The Noble Quran, Tafsir of Surah at-Tariq, Introduction to Tafsir of Surah at-Tariq

 

Name of Surah at-Tariq

This surah is named at-Tariq ‘the night comer’ because Allah, Exalted be He, swears by ‘86:1 By the sky and the night comer.’

At-Tariq refers to a star that appears in the night and disappears during the day. 

Relationship between Surah al-Buruj and at-Tariq

Both surahs begin by referring to the sky, [85:1 By the sky with the constellations…] [86:1 By the sky and the night comer.]

Both surahs speak about the resurrection on the Day of Judgment and some attributes of the Quran to refute the claims of the disbelievers, who said that Allah did not reveal it to His Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him].

85:13 Indeed, it is He who originates and brings again.

86:8 Indeed, He is able to bring him back…

85:21 Nay, it is a Glorious Quran,

85:22 in a Preserved Tablet.

86:13 surely it is a decisive word,

Topics Discussed in Surah at-Tariq

The main theme of surah at-Tariq, just as all surahs revealed in Mecca, is discussing belief in the resurrection and reckoning on the Day of Judgment. It confirms that the Day of Judgment will certainly take place by referring to the fact that Allah created man from nothing. Logically, One, Allah, who is able to create something from nothing, is able to recreate it after death. 

Surah at-Tariq begins by swearing by the sky and the shining stars therein to confirm that there are noble angels responsible for protecting human beings. 

86:1 By the sky and the night comer. 

86:4 No soul but has a watcher over it.

Then Allah confirms that resurrection for reckoning on the Day of Judgment is possible by referring to the fact that He created man from nothing in the first place, namely, creating Prophet Adam (the father of human beings) from dust. The One, who is able to create something from nothing is certainly able to resurrect it after death.

86:5 So let man consider from what he was created. 

86:6 He was created from gushing water 

86:7 issuing from between the backbone and the ribs.

86:8 Indeed, He is able to bring him back

Then surah at-Tariq mentions that all secrets that human beings hide in this world will be disclosed on the Day of Judgment. Human beings will stand before Allah, the Able, helpless and they will be justly recompensed for their deeds on that day. 

86:9 on the day when the secrets are tested, 

86:10 Then he will have neither power nor helper.

Surah at-Tariq is concluded with swearing by the sky that repeatedly rain and the earth that splits producing plants that the Quran is truthful and a decisive word that distinguishes between the truth and falsehood. It also warns the disbelievers of the evil end awaiting them in the Hereafter. 

86:11 By the sky that rains repeatedly, 

86:12 and by the earth that splits,

86:17 So give the disbelievers a respite; let them for a while.

Khalid bin Abi Jabal al-Udwani reported that he saw Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] in the market of the tribe of Thaqif in Ta’if city when he went there to invite its inhabitants to believe in Islam and support him. Khalid heard Messenger Muhammad reciting surah at-Tariq. Then he said, ‘I knew it when I was a disbeliever and recited it when I became a Muslim.’ The people of Thaqif asked me and said, ‘What did you hear that man saying?’ He said, ‘I recited surah at-Tariq to them.’ Then some men who belonged to the tribe of Quraysh and were present said, ‘We know best our companion. If we know that he invites to the truth, we shall follow him.’ 

Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘Muadh bin Jabal prayed al-Maghreb prayer ‘the evening prayer’ with some believers and he was the imam. He recited surah al-Baqarah and an-Nisa’. When Messenger Muhammad knew about that he said, ‘Do you want to put a burden on people? Was it not sufficient that you should recite surah at-Tariq, surah ash-Shams, and so on?’ 

The Noble Quran, English Translation, Surah at-Taqriq

The Noble Quran, Tafsir ibn Kathir, Surah at-Tariq 

Recitation of Surah at-Tariq Sheikh Mishary Al-Afasy 

The Noble Quran: Introduction to Tafsir of Surah at-Takwir

The Noble Quran Surah an-Nahl: Translation and Tafsir 

The Noble Quran, Tafsir of Surah al-Buruj Ayah : 12-22 Allah is All-Powerful & All-Knowing

 

85:12 Indeed, the grip of your Lord is severe. 

85:13 Indeed, it is He who originates and brings again.

85:14 and He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Loving, 

85:15 Lord of the Throne, the All-Glorious, 

85:16 Doer of whatever He wills. 

85:17 Has the story of the hosts reached you,

85:18 Pharaoh and Thamud? 

85:19 Yet those who disbelieve persistently deny, 

85:20 and Allah is behind them, encompassing. 

