Exegesis of Surah al-Burūj

﴿In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful﴾

﴿By the sky with its constellations * and by the promised Day * and by a witness and what is witnessed * cursed were the people of the trench * of the fuel-fed fire * when they sat around it * watching what they did to the believers * They resented them only because they believed in Allah, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy * to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Witness over all things * Indeed, those who persecuted the believing men and women and then did not repent will suffer the punishment of Hell and the torment of the blazing Fire﴾.

The basmala has already been discussed.

﴿By the sky with its constellations﴾: the opening particle marks an oath; that is, Allah Most High swears by the sky ﴿with its constellations﴾. A constellation is a large grouping of stars. Constellations are so called because of their lofty position and elevation, as well as their prominence and distinctness. Astronomers recognize twelve constellations, which a poet gathered in these lines:

Aries, then Taurus, Gemini … Cancer, then Leo, Virgo, Libra;
Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn … Aquarius, and last comes Pisces.

Thus, there are twelve constellations: three belong to spring, three to summer, three to autumn, and three to winter. Allah Most High therefore swears by the sky with its constellations. He may swear by whatever He wills of His creation. As for us, however, we swear only by Allah—by His names