Tafseer of The Bee · An-Nahl · 16:16
And landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided.
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.
The exegetes differed concerning what is meant by "the marks" (al-ʿalāmāt). Some said: by them are meant the signposts during the daytime.
Mention of who said this:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: وَعَلَامَاتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ — by "the marks" he means: the signposts of the roads during the daytime, and by "the stars" they find their way during the night.
Others said: by them are meant the stars.
Mention of who said this:
Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Yaḥyā related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Ibrāhīm: وَعَلَامَاتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ — he said: some of them are marks, and some of them are guides.
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid: وَعَلَامَاتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ — he said: some of them are a mark, and some of them are guides.
Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Isḥāq informed us, saying: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Mujāhid, to the same effect.
Al-Muthanná related to me, saying: Isḥāq informed us, saying: Qabīṣa related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Ibrāhīm, to the same effect.
Al-Muthanná said: Isḥāq said: Qabīṣa diverged in the chain of transmission (isnād) from Wakīʿ.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning the words وَعَلَامَاتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ : the marks are the stars; Allah, blessed and exalted is He, created these stars for three purposes: He made them an adornment of the heaven, guides for the way, and missiles against the devils. Whoever occupies himself with them for purposes other than these has exceeded his opinion, missed his share, lost his portion, and busied himself with something concerning which he possesses no knowledge.
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: وَعَلَامَاتٍ — he said: the stars.
Others said: by them are meant the mountains.
Mention of who said this:
Muḥammad related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of al-Kalbī: وَعَلَامَاتٍ — he said: the mountains.
The most correct view concerning this, in my opinion, is the following: Allah, exalted is His praise, has enumerated among His favors to His servants that He has set up for them marks by which they may find their way in their journeys and paths. He did not specify therein any particular marks over others; therefore every signpost by which people may find their way on their routes and broad paths falls under the words وَعَلَامَاتٍ . Trodden, passable roads are a mark for the intended direction; mountains are signposts for finding the right road; and the same applies to the stars during the night. The interpretation, however, that is most in accordance with the meaning of the verse is that the marks belong to the indications of the daytime — because Allah distinguished the indications of the night by saying وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ (and by the star they find their way). If that is the most fitting and correct interpretation of the verse, then the preferable view concerning this is that of Ibn ʿAbbās in the report which we have transmitted from him through ʿAṭiyya: namely that the marks are the signposts and features of the roads, by which one finds the straight way during the daytime, and that the star by which one finds the way during the night is the Pole Star (al-Jadī) and the two Guardians (al-Farqadān), because travelers find their way by them and not by other stars.
The meaning of the words is therefore: and He has set up for you, O people, marks by which you may find your way during the daytime on your journeys, and stars by which you may find your way in your travels during the night.
