Tafseer of The Rock · Al-Hijr · 15:16
And We have placed within the heaven great stars and have beautified it for the observers.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah — may His praise be exalted — says: We have placed in the lowest heaven dwelling-places for the sun and the moon — these are the constellations through which the sun and the moon move. وَزَيَّنَّاهَا لِلنَّاظِرِينَ (and We have adorned it for the beholders): that is to say: We have adorned the heaven with stars for whoever looks at it and beholds it.
In accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes spoke.
Mention of those who said this:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Shabāba related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us; and al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa informed us, saying: Shubayl related to us; and al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — all on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning: وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا (And We have indeed placed in the heaven citadels/constellations): he said: stars.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning: وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا — and its citadels are its stars.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning بُرُوجًا: he said: the stars.
