An-Najm

وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ ١

By the bright star (Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]) when (he ascended during the Ascension Night in the twinkling of an eye and) descended.

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ ٢

He who bestowed on you his companionship (i.e., the Messenger, who made you his companions by blessing you with his companionship,) has never lost his way, nor has he (ever) strayed from the right path.

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ ٣

And he does not speak out of his (own) desire.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ ٤

His speech is nothing but Revelation, which is sent to him.

عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ ٥

(The Lord) of Mighty Powers (directly) conferred on him (perfect) knowledge,

ذُو مِرَّةٍ فَاسْتَوَىٰ ٦

He Who is absolute beauty. Then He (the Effulgence of Beauty) decided to unveil (Himself).

وَهُوَ بِالْأُفُقِ الْأَعْلَىٰ ٧

And he (Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]) was on the uppermost horizon (of the realm of creation during the Ascension Night i.e., on the apex of the created cosmos).

ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّىٰ ٨

Then He (the Lord of Honour) drew closer (to His Beloved Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]) and then drew even closer.

فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ ٩

Then a distance measuring only two bow-lengths was left (between Allah Unveiled and His Esteemed Beloved), or even less than that (in extreme nearness).

فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَىٰ ١٠

So (on that station of nearness) He (Allah) revealed to His (Beloved) servant whatever He revealed.

مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَىٰ ١١

(His) heart did not take it contrary to what (his) eyes beheld.

أَفَتُمَارُونَهُ عَلَىٰ مَا يَرَىٰ ١٢

Do you argue with him about what he saw?

وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرَىٰ ١٣

And assuredly, he saw Him (Allah Unveiled) the second time (again and you argue only about seeing Him once).

عِندَ سِدْرَةِ الْمُنتَهَىٰ ١٤

At the farthest Lote-Tree—Sidra al-Muntaha,

عِندَهَا جَنَّةُ الْمَأْوَىٰ ١٥

Adjacent to that is the Eternal Paradise—Janna al-Ma’wa,

إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَىٰ ١٦

When theophanies (i.e., effulgent disclosures) of the divine light wrapped up al-Sidra (the Lote-Tree at the Far End), covering it expansively.

مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ ١٧

His eye neither inclined aside nor overstepped the limit; (it gazed in ecstasy at Whom it was to gaze).

لَقَدْ رَأَىٰ مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَىٰ ١٨

Surely, he saw the greatest signs of His Lord (during the Ascension Night).

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّىٰ ١٩

Have you taken a look at (the goddesses) Lat and ‘Uzza?

وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَىٰ ٢٠

And (have you) also (seen thoughtfully) another, that third one (goddess) Manat? (Have you declared them daughters of Allah?)