Surah As-Saffat (37): Verse 6

إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةِ الْكَوَاكِبِ Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with the adornment of the stars.

Issues in the Verse

There are several established readings for this phrase:

1. Hamzah and Hafs (from 'Asim) read: زِينَةً مُنَوَّنَةً (Zīnatan munawwanatan) with the word al-kawākib in the genitive case (جر).
   • This is attributed to Masruq ibn al-Ajda'.
   • Al-Farra' explains this as treating an indefinite noun (Zīnatan) as definite, similar to the structure in Surah Al-'Alaq (96:15-16): An-nāṣiyati nāṣiyah (By the forelock, a forelock).
   • Al-Zajjaj suggests al-Kawākib is a substitute (badal) for az-Zīnah, like saying, "I passed by Abu Abdullah, Zayd."

2. 'Asim (other than Hafs) read: زِينَةً (Zīnatan) with the accusative case (نصب) for al-Kawākib.
   • Al-Farra' interprets this as meaning: "We adorned the stars."
   • Al-Zajjaj suggests al-Kawākib could be in apposition (badal) to the implied object of the verb (which is in the accusative case, as bi-zīnatin is in the genitive case modifying the verb).

3. The remaining reciters read: بِزِينَةِ الْكَوَاكِبِ (Bi-zīnati al-kawākib) using the construct state (iḍāfah - genitive addition).

Allah (SWT) mentioned adorning the nearest heaven, and this adornment serves two main benefits:

1. Achieving beauty/adornment itself.
2. Protection from the rebellious devils (al-shayāṭīn al-mārid).

We must investigate these three points:

Point 1: Adorning the Nearest Heaven with Stars

The Objection: It is established in astronomy ('ilm al-hay'ah) that the fixed stars are embedded in the eighth sphere, and the six planets are embedded in the six spheres surrounding the nearest heaven. How, then, is the statement correct: "We adorned the nearest heaven with the adornment of the stars"?

The Answer:

1. For people residing on the surface of the Earth, when they look up, they perceive the heaven as being adorned by these stars.
2. Furthermore, we have previously explained in the commentary on Surah Al-Mulk (55:5, wa laqad zayyannā as-samā’ ad-dunyā bi-maṣābīḥ), that the philosophers have not established conclusive proof that these stars are fixed in the eighth sphere.

Point 2: The Stars as Adornment (Zīnah)

This point requires two sub-discussions:

Discussion 1: The Meaning of Zīnah Zīnah can be a verbal noun (maṣdar) meaning "the act of adorning," or it can be the instrument of adornment (like liyāqah meaning the instrument used for inking the inkwell).

• If it means the verbal noun (maṣdar):
  • It can be an iḍāfah to the agent: "by the stars' adorning [it]."
  • Or, it can be an iḍāfah to the object: "by Allah's adorning [the stars] and making them beautiful," since the heaven is adorned by the beauty inherent in the stars themselves.
• If it means the instrument:
  • Al-Kawākib can be an explanation (bayān) for az-Zīnah, as adornment can come from stars or other things.
  • Or, it can mean "that by which the stars themselves were adorned."

Discussion 2: How the Stars Adorn the Heaven There are several ways the stars constitute adornment:

1. Light and Radiance: Light and brightness are the most perfect qualities. Since these shining, luminous bodies exist on the surface of the celestial sphere, light and radiance are imparted to the sphere itself due to their presence. Ibn Abbas said it means "by the light of the stars."
2. Proportionate Shapes: Their varied, harmonious shapes, such as those of Orion (Al-Jawzā’), the Plough (Banāt Na‘sh), and the Pleiades (Ath-Thurayyā).
3. Movement: The manner of their rising and setting.
4. Aesthetic Perfection: When a person looks on a dark night at the celestial surface and sees these brilliant, shining jewels sparkling against the blue surface, they are undoubtedly among the most beautiful and perfect things in composition and essence.

Point 3: Protection from Every Rebellious Devil (Min kulli shayṭānin mārid)

This point requires two sub-discussions:

Discussion 1: Linguistic Matters

• {Wa ḥifẓan} (And as a guard): This means "and We guarded it." Al-Mubarrid stated that when a verb is followed by a coordinated verbal noun (maṣdar), the noun is put in the accusative case because it implies the verb (e.g., Af‘alu wa karāmatan—I do [this] and [I honor you] with honor).
• {Mārid}: Means one who rebels against Allah. It is said to derive from smoothness/slipperyness (malāsah), as in the description of the polished palace (ṣarḥ mumarrad - Surah An-Naml 27:44). We previously explained the meaning of mārid when discussing Surah At-Tawbah (9:101).

