Tafseer of The Star · An-Najm · 53:16
When there covered the Lote Tree that which covered [it].
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.
And His word ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) — "When the lote-tree (al-Sidra) was covered by that which covered it" — He, exalted is His mention, says: and indeed he saw him descend another time; when the lote-tree was covered by that which covered it. So "when" (idh) is connected to "he saw him."
The exegetes differed concerning that which covered the lote-tree. Some of them said: golden moths covered it.
* Mention of who said that:
Mohammed ibn ʿUmāra related to me, saying: Sahl ibn ʿĀmir related to us, saying: Mālik related to us, on the authority of al-Zubayr ibn ʿAdī, on the authority of Ṭalḥa al-Yāmī, on the authority of Murra, on the authority of ʿAbd Allāh ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: golden moths covered it.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to me, saying: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Muslim or Ṭalḥa — al-Aʿmash was uncertain — on the authority of Masrūq concerning His word: ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: golden moths covered it.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Abū Khālid related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, he said: the Messenger ﷺ said: "I saw it with my own eyes, the lote-tree of the utmost boundary (Sidrat al-Muntahā), until I perceived it clearly; then golden moths covered it from my sight."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Abū Khālid al-Aḥmar related to us, on the authority of Juwaybir, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "I saw it until I perceived it clearly; then the golden moths covered it from my sight."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Mujāhid and Ibrāhīm, concerning His word ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: golden moths covered it.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Mūsā — that is, Ibn ʿUbayda — on the authority of Yaʿqūb ibn Zayd, he said: "The Prophet ﷺ was asked: what did you see covering the lote-tree? He said: 'I saw golden moths covering it.'"
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His word ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: it was said to him: O Messenger of Allah, what thing did you see covering that lote-tree? He said: "I saw golden moths covering it, and I saw upon each of its leaves an angel standing, glorifying Allah."
Others said: the one who covered it was the Lord of majesty and His angels.
* Mention of who said that:
Mohammed 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, concerning His word: ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: Allah covered it, and Mohammed beheld of the signs of his Lord the greatest.
Mohammed 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 of them — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His word ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: the branches of the lote-tree were of pearls, rubies, or chrysolite, and Mohammed saw it, and Mohammed saw with his heart his Lord.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ( إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى ) he said: the light of the Lord covered it, and the angels covered it out of love for Allah, like the ravens when they alight upon the tree.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ, with similar import.
ʿAlī ibn Sahl related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to us, saying: Abū Jaʿfar al-Rāzī related to us, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, on the authority of Abū al-ʿĀliya al-Riyāḥī, on the authority of Abū Hurayra or another — Abū Jaʿfar was uncertain — he said: when the Prophet ﷺ was taken on the night journey, he reached the lote-tree. He said: then the light of the Creator covered it, and the angels covered it like the ravens when they alight upon the tree. He said: then at that moment He spoke to him and said to him: "Ask."
