Tafsir of Al-Mulk 67:5

Tafsir of Surah Al-Mulk (67:5)

Verse 5: "And indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps [stars]..."

This verse presents the second proof for Allah's absolute Power and Knowledge.

1. Proof of Power and Knowledge:
   • The stars, being created entities, confined to specific measures, locations, and orbits, indicate the existence of a powerful Creator.
   • Their precise arrangement, perfection, and alignment with the welfare of mankind—serving as adornment for the worldly life and a means of benefit—indicate that their Maker is All-Knowing.

2. Parallelism: A similar verse is found in Surah As-Saffat: "Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with the lamps of the stars, And [made it] a guard against every rebellious devil" (37:7-8).

Issue 1: The Meaning of "The Nearest Heaven" (السماء الدنيا) and the Stars as Missiles (رجوما)

• The Nearest Heaven: This refers to the heaven closest to the people. The stars are called lamps (مصابيح) because people adorn their mosques and homes with lamps. Thus, the verse means: "We have adorned the roof of the structure where you gather with lamps, lamps whose illumination surpasses yours."
• "And [made it] missiles for the devils" (وجعلناها رجوما للشياطين): Rujūm is the plural of rajm (a source noun), meaning that by which one throws. Two interpretations are offered for this:
  1. Interpretation 1 (Physical Shooting): Devils are pelted with these stars when they attempt to eavesdrop on the heavens.
     • Addressing the Apparent Contradiction: If the stars are an eternal adornment (implying permanence), how can they also be missiles (implying destruction/removal)?
     • Rebuttal: The devils are not struck by the celestial bodies themselves. Rather, sparks or flames—which are the meteors (الشهب)—separate from the stars and are hurled at the devils. This is like taking a spark from a fire; the original fire remains.
  2. Interpretation 2 (Metaphorical Missiles): The stars are made as conjectures (ظنونا) and missiles hurled by guesswork (رجوما بالغيب) against the devils among humankind, specifically the fortune-tellers and astrologers (الأحكاميون من المنجمين).

Issue 2: Location of the Stars

• The literal meaning of the verse does not necessitate that the stars are fixed in the nearest heaven. If the heavens are transparent, the stars, whether in the nearest heaven or higher spheres, will appear to shine from the nearest heaven. Thus, in either case, the nearest heaven is adorned by these lamps.
• The Consensus of Astronomers (Ahl al-Hay'a): They agree that the fixed stars (الثوابت) are embedded in the eighth sphere (the sphere of fixed stars), which is above the spheres of the planets (السيارات).
  • Their Proof: Since some fixed stars in the Zodiacal belt are eclipsed by the planets, the fixed stars must be located above the eclipsing planets. Since all fixed stars move together with a slow, uniform motion (one degree every hundred years), they must all be fixed in a single sphere.
• Critique of the Astronomers' Proof: This reasoning is weak. It is not necessary that all fixed stars are in the eighth sphere just because some are. It is conceivable that there exists a sphere below the Moon, moving at the same slow rate as the sphere of fixed stars, where stars near the poles are embedded. If two spheres of different sizes can share the same motion, the stars might be embedded in the nearest heaven (the sphere below the Moon). Therefore, the philosophers' view on this matter is not definitively established.

Issue 3: Benefits of the Stars

The benefits of the stars are numerous:

1. Adornment: Allah adorned the heaven with them.
2. Light: They provide some light during the night. This is evident because when clouds gather at night, the darkness intensifies as the clouds block their light.
3. Seasonal Variation: Being luminous bodies, their conjunctions with the Sun cause variations in the four seasons. If a star that heats strongly aligns with the Sun in summer, the heat becomes more intense, like adding fire to fire.
4. Navigation: Allah made them signs by which travelers are guided in the darkness of land and sea, as stated: "And by the stars they are guided" (16:16).
5. Missiles Against Devils: They serve as missiles against the devils who lead people from the light of faith into the darkness of disbelief.
   • The Narrative Reason: It is narrated that the Jinn used to eavesdrop on heavenly news. When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent, the heavens were guarded, and devils attempting to listen were struck by meteors (شهاب) and burned. This prevented them from descending to Earth and mixing true revelation with falsehood, causing doubt among people. This is the meaning of "We made them missiles for the devils."

