Tafseer of The Prophets · Al-Anbiyaa · 21:32
And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.
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, exalted be His praise, says: وَجَعَلْنَا السَّمَاءَ سَقْفًا — "And We made the sky a roof" for the earth, raised up and supported. His words مَحْفُوظًا — "guarded" — He says: We have guarded it from every accursed devil (shayṭān rajīm).
In accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes also 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 — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the words سَقْفًا مَحْفُوظًا : "Raised up."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning the words وَجَعَلْنَا السَّمَاءَ سَقْفًا مَحْفُوظًا : "A raised roof and a held-back wave."
His words وَهُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهَا مُعْرِضُونَ — "And they turn away from its signs." He says: these polytheists turn away from the signs of the sky. By "its signs" He means: its sun, its moon, and its stars. مُعْرِضُونَ — "they turn away" — He says: they turn away from reflecting upon this and from considering the proofs of Allah that lie therein for them, and from its indication of the oneness of its Creator — that it belongs to Him alone to be worshipped, and that this befits none but Him.
In accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes also 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 — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the words وَهُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهَا مُعْرِضُونَ : "The sun, the moon, and the stars are the signs of the sky."
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid — the same.
