Abu Hamzah al-Thumali said: It refers to the stars when they are scattered on the Day of Resurrection. It has also been said that what is meant by “the star” is the Quran. It was called a star because it was sent down in distinct portions over twenty years; this piecemeal sending-down is called gradual revelation, and that which is sent down in portions is described as having been revealed gradually. This was the view of Ibn Abbas in the narration of Ata, and it was also the view of al-Kalbi.

The term huwiyy means descending from above to below. Al-Akhfash said: “The star” refers to a plant that has no stem, as in Allah’s saying: “The stars and the trees bow down in prostration” (al-Rahman 6). Its huwiyy is its falling to the ground. Ja‘far al-Sadiq said: It means Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, when he descended from heaven on the Night of the Ascension (al-Mi‘raj). Huwiyy means descent; one says hawā yahwī huwiyyan, “he descended,” just as one says maḍā yamḍī muḍiyyan, “he went on” [when he descends] (1).

“Your companion has neither strayed nor fallen into error. (2) Nor does he speak from his own desire. (3) It is nothing but a revelation revealed, (4) taught to him by one mighty in power, (5) endowed with great strength, who then stood upright, (6) while he was on the highest horizon.” (7)

The answer to the oath is His saying: “Your companion has not strayed,” meaning Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: he has not strayed from the path of guidance, “nor has he fallen into error. Nor does he speak from his own desire”—that is, according to his own desire. In other words, he does not speak falsehood. This is because they said: “Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, speaks the Quran of his own accord.”

“It is nothing but”—that is, what he speaks concerning religion; and it has also been said that this refers to the Quran—“a revelation revealed,” meaning a revelation from Allah that is revealed to him.

142/b “Taught to him by one mighty in power”: this is Gabriel; powers is the plural of power.

“Endowed with great strength”: that is, possessing strength and might in his created form, referring to Gabriel. Ibn Abbas said: “Endowed with great strength” means possessing a handsome appearance. Muqatil said: Possessing a tall and handsome form. “Who then stood upright” refers to Gabriel.

“While he was” refers to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. In constructions such as this, the Arabs generally make explicit the pronoun referring to the first conjunct, saying, “He and so-and-so stood together” (2); they rarely say, “He stood together with so-and-so.” A parallel is His saying: “When we and our forefathers have become dust” (al-Naml 67), where the forefathers are joined to the pronoun implicit in “we have become,” without explicitly stating “we.” The meaning of the verse is that Gabriel and Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, stood together on the Night of the Ascension at the highest horizon, which is the farthest boundary of the earthly realm at the point of sunrise.

It has also been said that “who then stood upright” refers to Gabriel, and “while he was” likewise refers to Gabriel: that is, he stood in the form in which he was created.