The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary
Seyyed Hossein Nasr (Ed.)
A landmark scholarly edition with verse-by-verse commentary drawn from classical sources — the most comprehensive single-volume study Quran in English.
البُرُوجِ
The Constellations
Steadfast faith under persecution.
Al-Buruj, “The Great Stars,” recalls the people of the ditch who were burned for their faith, honouring the patience of believers under trial.
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْبُرُوجِ
Wassamaaa'i zaatil burooj
By the sky containing great stars
وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْمَوْعُودِ
Wal yawmil maw'ood
And [by] the promised Day
وَشَاهِدٍۢ وَمَشْهُودٍۢ
Wa shaahidinw wa mashhood
And [by] the witness and what is witnessed,
قُتِلَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْأُخْدُودِ
Qutila as haabul ukhdood
Cursed were the companions of the trench
ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلْوَقُودِ
Annaari zaatil waqood
[Containing] the fire full of fuel,
إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌۭ
Iz hum 'alaihaa qu'ood
When they were sitting near it
وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌۭ
Wa hum 'alaa maa yaf'aloona bilmu 'mineena shuhood
And they, to what they were doing against the believers, were witnesses.
وَمَا نَقَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ
Wa maa naqamoo minhum illaaa aiyu'minoo billaahil 'azeezil Hameed
And they resented them not except because they believed in Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy,
ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدٌ
Allazee lahoo mulkus samaawaati wal ard; wallaahu 'alaa kulli shai 'in Shaheed
To whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And Allah, over all things, is Witness.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا۟ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا۟ فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ ٱلْحَرِيقِ
Innal lazeena fatanul mu'mineena wal mu'minaati summa lam yatooboo falahum 'azaabu Jahannama wa lahum 'azaabul hareeq
Indeed, those who have tortured the believing men and believing women and then have not repented will have the punishment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the Burning Fire.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٌۭ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ
Innal lazeena aamanoo wa 'amilus saalihaati lahum Jannaatun tajree min tahtihal anhaar; zaalikal fawzul kabeer
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great attainment.
إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ
Inna batsha Rabbika lashadeed
Indeed, the vengeance of your Lord is severe.
إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبْدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ
Innahoo Huwa yubdi'u wa yu'eed
Indeed, it is He who originates [creation] and repeats.
وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلْوَدُودُ
Wa Huwal Ghafoorul Wadood
And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate,
ذُو ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْمَجِيدُ
Zul 'Arshil Majeed
Honorable Owner of the Throne,
فَعَّالٌۭ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ
Fa' 'aalul limaa yureed
Effecter of what He intends.
هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلْجُنُودِ
Hal ataaka hadeesul junood
Has there reached you the story of the soldiers -
فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ
Fir'awna wa Samood
[Those of] Pharaoh and Thamud?
بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى تَكْذِيبٍۢ
Balil lazeena kafaroo fee takzeeb
But they who disbelieve are in [persistent] denial,
وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِم مُّحِيطٌۢ
Wallaahu minw waraaa'ihim muheet
While Allah encompasses them from behind.
بَلْ هُوَ قُرْءَانٌۭ مَّجِيدٌۭ
Bal huwa Quraanum Majeed
But this is an honored Qur'an
فِى لَوْحٍۢ مَّحْفُوظٍۭ
Fee Lawhim Mahfooz
[Inscribed] in a Preserved Slate.
“Al-Burooj” translates to “The Constellations.” It is the 85th surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran.
Surah Al-Burooj has 22 verses (ayahs).
It is a Makkah (Meccan) surah — revealed before the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) to Madinah.
Yes. You can read Surah Al-Burooj free on this page in Arabic with a clear English translation and transliteration, so you can both understand the meaning and learn to recite it.
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