85:21 Nay, it is a Glorious Quran,

85:22 in a Preserved Tablet.

Relationship with the Previous Part

In the previous part, those who disbelieve, persecute, and torture the believers are threatened with severe punishment and those who believe and perform righteous deeds are promised to attain a great reward in the Hereafter. Then this part confirms Allah’s ability to do what He wants. In addition, this part refers to the attitude of the disbelievers and tyrants in every age. They insist on disbelief in Allah’s Oneness and enmity towards the believers. These facts are mentioned to act as a warning for the disbelievers and a source of hope and assurance for the disbelievers. They are also mentioned to strengthen and assure the believers’ hearts for the abuse and persecution that they may suffer at the hands of the disbelievers and the oppressors. In sum, the ayat confirm that Allah knows everything, success will be the share of the believers, and loss will be the share of the disbelievers.

Tafsir

85:12 Indeed, the grip of your Lord is severe.

O noble Messenger Muhammad, indeed, the grip of your Lord is severe when He takes revenge on the tyrants and the oppressors. When He decides to punish them, nothing can stand before His Will. So command your companions to be patient with the abuse and hardship they suffer. Verily, the happy end will be theirs. 

The ayah implies a warning to the disbelievers saying that their punishment will be like that of the people of the trench who disbelieved in Allah’s Oneness and persecuted the believers. Their abode will be Hell where they will suffer lasting torment.

85:13 Indeed, it is He who originates and brings again.

Allah is the only One who can originate the creatures in this world and then He resurrects them in the Hereafter for reckoning. He is also the only One who can punish the disbelievers and wrongdoers in this world and then He brings them again in the Hereafter. 

The ayah uses the general word ‘originates and brings again’ without specifying specific things that Allah originates and brings again to include everything that can be originated and brought back. 

85:14 and He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Loving, 

Allah is All-Forgiving. He forgives the sins of the repentant. Allah is All-Loving. He loves those who obey His commands and avoid His prohibitions. 

85:15 Lord of the Throne, the All-Glorious, 

Allah, Exalted be He, is the Lord of the All-Glorious Throne. No one knows how it looks likes, but Allah. 

85:16 Doer of whatever He wills. 

Allah, Exalted be He, does what He wants. No one can protest against what He does. When He wants something, He only says to it ‘be’ and it exists. If Allah wills, He forgives the sins of those who repent, and if He wills, He punishes the wrongdoers. No one can prevent Him from carrying out what He wants. 

85:17 Has the story of the hosts reached you,

85:18 Pharaoh and Thamud? 

The ayat mention what indicates Allah’s perfect ability to punish the disbelievers and wrongdoers. 

The interrogation is for intimidation and affirmation. The hosts refer to those who disobeyed Allah’s command and then He punished them severely. Examples of those whom Allah punished because of their insistence on disbelief in His Oneness are Pharaoh and his followers, and Thamud, the people of Prophet Saleh [peace be upon him]. Those people were wrongdoers. Therefore, Allah punished them and He will punish every wrongdoer no matter how powerful he may be.

Pharaoh and Thamud are specifically mentioned because they were tyrants and wrongdoers, as well as the people of Mecca knew their stories. It is as if the ayah says to the disbelievers of Mecca, ‘If you insist on disbelief in Allah’s Oneness and wrongdoings, your end will be like that of Pharaoh and Thamud.’ 

85:19 Yet those who disbelieve persistently deny, 

85:20 and Allah is behind them, encompassing. 

The ayah refers to the attitude of the contemporary disbelievers towards the message of Messenger Muhammad. They did not learn from what happened to the former disbelievers who were destroyed and punished for their disbelief. 

The end of Pharaoh and his followers and the people of Thamud was destruction because of their insistence on disbelief in Allah’s Oneness. However, your people, O noble Messenger Muhammad, do not learn lessons from what happened to them. Rather, they keep on denying the truth of belief in Allah’s Oneness, refusing to accept Islam, and disobeying your commands. O noble Messenger Muhammad, the disbelievers are under Allah’s control. He fully knows everything about them and they will never escape from His grip and punishment. Allah will punish them at the time He wants and decides. 

85:21 Nay, it is a Glorious Quran,

85:22 in a Preserved Tablet.

The ayah refutes the claim of the disbelievers who claim that Allah did not reveal the Quran to His Messenger Muhammad. It mentions the true status of the Quran, which falsehood can never affect it in whatsoever way. 

