In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

1. By the sky with its Buruj,

2. By the promised Day,

3. And by the witness and what is witnessed.

4. Perish the makers (and leaders) of the pit

5. Of fuel-stoked fire.

6. They sat around it (the ditch),

7. And were witness to what they were doing to the believers,

8. Whom they resented only because they believed in God, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy,

9. (The One) to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the Earth, and God is witness to everything.

10. Surely, as for those who persecuted the believing men and women and never repented, [they] will suffer the torment of Hell and the torment of burning.

11. (But) certainly for those who believe and do righteous deeds will be gardens graced with streams (of water) flowing below. This is the supreme achievement.

12. Your Lord’s punishment is truly stern.

13. It is He who originates (creation) and restores.

14. He is the Oft-Forgiving and the Most Loving,

15. Lord of the Glorious Throne,

16. He does whatever He wills.

17. Have you (not) heard the story of the armies

18. Of Pharaoh and Thamud?

19. Yet the unbelievers (persist) in denying (the truth),

20. Although (the All-Powerful) God behind them surrounds (everything and everybody).

21. This is a Glorious Qur’an,

22. (Inscribed) on a guarded tablet.

In ancient times, fortresses (burūj; sing. burj) were towering structures that enclosed cities. In those days, cities largely consisted of one-story mud-and-brick buildings that were aesthetically dull and devoid of beauty. By contrast, fortresses grabbed the attention of all visitors from afar because of their imposing elevation on the one hand, and their function of blocking invading armies on the other. The secondary connotation of burūj is “firm and awe-inspiring” due to the strong material used to build it. Towns normally built inside the fortress’ perimeter comprised army depots and encampments in which military personnel and the central government resided.

This chapter impresses upon its readers the function, as well as the beauty and magnificence, of these structures. The burūj are also mentioned elsewhere, such as in 25:61, which announces that the Blessed and Exalted Lord set up burūj in the sky, a statement that is reaffirmed in 15:16.
Here, the Qur’an ascribes two roles to burūj. First, it talks about the beautiful sky that people on Earth can observe and are exposed to, which is also highlighted in 15:16. Beyond Earth’s atmosphere the skies are dark and there is nothing to be seen; only humanity is blessed to perceive the mesmerizing azure skies with their panorama of colors – varying from the displays of sunset to the veiling black and blue colors of night shimmering with twinkling stars. We are the fortunate recipient of this blessing because Earth’s atmosphere refracts and scatters the light all around. In the words of some scientists, the skies beyond Earth’s atmosphere resemble a blackboard that is sprinkled with powdered chalk.

Second, their role is to protect life on Earth, as reiterated in 15:17. The seven heavenly layers encircling our planet protect it from the millions of celestial bodies heading toward it every day by incinerating them upon contact. Another of their functions is to protect Earth from the Sun’s harmful rays. In reality, we are ignorant of the uproar transpiring in the skies above us.
The first three verses begin with “waw of oath” (by; وَ) to indicate that they are solemn and oath-like assertions.

[85:1] By the sky with its burūj,
The word samā (sky; سماء) is prefixed with the definite article al (the; ال) to denote that the sky addressed is the one above us. Also, in this context the word dhāt (ذَات) means to “possess” as opposed to its idiomatic meaning of “essence.” The Qur’an combines these two words to assert an oath to this sky. It follows this same format in 86:11 and 51:7, both of which address our atmosphere. Scientists have shown how our planet’s atmosphere refracts radio and TV waves and reflects them as sawtooth waves. These waves, regardless of their origin, travel long distances and at times even rotate around Earth. The word hubuk (حبك) used in 51:7 alludes to this spectrum-like atmosphere and, incidentally, also conveys a sense of beauty and strength.

[85:2] By the promised Day,
We are reminded of the truth of the Day of Judgment, during which everyone will be recompensed according to their deeds.

