Holy Prophet about the appearance of the Messiah and Mahdi in the 14th century A.H. will be fulfilled. The Promised Messiah will also be مشھودin the sense that the hadith of the Holy Prophet will bear witness to his truth. Thus the Holy Prophet and the Promised Messiah will both be شاھد (bearer of witness) and مشھود (about whom witness is borne).
Every Prophet or Divine Reformer is a Shahid, i.e. bearer of witness, because he is a living witness to the existence of God, and he is also Mashhud (to whom witness is borne) because God bears witness to his truth by showing Signs and miracles at his hands. But here, as the text shows, the Shahid is the Promised Messiah and Mashhud is the Holy Prophet, and the verse signifies that the Promised Messiah will bear witness to the truth of the Holy Prophet by his speeches, discourses and writings and by the Signs that God will show at his hands. He will also bear witness in the sense that in his person the prophecy of the Holy Prophet about the appearance of the Promised Messiah and Mahdi in the 14th century A.H. will be fulfilled. The Promised Messiah is also Mashhud in the sense that the Holy Prophet himself has borne witness to his truth. Thus the Holy Prophet and the Promised Messiah are both Shahids (bearers of witness) and Mashhuds (to whom witness is born
قُتِلَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْأُخْدُودِ
Commentary:
By some commentators of the Quran the verse is taken to refer to the burning to death of some Christians by the Jewish King, Dhu Nuwas of Yemen; by some others to the casting into a burning furnace of some Israelite leaders by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Dan. 3:19-22). The verse may also apply to those enemies of truth, who in the time of every Divine Reformer bitterly oppose and persecute believers. But as the context shows, the verse applies particularly to the enemies of the Promised Messiah and the persecutors and tormentors of his righteous followers. The word "trench" may possess a prophetical reference to the trenches of modern warfare.
It is not intended there to refer to any past incident of doubtful authenticity. Nowhere in the Quran has God sworn by past incidents. In v. 3. God swears by the "Promised Day." In the present and the next few verses it is hinted that the followers of the Promised Messiah will have to render great sacrifices to usher in that Great Day.
By some Commentators of the Qur’an the verse is taken to refer to the burning to death of some Christians by the Jewish King, Dhu Nuwas of Yemen; by some others to the casting into a burning furnace of some Israelite leaders by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Dan. 3:19-22). The verse may more fittingly apply to those enemies of truth, who in the time of every Divine Reformer bitterly oppose and persecute believers. It is not intended here to refer to any past incident of doubtful authenticity. Nowhere in the Qur’an has God sworn by past incidents. In v. 3 God swears by the "Promised Day." In the present and the next few verses it seems to be hinted that the followers of the Promised Messiah will have to suffer great hardships to usher in that great day.
ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلْوَقُودِ
إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌ
Commentary:
These verses (vv. 5-8) show that all the forces of darkness will combine to oppose and persecute the Promised Messiah and his righteous followers, and that the persecution will be severe and continuous. In fact, in these verses a description is given of those enemies of truth who kindle the fire of persecution against righteous believers in all ages and constantly keep it ablaze. Their end is predicted in v. 11.
In vv. 5-9 mention is made of those enemies of truth who kindle the fire of persecution against righteous believers in all ages and constantly keep it ablaze. Their end is predicted in v. 11.
وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌ
Commentary:
The enemies of truth know in their heart of hearts that their opposition is cruel and unjustified and that the victims of their tyranny are innocent.
The enemies of truth know in their heart of hearts that their opposition is cruel and unjustified and that the victims of their tyranny are innocent.
وَمَا نَقَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ
5:60; 7:127.
Commentary:
The verse is full of pathos. The only fault of the believers is that they believe in One, Merciful and Almighty God. Is belief in God really such a heinous crime that its holders should be subjected to cruel persecution? These verses may also refer to the persecution of the early Muslims at Mecca. They had done nothing to excite the enmity of their compatriots except that they had given up worshipping idols of wood and stone and instead had believed in God, the Maker of the heavens and earth.
ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
14:3.
Commentary:
The verse at once holds a message of comfort for the believers and a severe warning to their persecutors. Let the disbelievers, it says, vent their spleen against God’s holy men and persecute them to their heart’s content. God is witness to all their inhumanities and barbarities, and the time is fast approaching when they will be punished for their evil deeds and the kingdom of the earth will be given over to the persecuted believers.
14:3.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا۟ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا۟ فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ ٱلْحَرِيقِ
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ
11:24; 31:9; 41:9; 98:8-9.
إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبْدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ
وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلْوَدُودُ
ذُو ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْمَجِيدُ
Commentary:
The word عرش (Throne) signifying regal might, power and sovereignty (Lane), the verse means that God has the power to punish evildoers and to confer the kingdom of the earth on His righteous servants. He can do what He likes.
فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ
2:254; 22:15.
هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلْجُنُودِ
10:91; 28:40-41; 51:41.
فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ
Commentary:
The believers are again comforted by this verse and the disbelievers warned. Both of them are told that not only will the followers of the Holy Prophet or, for that matter, the followers of the Promised Messiah, be subjected to persecution, but during the ages the votaries of Satan have harried and harassed men of God and in the long run were themselves destroyed. The cases of Pharaoh’s hosts and of the tribe of Thamud are cited as instances of Divine retribution. These two peoples of antiquity possessed great power and ruled over vast dominions. For the might, majesty and material resources of Pharaoh and the tribe of Thamud see 43:52-55 and 11:62.