Nay, the matter is not as the disbelievers claim, namely, the Quran is fables of the ancients and that Allah has not revealed it to His Messenger Muhammad. Rather, the Quran is the speech of Allah that He revealed to His Messenger Muhammad. It is a Glorious Quran and is kept in the Preserved Tablet. No distortion and alternation can affect it. Satan and his followers can never reach it. 

We believe that the Quran is kept in the Preserved Tablet, but we do not know the reality of this tablet as this belongs to the realm of the unseen, which only Allah knows. 

Learned Lessons from Surah al-Buruj Ayah 12-22

• Allah’s punishment and revenge are severe. He will punish and take revenge on the disbelievers and wrongdoers.

• Allah, Exalted be He, originates the creation of people in this world and He will bring them back to life after death on the Day of Judgment. 

• Allah’s attributes are perfect. He is the All-Forgiving and He forgives the sins of those who repent of their sins and do righteous deeds. Allah is the All-Loving and He loves the believers who believe in His Oneness, obey His commands, avoid His prohibitions, and do righteous deeds.

• Allah is the Owner of the Glorious Throne and the owner of the perfect power and authority. Nothing can stand before His will and authority and no one can escape from His punishment and grip. He forgives the sins of the believers, out of His bounty, and makes them enter Paradise, and He punishes the disbelievers, out of His justice, and makes them enter Hell where they suffer a painful torment.

• Mentioning the stories of the former disbelievers and their evil end acts as consolation to the believers everywhere and at every age. It informs them that the end of disbelief is loss and destruction no matter how long it may last.

• Those who are endowed with sound understanding should learn from the evil end of the former disbelievers and oppressors. 

• The Quran is the speech of Allah that He revealed to His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad. It is not fables of the ancients as the disbelievers claim. 

• The Quran is kept in the Preserved Tablet and no distortion or change can affect it. 

The Noble Quran, Surah al-Buruj, English Translation

The Noble Quran, Tafsir ibn Kathir, Surah al-Buruj

The Noble Quran, Surah an-Nahl Ayah 97, Happy Life

The Noble Quran Surah an-Nahl: Translation and Tafsir

The Noble Quran,Tafsir of Surah al-Buruj Ayah 10-11 Punishment of the Disbelievers and Reward of the Believers

85:10 Indeed, those who persecute the believing men and women and repent not – theirs will be the torment of Hell and theirs will be the burning torment. 

85:11 Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds – theirs will gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the supreme success.

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous part mentions the story of the people of the trench and it narrates how they tortured the believers for their belief in Allah’s Oneness. Then this part mentions the punishment that Allah has prepared for the disbelievers and the reward He has prepared for the believers.

Tafsir

85:10 Indeed, those who persecute the believing men and women and repent not – theirs will be the torment of Hell and theirs will be the burning torment. 

The ayah mentions the punishment that Allah has prepared for the disbelievers. In the Hereafter, the punishment of those who persecute the believing men and women because they believe in Allah’s Oneness and they do not repent of their sins will be Hell where they will suffer painful and burning torment.

They deserve such severe punishment because they insist on disbelief in Allah’s Oneness, and are determent to torture the believers as well as they do not repent of their disbelief and persecution of the believers. 

Their punishment will be commensurate with their crime of burning the believers. They burnt the believers in this world, and they will be burned in Hell in the Hereafter. 

85:11 Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds – theirs will gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the supreme success.

The ayah mentions the reward that Allah has prepared for the believers. In the Hereafter, the reward of the believers who believe in Allah’s Oneness and do righteous deeds by obeying Allah’s commands and avoiding His prohibitions will be gardens beneath which rivers flow. Indeed, such a reward is the supreme success for which those who are endowed with sound understanding should do their best to attain. 

Such a great reward that Allah has prepared for the believers should motivate them to diligently perform righteous deeds to attain it. Verily, Allah is generous and His bounties and blessings are countless. 

Learned Lessons from Surah al-Buruj Ayah 10-11

• Hell will be the abode of those who disbelieve in Allah’s Oneness.

• Hell will be the abode of the disbelievers who persecuted the believers by burning them in the trenches. This severe punishment is commensurate with their hideous act. 

• Insistence on disbelief in Allah’s Oneness and tyranny are causes of loss in Hereafter.

• Repentance of sins and performance of righteous deeds remove negative consequences of sins and qualify the person to the attainment of Allah’s forgiveness and mercy.

• Gardens beneath which rivers flow will be the reward of those who believe in Allah’s Oneness and perform righteous deeds by obeying Allah’s commands and avoiding His prohibitions.