Several objections are raised against the idea that meteors are specifically for repelling devils eavesdropping on heavenly news:

1. Philosophers' View: Ancient philosophers claimed meteors arise from dry vapor rising from the Earth heated by the Sun, which ignites upon reaching the lower sphere.
2. Devils' Persistence: How can devils, after witnessing thousands of their kind being burned while eavesdropping, still return to the same act without benefit?
3. Thickness of Heaven: The distance to heaven is said to be a journey of 500 years. If the Jinn penetrate the substance of heaven, this contradicts the verse stating there are no cracks (فطور) (67:3). If they cannot penetrate the substance, how can they hear the angels' secrets from such a distance? Furthermore, if they can hear from that distance, why can't they hear the angels when they are on Earth?
4. Knowledge of the Future: Angels learn future events either by reading the Preserved Tablet (اللوح المحفوظ) or by receiving divine revelation. If so, why didn't Allah keep them silent about these matters so the Jinn could not intercept them?
5. Fire and Fire: Devils are created from fire; fire does not burn fire but strengthens it. How can fire missiles repel them?
6. Cessation After Prophethood: If this guarding was for the sake of Prophethood, why did it continue after the Prophet's (PBUH) passing?
7. Proximity to Earth: We observe meteors moving near the Earth; if they originated near the celestial spheres, we would not see their movement like we don't see the movement of the stars. If they occur near Earth, how can they prevent devils from reaching the spheres?
8. Selective Transmission: If devils can transmit hidden news from angels to soothsayers, why can't they transmit the secrets of the believers to the disbelievers, allowing the disbelievers to harm them?
9. Prevention from the Start: Why didn't Allah prevent the devils from ascending in the first place, eliminating the need for missiles?

1. Answer to Objection 1 (Philosophers' View): We do not deny that meteors existed before the Prophet's (PBUH) mission for other reasons. However, after his mission, they began occurring for the additional reason of repelling the Jinn. Al-Zuhri narrated that when asked if shooting stars occurred in the Pre-Islamic era, he said yes. When asked about the verse, "And that we used to sit therein in places for hearing; but whoever now listens, he will find a waiting fire-lance" (72:9), he replied: "It became stricter and the matter intensified when the Prophet (PBUH) was sent."
2. Answer to Objection 2 (Persistence): When destiny arrives, sight is veiled. If Allah decrees burning for a group of devils due to their transgression, He provides them with tempting motives to pursue their goal, leading them to the action that results in destruction.
3. Answer to Objection 3 (Thickness of Heaven): The distance between heaven and Earth is 500 years' journey, but the thickness of the celestial spheres might not be immense.
4. Answer to Objection 4 (Knowledge of Future): Al-Zuhri narrated from Ali ibn Al-Husayn, from Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet (PBUH) was sitting with companions when a star shot across, illuminating the sky. He asked what they used to say in the Jahiliyyah. They replied: "We say a great person is born or a great person dies." The Prophet (PBUH) said: "They are not shot for the death or life of anyone. Rather, when Allah decrees a matter in the heaven, the bearers of the Throne glorify Him, then the inhabitants of the heaven glorify Him, and so on, until the glorification reaches this heaven. The inhabitants of this heaven inquire from the bearers of the Throne, 'What did your Lord say?' They inform them, and this news passes from heaven to heaven until it reaches this heaven, where the devils snatch it. What they snatch is true, but they add to it."
5. Answer to Objection 5 (Fire and Fire): Fire can be stronger than other fire, and the stronger fire nullifies the weaker one.
6. Answer to Objection 6 (Cessation): The restriction continued because the Prophet (PBUH) announced the invalidity of soothsaying (الكهانة). If this punishment ceased, soothsaying would return, which would contradict the Prophet's report about its invalidity.
7. Answer to Objection 7 (Proximity to Earth): According to our view, distance does not prevent hearing. Perhaps Allah established a custom that when they stand at that location, they hear the angels' speech.
8. Answer to Objection 8 (Selective Transmission): Perhaps Allah enabled them to hear the unseen from the angels but disabled them from conveying the secrets of the believers to the disbelievers.
9. Answer to Objection 9 (Prevention from Start): Allah does what He wills and decrees what He intends. This concludes the summary on this topic.

Verse 6: "And for those who disbelieve in their Lord is the punishment of Hell, and wretched is the destination."

• Context: After mentioning the benefits of the stars, including their function as missiles against devils in this world, Allah follows up by stating: "And We have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze [Hellfire]."
• Meaning: We have prepared for the devils, after they are burned by meteors in this world, the punishment of the Blaze in the Hereafter.
• Linguistic Note: Al-Mubarrid said: Sa'irat an-nār (the fire was kindled), so it is mas'ūrah (kindled), and Sa'īr is like maqbūlah (accepted) and qabīl (acceptable).
• Theological Proof: Our scholars use this verse as proof that Hellfire is created now, because the verb "We have prepared" (وأعتدنا) is in the past tense, indicating a pre-existing reality.

Verse 7: "And for those who disbelieve in their Lord is the punishment of Hell, and wretched is the destination."