[85:3] And by the witness and what is witnessed.
Historically, some exegetes have speculated that Muhammad is the witness and his community is the witnessed; that prophets are the witness and Muhammad is the witnessed; that the Black Stone (al-hajar-ul-aswad) is the witness and the pilgrims are the witnessed; that the prophets are the witnesses and humanity is the witnessed; that people’s bodily organs are the witnesses and their actions are the witnessed; that God is the witness and His unicity is the witnessed; that Friday is the witness and the devotees who attend the Friday prayer service are the witnessed; and so on. In reality, the verse is general in nature and is not intended for anything specific.
One needs to pay attention to the responses made to these three oaths and the conclusions drawn from them. Essentially, the Qur’an invokes solemn and oath-like language to urge us to think about those truths of which we are forgetful and inattentive, and about this world’s realities. The burūj protect life on Earth. Of course this is not restricted only to Earth’s inhabitants, for the Qur’an talks about the various kinds of protection that God provides to everything, such as the Qur’an itself. Other types of protection are that God is the Omniscient and, as such, all information rests in His reservoir of knowledge. The third example is the existence of both witnesses and that which was witnessed as proofs on the Day. Once we delve into this chapter, the relationship between these oaths and their corresponding responses become clearer.
The chapter begins by referring to a long-ago crime.

[85:4] Perish the makers (and leaders) of the pit
This account deals with those rulers who threw believers into pits of fire to burn them alive. Once again, some exegetes have sought to link this with actual historical events. However, since the Qur’an does not offer unimportant information, these details are irrelevant. One should study the event itself, for such events have occurred from the time of Abraham up to and including our own era.
The word ashāb (اصحاب) means “people who have something in common.” For example, ashāb-ul-fīl (اصحاب الفيل ; 105:1) refers to troops that use elephants as their most powerful weapon, ashāb-ul-hijr
(اصحاب الحجر ; 15:80) refers to mountain dwellers, ashāb-ul-yamīn
(اصحاب اليمين ; 56:27) refers to those who had an auspicious fate vs.
ashābu-sh-shimāl (اصحاب الشّمال ; 56:41) those who experienced a distressing fate, and ashāb-ul-aykah (اصحاب الايكه ; 26:176) refers to forest dwellers. Likewise, ashāb-ul-akhdūd (اصحاب الأخدود) in this verse refers to leaders who threw believers into pits of fire to burn them alive.

[85:5] Of fuel-stoked fire.
They made blazing fires in pits and tossed the believers in them to burn them alive.

[85:6] They sat around it (the ditch),
While they gathered around the pit and as spectators, witnessed the believers being burned alive.

[85:7] And were witness to what they were doing to the believers,
They were fully aware of the crime they were committing. Powerful people have engaged in this and other heinous crimes throughout history. For example, Rome’s Caesars enjoyed watching lions, tigers, and other wild animals kill and rip apart death-row prisoners as well as the latter fighting each other to death and then pardoning the survivor. This is precisely why the details are unnecessary, for only the witness and that which was witnessed will testify on that Day. Maybe the witness is their eyes, for their cells observed these crimes.

