Surah Al-Buruj

There is no disagreement that it is Meccan, nor that it consists of twenty-two verses. The aspect of its relevance to what precedes it lies in its inclusion—like the preceding Surah—of a promise to the believers and a warning to the disbelievers, alongside emphasizing the status of the Quran and the magnificence of its worth. In Al-Bahr, it is stated that when He, Glory be to Him and Exalted is He, mentioned that He is more knowing of what they gather against the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the believers—in terms of plotting, deception, and harming those who embraced Islam through various forms of affliction such as beating, killing, crucifixion, burning by the sun, heating rocks, and placing them upon the bodies of those they intended to tempt away from their faith—He, Glory be to Him, mentioned that this habit existed among the nations that preceded them; for they used to torment with fire. Indeed, those who were tormented possessed such steadfastness in faith that it prevented them from turning back from their religion, and those who tormented them are cursed. Thus, likewise are those who tormented the believers among the disbelievers of Quraysh. Therefore, this Surah is an exhortation to Quraysh and a fortification for those among the believers whom they are tormenting. End quote; and it is a sound line of reasoning.

"By the heaven containing the constellations"—that is, the mansions (al-qusur), as stated by Ibn Abbas and others. The intended meaning, according to a group, is the twelve well-known zodiacal signs. The root of the word burj signifies an apparent, visible thing; then, it was applied to high mansions because they are visible to the observer. It is also said that what is elevated from a city wall is called a burj.

The "heaven" (al-sama') is understood in the known sense, even if it is technically a metaphor in its primary usage; the heaven is likened to mansions due to its loftiness, and because the stars reside within it like inhabitants—an explicit metaphor (tasrihiyya) followed by an implied one (makniyya). It is said that the heaven is likened to a city wall, and thus "constellations" are established for it. It is also said that they are the mansions of the moon, which returns to the first interpretation, as the constellations are divided into twenty-eight mansions, concerning which discussion has previously passed.

Mujahid, al-Hasan, 'Ikrimah, and Qatadah said: "They are the stars." Ibn Marduyah recorded a marfu' (elevated) hadith from Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) using the word "planets" (al-kawakib) instead of "stars" (al-nujum), though Allah knows best regarding its authenticity. Ibn al-Mundhir and 'Abd bin Humayd recorded from Abu Salih that he said: "They are the great stars." According to this, they are named buruj only because of their visibility, as is the case with the previous opinion—though the appearance differs, and it is not obvious that this encompasses all stars.

It is also said that they are the gates of heaven, named as such because the descending angels (peace be upon them) exit through them. Thus, it is likened to the mansions of the great ones from which they descend or issue their commands. Or, it is because they are the origins of appearance, described as such metaphorically in terms of the effect, or in terms of attribution.

The twelve constellations, in reality, according to what the scholars of astronomy have mentioned, are considered to be in the highest sphere, known as the Falak al-Aflak (Sphere of Spheres) and the Falak al-Atlas (the Unmarked Sphere). They claimed that this is the "Throne" (al-'Arsh) in the terminology of the Law (Shari'ah). However, because these were not sensorily visible, they pointed to them by the constellations that aligned with them at the time of the division of the highest sphere, such as Aries, Taurus, and others, which are in the eighth sphere—called by them the "Sphere of Fixed Stars" (Falak al-Thawabit), and the "Footstool" (al-Kursi) in the terminology of the Law, as they claimed.

For example, the sign of Aries is nothing more than one of the twelve parts of the highest sphere that was aligned with the configuration of Aries among the fixed stars at the time of division. The sign of Taurus is nothing but a part of that which was aligned with the configuration of Taurus at that time, and so on. The reason it is specified "at the time of division" is that every configuration has, due to its movement—even if slow—shifted from what it was aligned with among those constellations, until Aries today almost aligns with the sign of Taurus, and Taurus with Gemini, and so on.

Therefore, regarding this, and the fact that the intended meaning of "constellations" is the twelve zodiacal signs or the mansions, it is said that the "heaven" refers to the highest sphere, or the eighth sphere due to the appearance of the configurations signifying the constellations within it (hence why it is called the Falak al-Buruj—the Sphere of Constellations). It is also said it refers to the lowest heaven, because it is seen within it by sensory perception, similar to what is said regarding His saying: “And We have certainly beautified the lowest heaven with lamps” (67:5). It is also said it refers to the genus inclusive of every heaven, because the heavens are transparent, so the lower participates in the higher regarding what is within it, because it is seen within it clearly.

If the intention by "constellations" is the stars, it is said the intended "heaven" is the eighth sphere, because they are truly within it. It is also said it is the lowest heaven, or the genus as mentioned before. It is not intended to be the Falak al-Atlas—that is, the highest sphere—because, as its name implies, it is devoid of planets.

If the intention is the gates, then it is said the intended "heaven" is that which is other than the spheres, named in the Law as the "Throne," for it has not been reported that it has gates.

This being said, you know that most of what has been mentioned is based on the speech of the earlier astronomers, and there is no valid religious basis for it; one hardly hears the term "heaven" applied to the "Throne" or the "Footstool." However, when some Muslim philosophers heard of nine spheres and wanted to apply that to what was reported in the Law, they claimed that seven of them are the seven heavens, and the remaining two are the Kursi and the Arsh. They did not know that there are reports that reject this, and that the rational evidence requiring such is a matter of debate, as is not hidden.

Whoever returns to the speech of the modern astronomers and looks into their proofs regarding what they say about the celestial bodies and the manner of their arrangement will find that the fragility of what the earlier scholars went toward in this matter becomes strong. Therefore, what should be said is that the constellations are the mansions of the stars absolutely, which the elite and the commoners observe; and it does not concern us in which heaven they are, or if they are the stars themselves wherever they may be, or the gates of heaven mentioned in the tongue of the Law and the authentic hadiths, which exist for every heaven—and nothing of these has been proven for the Arsh or the Kursi. The "heaven" is meant as its genus, or the lowest heaven—except in the last opinion, as you have heard previously. So, do not be heedless.