Sūratu’l-Wāqi‘ah (The Event to Happen):(56:75–77).Part5

فَلَۤا أُقْسِمُ بِمَوَاقِعِ النُّجُومِۙ۝وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عَظ۪يمٌۙ۝ إِنَّهُ لَقُرْاٰنٌ كَر۪يمٌ

I swear by the locations of the stars (and their falling). It is indeed a very great oath, if you but knew. Most certainly it is a Qur’ān (recited) most honorable.(Al-Wāqi‘ah 56:75–77)

• Seventh: We come across in the Qur’ān that Prophets are also meant by the term “star.” For example, in Sūratu’t-Tāriq (86:3) the term, “an-Najmu’th-Thāqib,” which means “the bright, piercing star,” is interpreted as referring to Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who pierces into hardened hearts and opens the closed doors to penetrate inside. Each Prophet was the star of the heavens of his time that enlightened it. Those who follow their lights rise to the heavens of happiness and come into contact with God Almighty. So by swearing by “the locations of the stars,” God Almighty may be drawing the attention to the dazzling positions of, for example, Prophets Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus and our Prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon them all.
• Eighth: I would like to point out another aspect of this expression. The Qur’anic verses are called “stars” as well. The interpreters of the Qur’ān say that the Qur’ān was revealed “in stars after stars.” Each Qur’anic verse has its own place both in the Qur’ān and in God’s sight. Since we are unable to perceive the power and comprehensiveness of the Divine Speech in the Qur’ān, God Almighty swears by the position and place of the Qur’ān in His Attribute of Speech due to its matchless value and importance. So swearing by “the locations of the stars” has almost the same meaning as

“Qāf. By the Qur’ān most sublime” (Qāf 50:1).

• Moreover, there is a special place for the Qur’ān in the Supreme Preserved Tablet (al-Lawhu’l-Mahfūz) as well. For it was in the Supreme Preserved Tablet until it was sent down on the Night of Power (Laylatu’l-Qadr) to the heaven of the world. Only those whose sight could reach it could be aware of it. From this perspective, “the locations of the stars” point to the locations of the stars (verses) of the Qur’ān, which is the translator of the book of the universe and the work of God’s Will and Power. Hence, the Qur’ān is regarded as another cluster of stars—a cluster of stars that makes the stars in the universe known. Indeed, there is a similarity between the Qur’ān and the universe. God declares:

“We have surely sent the Qur’ān down on the Night of (Destiny and) Power” (Al-Qadr 97:1).

• Every friend of God (walī) who is able to observe the Supreme Preserved Tablet of Truth can observe and study the Qur’ān there as a whole. In sum, by swearing by “the locations of the stars,” God Almighty swears by this lofty position and location of the Qur’ān.
• Ninth: Another location of the Qur’ān, which caused Archangel Gabriel to gain the designation of trustworthiness, is the trustworthy heart of Gabriel. Therefore, swearing by “the locations of the stars” may also be swearing by the heart of Gabriel and other trustworthy hearts.
• Tenth: It may well be that “the locations of the stars” refer to the pure heart of our master Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and those of his sincere followers.
• Eleventh: The pure hearts and consciences of believers who adopt the Qur’ān as the essence of everything and of their lives and feel that God speaks to them anytime they recite it may be among the locations by which God swears. May God purify our hearts, too, as He purified the hearts of our pure, sincere predecessors, making them the hearts by which God may swear.

It is due to all these and many other similar meanings or realities that God Almighty swears by “the locations of the stars.” And He declares that this oath is a very great, important oath.

We believe in the mysteries unknown to us, too, as we believe in the known ones, and we affirm the Divine declaration, “It is indeed a very great oath, if you but knew,” with all our hearts.