Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Waqi'ah Verse 75

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, I swear by the setting places of the stars,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

So I do swear by the positions of the stars—

Ruwwad Translation Center

I do swear by the positions of the stars –

A. J. Arberry

No! I swear by the fallings of the stars

Abdul Haleem

I swear by the positions of the stars-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

I swear by the setting of the stars -

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Furthermore I call to witness the setting of the Stars,-

Abul Ala Maududi

No! I swear by the positions of the stars –

Ahmed Ali

So I call the placement of the stars to witness --

Ahmed Raza Khan

So I swear by the setting places of the stars.

Ali Quli Qarai

I swear by the places where the stars set!

Ali Ünal

I swear by the locations of the stars (and their falling),

Amatul Rahman Omar

As to me, I swear by the places and times of the revelation of the portions of the Qur´ân;

English Literal

So I do not (many translations disagree on the use of the negative in this verse it could possibly mean emphasis) swear/make oath with the stars`/planets` positions .

Faridul Haque

So I swear by the setting places of the stars.

Hamid S. Aziz

But nay! I swear by the setting (or falling or fading) of stars;

Hilali & Khan

So I swear by Mawaqi (setting or the mansions, etc.) of the stars (they traverse).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So glorify the name of thy Lord, the Incomparably Great.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

But nay! I swear by the falling of stars;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Nay, I swear by the places of the stars -

Muhammad Sarwar

I do not need to swear by the setting of the stars

Qaribullah & Darwish

I swear by the fallings of the stars

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Fala! I swear by the Mawaqi` of the stars.

Wahiduddin Khan

Nay, I swear by the setting of the stars --

Talal Itani

I swear by the locations of the stars.

Tafsir jalalayn

Nay, I swear (fa-l uqsimu; l is extra) by the setting-places of the stars!

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah swears to the Greatness of the Qur'an

Allaw swears,

فَلَ أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ




Fala! I swear by the Mawaqi` of the stars.

The usage of La (in Fala) is not an extra character without meaning, as some of the scholars of Tafsir say. Rather it is used at the beginning of an oath when the oath is a negation. This is like when A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her said, "La by Allah! Allah's Messenger did not touch any woman's hand at all. So in this way, the meaning is,

"No! I swear by the Mawaqi` of the stars. The matter is not as you people claim - about the Qur'an - that it is a result of magic or sorcery, rather it is an Honorable Qur'an."

Ibn Jarir said,

"Some of the scholars of the Arabic language said that the meaning of,
فَلَ أُقْسِمُ
(Fala! I swear) is, `The matter is not as you people have claimed.'

Then He renews the oath again by saying, `I swear."'

Mujahid said,
فَلَ أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِ
(Fala! I swear by the Mawaqi` of the stars),

"The setting positions of the stars in the sky,"

and he said that it refers to the rising and setting positions. This was said by Al-Hasan, Qatadah and preferred by Ibn Jarir.

Qatadah also said that it means their positions.

Allah said,

وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَّوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظِيمٌ