The Stars (Al-Najm)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
By oath of the beloved shining star Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him), when he returned from the Ascent. 1 your companion is neither astray, neither errs, 2 nor does he speak out of desire. 3 It [the Quran] is nothing but revelation sent down to him. 4 He was taught by one Mighty in Power, 5 The Strong; then the Spectacle inclined towards him. 6 while he was in the highest horizon; 7 then he drew near, and became close 8 Till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer, 9 And thus did [God] reveal unto His servant whatever He deemed right to reveal. 10 The heart did not deny, what it saw. (The Holy Prophet was bestowed with seeing Allah – see also preceding verses 8, 9, 10.) 11 Will you dispute with him what he saw? 12 He saw Him indeed another time 13 by the lote-tree at the farthest boundary, 14 Close to which is the Everlasting Paradise. 15 with the lote-tree veiled in a veil of nameless splendour 16 The sight turned not aside, nor it exceeded. 17 for indeed he saw one of the greatest signs of his Lord. 18 (Can anything as such be considered true) of al-Lat, al-Uzza, 19 And Manat, the third, the other? 20 What! for you the males and for Him the females! 21 That indeed were an unfair division! 22 These are only names which you and your fathers have invented. No authority was sent down by God for them. They only follow conjecture and wish-fulfilment, even though guidance had come to them already from their Lord. 23 Does man imagine that whatever he wishes for is right for him? 24 despite the fact that [both] the life to come and this present [one] belong to God [alone]? 25