• Attaining Allah’s pleasure and entering Paradise is the supreme success for which the believers should do their best to attain.

The Noble Quran, Surah al-Buruj, English Translation
The Noble Quran, Tafsir ibn Kathir, Surah al-Burjuj
The Noble Quran, Tafsir of Surah al-Infitar [Part 2]

The Noble Quran Surah Yusuf: Translation and Tafsir

The Noble Quran, Tafsir of Surah al-Buruj Ayah 1-9 The story of the People of the Trench

 

85:1 By the sky with the constellations, 

85:2 by the promised day, 

85:3 by the witness and the witnessed,

85:4 cursed were the people of the trench, 

85:5 the fire abounding in fuel, 

85:6 when they sat by it, 

85:7 and they witnessed what they did against the believers. 

85:8 And they resented them only because they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, the Praiseworthy. 

85:9 to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Witness over everything.

Tafsir

85:1 By the sky with the constellations, 

Allah, Exalted be He, swears by the sky that has al-Buruj, the constellations. 

The scholars differ about the meaning of al-Buruj. After mentioning the opinions of the scholars, Imam Muhammad bin Jarir at-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, said, ‘The correct opinion is that it means the sky with the constellations, which are twelve high positions in the sky.'  

85:2 by the promised day, 

Allah, Exalted be He, swears by the promised day, which is the Day of Judgment. It is called so because Allah has promised that He will gather people on this day for reckoning.

85:3 by the witness and the witnessed,

Allah, Exalted be He, swears by the witness and the witnessed. The scholars mention different opinions about the meaning of the witness and the witnessed, some of which are the following: 1) The witness is Friday and the witnessed is the Day of Arafah, the ninth day of the month of al-Hijjah. Friday is called the witness because it will testify against each person regarding the deeds he did on that day. The Day of Arafah is called the witnessed because people attend Hajj on that day and the angels witness that day. 2) The witness is Allah, Exalted be He, and the witnessed is the Day of Judgment. 3) The witness the nation of Messenger Muhammad and the witnessed is the rest of the people. 4) The witness is Allah’s Prophets and the witnessed is the nations. 

After mentioning the opinions of the scholars, Imam Muhammad bin Jarir at-Tabari said, ‘The correct opinion is that Allah swears by a witness and witnessed thing. He does not tell us what the witness means and what the witnessed means. Thus, all opinions mentioned by the scholars can be called the witness and the witnessed.’ 

85:4 cursed were the people of the trench, 

85:5 the fire abounding in fuel, 

I swear by the sky that has constellations, the promised day, the witness, and the witnessed that the people of the trench were cursed and deserved to be deprived of Allah’s mercy. That is because they disbelieved in Allah’s Oneness and persecuted the believers. 

The people of the trench, al-Ukhdud, were disbelievers among the former nations who built trenches and kindled them with the fires, then threw the believers therein because they refused to renounce their belief in Allah’s Oneness. 

85:6 when they sat by it, 

85:7 and they witnessed what they did against the believers.

Cursed were the people of the trenches, who kindled them with the fires and sat by them to watch the believers while being tortured. They sat by the trenches to closely supervise and witness the operation of throwing the believers into the fires, which indicates their determination to torture the believers and the extreme brutality and cruelty that the believers suffered at the hands of those disbelievers. Those disbelievers reached an unprecedented degree of tyranny and oppression that they were able to perpetrate and watch such hideous act without experiencing the least feeling of humanity. Animals may have mercy, but the tyrants do not know even the word mercy let alone practice it with fellow human beings. 

85:8 And they resented them only because they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, the Praiseworthy. 

85:9 to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Witness over everything. 

The ayah mentions why the disbelievers tortured and burned the believers in the fires. 

The only reason that the disbelievers had against the believers that caused them to torture and throw them into the fires was that the believers believed in Allah’s Oneness. They believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, the Praiseworthy. They believed in Allah to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth.

The disbelievers resented the believers for their belief in Allah’s Oneness, which they considered a crime that deserved punishment. Indeed, when tyranny has the upper hand, the criterion of justice and reason turned upside down. Such is the normal behavior of the sick souls that Satan controls. In their eyes, good deeds become sins and morals become vices. However, no matter how severe the tyrants persecute the believers and no matter how great power and authority they may have, victory will be the share of the believers because they have the support of the king of the heavens, the earth, and all that is between them, Allah, Exalted be He. 