Discussion 2: Intellectual Matters (The Mechanism of Protection) The full discussion on this is found in Surah Al-Mulk (67:5): Wa ja‘alnāhā rujūman li-sh-shayāṭīn (And We made them missiles against the devils).

• The Explanation: Devils used to ascend close to heaven, sometimes overhearing the angels' speech and learning about future unseen matters. They would then inform humans, making them believe they knew the unseen. Allah prevented them from ascending near heaven by sending meteors (shuhub) which burn them.

Remaining Questions:

Question 1: Are these meteors the same as the stars that adorn the heaven?

• No (The First View is False): If they were the fixed stars, these meteors would disappear and vanish, leading to a noticeable decrease in the number of stars, which has never occurred. The number of stars remains constant. Furthermore, making them missiles against devils implies a reduction in the heaven's adornment, creating a contradiction between the two purposes.
• The Second View is Problematic: If the meteors are a different kind of celestial body, this is problematic because Surah Al-Mulk (67:5) says: Wa ja‘alnāhā rujūman (And We made them missiles), where the pronoun refers back to the maṣābīḥ (lamps/stars).
• The Answer: The meteors are distinct from the permanent, fixed stars. In Surah Al-Mulk, maṣābīḥ refers generally to any luminous body in the high atmosphere visible to Earth dwellers. Some of these lamps are permanent and immune to corruption (the fixed stars), while others are transient—these are the meteors that Allah creates as missiles against the devils. This resolves the contradiction.

Question 2: Why would devils ascend if they know the meteors will burn them? Is this rational?

• The Answer (Al-Jubā’ī's View): Their ascent does not have a fixed location. They are prevented from reaching the angels' locations, and these locations vary. Sometimes they ascend to a place where meteors strike them, and sometimes they ascend elsewhere and do not encounter the angels, thus escaping harm. Since they are sometimes destroyed and sometimes safe, they might ascend to places where they believe, based on probability, that they will be safe, just as a sailor chooses a route he believes is safe.
• A Counter-Argument: If they ascend, they either reach the angels' location (and are burned) or they do not (and fail to achieve their goal). In either case, the objective is not achieved. If experience proves success is impossible, they should cease the action entirely, unlike sea travel where safety is usually dominant. Here, the devil who escapes burning does so only by not reaching the angels' location, meaning he fails his primary objective.
• The Closer Answer: Perhaps this event (being struck) happens rarely, and due to its rarity among devils, it does not become widely known.

Question 3: Historical records show meteors existed before the Prophet (PBUH). How can this be linked to his coming?

• The Judge's Answer: This phenomenon existed before the Prophet (PBUH), but it became frequent during his time, and this frequency turned it into a miracle (mu‘jizah).

Question 4: Devils are created from fire (as stated by Iblis: Khalaqtanī min nār - Surah Al-A'rāf 7:12). How can fire burn fire?

• The Answer: Although devils are made of fire, they are a weak fire. When the fire of the meteors—which is stronger—reaches them, the stronger fire nullifies the weaker one. Just as a weak lamp is extinguished when placed in a strong fire, so too here.

Question 5: The angels' location is the highest surface of the sphere, while devils can only reach the lower parts. Does the sphere itself not prevent them from getting close enough to overhear?

• The Answer: Allah does not act without wisdom. He does what He wills and judges as He wills, and no one can object to His actions. If one argues that Allah strengthens the devil's hearing to reach the angels, then if Allah intends to prevent the devil from acting, why throw missiles at him? Our position is that Allah's actions are not subject to questioning; He does what He wills.

(The author concludes that combining this discussion with the one in Surah Al-Mulk provides sufficient coverage of this topic.)

Regarding the phrase: {لَا يَسْمَعُونَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ الْأَعْلَى}

They do not hear [news] from the Exalted Assembly.

1. Hamzah, Al-Kisā’ī, and Hafs (from 'Asim) read: لَا يَسَّمَّعُونَ (la yassamma‘ūna) with a doubled Sīn and Mīm (Tashdīd). This is derived from tassamma‘a (to strain to hear), where the Tā’ is assimilated into the Sīn due to sharing the characteristic of whispering (hamas). Tassammu‘ implies seeking to hear, whether one succeeds or not. Abu 'Ubayd preferred this reading because Arabs typically say tassamma‘tu ilā fulān (I strained to hear so-and-so) rather than sami‘tu ilā fulān.
2. The remaining reciters read: لَا يَسْمَعُونَ (la yasma‘ūna) with a single Sīn (simple hearing).
   • The argument for the first reading is that denying the seeking to hear implies denying the hearing itself.
   • The argument for the second reading is the verse: Innahum ‘ani as-sam‘i la-maḥjūbūn (Indeed, from hearing, they are veiled - Surah Ash-Shu‘arā’ 26:212). Mujahid narrated from Ibn Abbas that devils do hear the Exalted Assembly, but are then prevented from hearing further.
   • The first group responds: Affirming they are veiled from hearing does not negate that they are also veiled from straining to hear. In fact, denying the straining is stronger in repelling them from listening to heavenly news, as one who is prevented from seeking to hear is more certainly prevented from hearing.

