The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930)/The Morning Star
SÛRAH LXXXVI
At-Ṭâriq takes its name from a word in verse 1. There are other meanings to the word Târiq, but I have chosen that which must have occurred to every hearer of this Sûrah, especially as in verse 3 it is stated that a star is meant. The Morning Star has here a mystic sense, and is taken to refer to the Prophet himself. Some have thought that it refers to a comet which alarmed the East about the time of the Prophet's call. Others believe that this and other introductory verses, hard to elucidate, hide scientific facts unimagined at the period of revelation, and are related to the verses following them. Ghamrâwi Bey, my collaborator in the revision of this work, informed me that the late Dr. Sidqi among others considered that the reference here is to the fertilising germ penetrating the ovary, the subject being the same as vv. 5–7.
An early Meccan Sûrah.
THE MORNING STAR
Revealed at Mecca
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
1 By the heaven and the Morning Star[1]
2 —Ah, what will tell thee what the Morning Star is!
3 —The piercing Star!
4 No human soul but hath a guardian over it.
5 So let man consider from what he is created.
6 He is created from a gushing fluid
7 That issued from between the loins and ribs.
8 Lo! He verily is Able to return him (unto life)
9 On the day when hidden thoughts shall be searched out.
10 Then will he have no might nor any helper.
11 By the heaven which giveth the returning rain,
12 And the earth which splitteth (with the growth of trees and plants)
13 Lo! this (Qur'ân) is a conclusive word,
14 It is no pleasantry.
15 Lo! they plot a plot (against thee, O Muhammad)
16 And I plot a plot (against them).
17 So give a respite to the disbelievers. Deal thou gently with them for a while.
- ↑ The Arabic word means originally "that which comes at night" or "one who knocks at the door."