The intended meaning of the ayah is to console and strengthen the believers for the abuse and persecution they suffer at the hands of the disbelievers. The ayah tells the believers everywhere and at every time that if they suffer abuse and persecution from the disbelievers, the former believers suffered great trials and torment. They should emulate them and be patient like them. Indeed, the rule of Allah is that victory is always for the believers, and loss and destruction are for the disbeliever. 

Indeed, Allah is a Witness over everything. He will reward the believers and punish the disbelievers.

Learned Lessons from Surah al-Buruj Ayah 1-9

• Allah, Exalted be He, swears by the sky that has constellations, the Day of Judgment, the witnessing day, and the witnessed day. He swears by these things that the people of the trench, al-Ukhdud, are cursed and will be deprived of His mercy. That is because they built trenches, threw the believers into them to burn them because they believed in Allah’s Oneness. 

• Allah swears by the Day of Judgment because He is the only One who has authority on that day and because all creatures will witness this day.

• The believers should always be patient with the abuse and persecution of the disbelievers. They should remember that the former believers suffered abuse and persecution at the hands of the disbelievers; however, victory was theirs, and punishment and loss were the shares of the disbelievers.

• The disbelievers built trenches to torture the believers for they believed in Allah’s Oneness. They were cruel to the believers, but they will suffer the evil consequences of their tyranny. 

• The story of the people of the trench is a lesson for the believers that they should be patient when encountering hardship and trials for the sake of Allah.

• Allah is the only King of the heavens, the earth, and that is between them. He will give victory to the believers and punish the disbelievers.

The Noble Quran, Surah al-Burjuj, English Translation

The Noble Quran, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah al-Burjuj

The Noble Quran: Tafsir of Surah Abasa Ayah 33-42 Horrors of the Day of Judgment

The Noble Quran Surah Jonah Translation and Tafsir

The Noble Quran: Tafsir of Surah al-Buruj Introduction to Tafsir of Surah al-Buruj

 

This surah is named surah al-Buruj because it begins by swearing by the constellations, al-Buruj, [85:1 By the sky with the constellations…]

Surah al-Buruj was revealed in Mecca and contains twenty-two ayah. 

Relationship with the Previous Surah

Surah al-Buruj resembles surah al-Infitar, al-Inshiqaq, and at-Tariq as they begin by referring to the sky. 

According to the written copy of the Quran, surah al-Buruj comes after surah al-Inshiqaq. Both surahs mention promise of success to the believers and warning of severe punishment for the disbelievers as well as they both refer to the greatness of the Quran.

Surah al-Inshiqaq mentions that Allah knows what the disbelievers hide in their hearts about the believers and that they want to harm and persecute the believers. Surah al-Buruj mentions an example of the persecution that the believers suffer at the hands of the disbelievers. 

Main Theme of Surah al-Buruj

The surah speaks about the trials and afflictions that the believers suffer at the hands of the disbelievers to console the believers and strengthen their hearts. It is as if Allah says to Messenger Muhammad and the believers, ‘Be patient just as the former believers were patient. Be steadfast as they were steadfast. Indeed, victory will be yours.’ In addition, the surah mentions some proofs confirming Allah’s Oneness and perfect ability. 

The Most Important Topics Discussed in Surah al-Buruj

• Surah al-Buruj highlights an important part of the Islamic creed, namely, sacrificing for the sake of Allah, which the story of the people of the trench exemplifies. 

• The surah begins by swearing by the sky that has constellations, the Day of Judgment, and the Prophets, who will testy that they conveyed Allah’s Message to their people to confirm that those who persecute the believers will be destroyed.

• The surah warns the oppressors and the tyrants that they will suffer painful torment for persecuting the weak believers to force them to renounce their belief in Allah’s Oneness.

• The surah is concluded by referring to Allah’s greatness, His sublime attributes, and His ability to take revenge on the oppressors and wrongdoers. 

The Story of the People of the Trench, the People of al-Ukhdud 

Suhaib, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 

Messenger Muhammad said, ‘There was a king who had a magician. The magician came to the king and said, ‘I have become old and may die. So send me a boy whom I will teach magic.’

Therefore, the king sent the magician a boy to teach him magic. The boy used to go to the magician and pass by a monk on his way to the magician. Whenever the boy passed by the monk, he would listen to his speech and admired it. And when he came to the magician, he would beat him, saying, ‘What delayed you?’ Similarly, when the boy returned to his family, they would beat him, saying, ‘What delayed you?’ 