• Sami‘tu ḥadīthahu (I heard his speech) implies comprehension/perception.
• Sami‘tu ilā ḥadīthih (I listened toward his speech) implies both paying attention (iṣghā’) and comprehension.

1. The Famous View: The implied structure is li-ay lā yasma‘ū (so that they do not hear). When the particle that causes the accusative case (an) is omitted, the verb reverts to the indicative mood (raising), as in an tadhillū (that you may not go astray) becoming tabyīnu lakum an taḍillū (Allah explains to you so that you do not go astray). Al-Kashshāf notes that omitting an or lām individually is permissible, but combining their omission is considered linguistically irregular.
2. The View Chosen by Al-Kashshāf: This is a new, disconnected sentence (kalām mubtada’ munqaṭi‘). It describes the state of those attempting to eavesdrop: they cannot hear the words of the angels or strain to listen while being repelled by meteors, thus being driven away from that objective.

This refers to the angels, as they inhabit the heavens. Humans and Jinn constitute the Lower Assembly (Al-Malā’ al-Asfal), as they inhabit the Earth.

Descriptions of the Devils

Allah described these devils with three characteristics:

1. They do not hear.
2. They are repelled/cast out from every direction (wa yuqdhaphūna min kulli janibin dūḥūran).
3. They have an everlasting punishment (wa lahum ‘aḏābun wāṣib).

Research 1: Meaning of Dahūr We previously explained Dahūr in Surah Al-A‘rāf (7:18) as extreme humiliation and disgrace. Ibn Qutaybah said daḥartuhu means I pushed him away and expelled him.

Research 2: Grammatical Status of Dūḥūran

1. It is in the accusative case as a verbal noun (maṣdar) implying the verb: "They are cast out with a casting out (dūḥūran)," based on the verb yuqdhaphūn.
2. It implies the preposition lām: "They are cast out for expulsion (li-d-dūḥūr)," with the lām omitted.
3. Mujahid said dūḥūran means "expelled/driven away" (maṭrūdīn). In this case, it functions as a circumstantial adverb (ḥāl), named after the verbal noun (like rukū‘ or sujūd).

Research 3: Reading of Dūḥūran Abu ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī read it as دَحْرًا (Daḥran) with a fatḥah on the Dāl. Al-Farra' suggested this might imply: "They are cast out, driving away what drives them away," but he preferred the ḍammah reading because if it were truly an object, it would typically include the preposition bā’ (e.g., yuqdhaphūna bi-l-ḥijārah - they are cast with stones), though he conceded the fatḥah reading is permissible based on poetic license.

This means they are pelted with meteors, and this punishment is continuous. We previously explained Wāṣib in Surah An-Nahl (16:52) as meaning "permanent." Al-Wāḥidī noted that interpreting Wāṣib as "severe and painful" is a description of its meaning, not its literal linguistic interpretation.

Regarding the Exception: {إِلَّا مَنِ اخْطَفَ الْخَطْفَةَ}

Except for one who snatches a snatching.

• We previously explained the meaning of khaṭf (snatching) in Surah Al-Ḥajj (22:5). Al-Zajjaj defined it as taking something quickly; the root is ikhtaṭafa.
• Al-Kashshāf states that the min (who) is in the nominative case, substituting the wāw in lā yasma‘ūn (i.e., "The devils do not hear, except the devil who snatches the snatching [word/utterance] by stealth").
• {فَأَتْبَعَهُ} (Then a piercing flame follows him): This means it catches up to him. Atba‘ahu means he followed in his track, or he caught up to him. This relates to the verse in Surah Al-A‘rāf (7:175), which we have explained.
• {SHIHĀBUN THAQIB} (A piercing flame): Al-Ḥasan said thāqib means luminous. I say it is named thāqib because its light pierces the air. Ibn Abbas, interpreting the verse in Surah At-Ṭāriq (86:3), said it is a star whose light pierces the seven heavens.

Verse 7: {فَاسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَهُمُ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَم مَّنْ خَلَقْنَا إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُم مِّن طِينٍ لَّازِبٍ}

So ask them [the disbelievers], are they harder to create or those We have created? Indeed, We created them from clinging clay.