Thus, the boy complained to the monk. The monk said to him, ‘If the magician asked you ‘what delayed you?’ You should say, ‘My family delayed me.’ If your family asked you ‘what delayed you? ‘You should say, ‘The magician delayed me.’ The boy did as the monk told him.

Then one day while the boy was walking, a huge beast was on the road, preventing the people from passing. So the boy said, ‘Today I shall know whether the condition of the magician or the monk is loved by Allah.’ Then he took a stone and said, ‘O Allah, if the condition of the monk is loved to You than that of the magician, I shall throw the stone to kill the beast so that the people can cross the road.’ Then he threw the stone at the beast. It killed the beast and the people could cross the road.

 The news reached the monk and when the boy came to him he said to the boy, ‘You are better than me. If you are afflicted, do not tell anyone about me.’ 

The boy used to treat congenital blindness, leprosy, and other diseases. The king had a courtier who became blind. He was told that there was a boy who could treat congenital blindness, leprosy, and other diseases. He was advised to go to him and take some gifts to him.

The courtier went to the boy and said, ‘O boy, if you treat me, all these gifts will be yours.’

The boy said, ‘I cannot cure you, but only Allah can cure you. If you believe in Allah’s Oneness, I shall pray to Allah to cure you.’

The courtier believed in Allah’s Oneness and Allah cured him from blindness.

Later, the courtier went to the king and sat with him just as he used to sit before.

The king said to him, ‘Have you not been blind?’

The courtier said, ‘Yes.’ 

The king said, ‘Who gave you back your sight?’

The courtier said, ‘My Lord, Allah.’

The king said, ‘Do you have a god other than me?’

The courtier said, ‘Yes, my Lord and your Lord, Allah.’

Then, the king tortured the courtier and forced him to tell him about the boy. 

Then he tortured the boy and forced him to tell about the monk.

 Thus, the monk was brought to the king, who commanded him to renounce his faith, but he refused to do so. 

Thus, the king commanded that a saw be put in the middle of his head and the monk was killed. 

Then the courtier was brought and the king commanded him to renounce his faith, but he refused to do so. 

Thus, the king commanded that a saw be put in the middle of his head and the courtier was killed. 

Then the king said to the boy, ‘You shall renounce your faith or else I will kill you.’ But, the boy refused. 

Then the king commanded his men to take the boy to a mountain peak. He told them to release the boy if he renounces his faith otherwise throw him from the top of the mountain and kill him. 

When they took the boy to the mountain peak, they fell and died. 

Then the boy went to the king, who asked him about his men. The boy said, ‘Allah protected me from them.’

Then the king commanded his men to take the boy on a boat. In the middle of the sea, they should ask him to renounce his faith. If he renounces his faith, they should release him otherwise throw him in the sea and let him drown.

Thus, the king’s men took the boy to the sea. When they were in the middle of the sea, the boy said, ‘O Allah, protect me from them.’ Thus, the boat capsized and they drowned. 

Then, the boy returned to the king, who asked him, ‘Where are my men?’ 

The boy said, ‘I prayed to Allah and He protected me from them.’

The king said, ‘I shall kill you.’

The boy said, ‘You cannot kill me until you do as I order you to do.’

The boy said to the king, ‘Gather the people in a place. Then, crucify me, and then take an arrow from my quiver and shoot it saying, ‘By the name of the Lord of this boy.’ If you do so, you can kill me.’

The king gathered the people in a place, crucified the boy, took an arrow from his quiver, and shot him saying, ‘By the name of the Lord of this boy.’

The arrow hit the boy in the temple. The boy put his hand over his temple and then died.

The people proclaimed, ‘We believe in the Lord of the boy.’

Then it was said to the king, ‘Do you know what you did? What you feared happened. The people believed in the Lord of the boy.’

Then the king commanded that trenches be dug on the roads and that fires be kindled in them.

The king said, ‘If the people renounce their belief in the Lord of the boy, release them otherwise throw them in the fires.’

The king’s men threw the believers in the fires. Then a woman came carrying her baby. When they were about to throw her in the fire, she feared and hesitated, but her baby said to her, ‘O mother, ‘Go ahead. You are following the truth.’ Thus, she threw herself in the fire [Jama al-Bayan, Tafsir at-Tabari, 275/24]. 

The Noble Quran, Surah al-Buruj, English Translation

The Noble Quran, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah al-Buruj

The Story of the People of the Trench, the People of al-Ukhdud

The Noble Quran Surah an-Nahl: Translation and Tafsir