[85:8] Whom they resented only because they believed in God, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy,
The leaders showed their hatred, anger, and hostility toward the believers by subjecting them to burning and other atrocities only because they believed in the Mighty and the Powerful (al-‘Azīz) and the Praised One (al-Hamīd), namely, God. One might wonder why the Qur’an lists only these two attributes, as opposed to the Lord of Majesty and Bounty (Dhu-l-Jalāl wa-l-Ikrām), Forgiving and Merciful (al-Ghafūr and al-Rahīm), Mighty and Wise (al-‘Azīz and al-Hakīm), Forgiving and Loving (al-Ghafūr and al-Wadūd), and other ones. Maybe these two attributes are enumerated because they highlight the root of the problem.
Historically, the attribute “mighty and powerful” (‘azīz) has always been attached to monarchs’ titles to denote their strength and might. Pharaoh considered his people vassals and thus called himself their lord (rabb; 79:24), for in his own mind he was their absolute leader. No one could even embrace another faith without his permission. Because the believers adhered to the Qur’an, which clearly declares that all glory and might belong only to God (10:65), and that such claims made by mortal rulers are baseless, false, and delusional, they were thrown into the fire.
The second attribute is Hamīd, which is an intensive form of hamd (praise and worship). The believers withheld all types of glory, might, and praise to the powerful because these attributes are exclusive to God, who is Omnipotent, Unique, and worthy of worship. Everything that is good, blessed, virtuous, and praiseworthy emanates only from Him. The believers’ refusal to ascribe such attributes to any mortal ruler was, in reality, a thunderous rejection of their society’s status quo and condition.
As the Qur’an explains, prophets were not sent to teach people how to worship God because people have always worshipped. But their god or goddess, whether one or many, had always been no more than figments of their imagination. Often their all-powerful leaders presented themselves as their people’s lord. For example, Pharaoh believed in the religious traditions of his time and never said that he had created (khalq) his subjects; rather, he was their absolute lord in the sense that his vassals had to obey him completely and without question. As quarrels and even wars have always been about where the blessings enjoyed by the people come from and who has ultimate and absolute authority and power, the details (e.g., when an event happened or the main participants’ names) are irrelevant. In all such cases, the believers’ only “sin” was to stand for justice and reject an unjust system.
The battle between truth and falsehood has been going on since the dawn of history, and many of those who have stood for truth and justice have been tortured and/or murdered. For example, Abraham stood firmly against Nimrūd; Moses challenged Pharaoh and, as a result, he and his followers suffered greatly; and an unknown number of followers of Jesus and Muhammad were tortured and/or killed. This ongoing battle will end only on that Day. Of course there are always those who remain passive and merely observe the scene. Soon after the Prophet migrated to Madinah, some Muslims wondered why he was not asking God to save them from their harsh existence. He responded by advising them to read this chapter to learn about the extreme patience and perseverance shown by earlier believers.
It is narrated that some believers suffered gruesome fates, such as being cut in half, having their heads buried in the ground, and being skinned alive. Take a look at Iranian history and you will come across the slaughter that was carried out against the Manicheans and Mazdakites on the orders of Anūshīruvān (Khosrow I), the one holding the designation of “Upholder of Justice.” In our own time, Stalin killed millions in his gulags, Hitler devastated Europe and murdered millions in the Holocaust, and Mao killed many millions in China. These crimes against humanity occurred because many people who were aware of them refused to take a stand. Given that our modern weaponry is now far more powerful, crimes against humanity are even more destructive and savage. What crime have the Palestinians committed to have “earned” their decades-long subjection to fierce bombardment, loss of homes and land, and ongoing murder? Most of the world has turned its back on them and stereotyped them as “terrorists.” They have been cornered and, out of desperation, are resorting to rudimentary weapons without giving their actions much thought. The episode of Karbala, in which Husayn ibn ‘Alī displayed his determination to remain true to the Mighty and Praised God by not transferring his allegiance to Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah, is a perpetually relevant example.
The Qur’an’s oath-like assertion reminds us of the protective system that safeguards our world and warns us of the coming of that Day on which truth will become apparent and the witness and witnessed will testify to all of our actions.
An incident that happened during Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s (d. 1980) time might help put this concept into context. When the military court handed down a sentence of ten years’ imprisonment against my father, Mr. Mehdi Bazargan (d. 1995), and Ayatollah Tāleghānī for their political views and activism, the former told the judges:
It is narrated that one day a prince was passing by a field where a peasant was tending to his crops. The peasant continued working and showed no reverence to him and his entourage. This aroused the prince’s anger, and so he shot the peasant. As the latter was dying, he looked toward the sky and said to a passing pheasant, “Be my witness that this prince killed me in cold blood and for no reason.” Years later, the prince entered a city and a big party was held in his honor. Among the many foods was a pheasant dish. Upon seeing it, the prince burst into laughter. The host, one of his relatives and a highly respected prosecutor and religious scholar, asked him why he was laughing. Reluctantly, the prince told him the story and said that this dead pheasant reminded him of that country bumpkin and his stupid remark. The host asked him to repeat the story, along with the confession, two more times. The prince complied, after which the prosecutor informed him that the peasant was right about the pheasant acting as his witness because it was able to extract from him a confession of killing an innocent person. He ordered the prince’s immediate arrest and subsequent prosecution.
By relating this story, my father was reminding the court of a crucial point that the wrongdoers themselves, along with their tongues and memory, will testify against them on the Day, just as the Qur’an has repeatedly pointed out that our own being will testify against us.
Qur’an 41:20–21 warns us that on the Day of Judgment, God’s enemies will be gathered up and brought to Hell. There, they will be dumbfounded to see their own eyes, ears, and skin testifying against them. When they ask their skin why it is doing this, it will reply that the same God who has created everything has allowed it to “speak.” Of course they will not “speak” verbally, for this word is being used allegorically to state that the truth will “become apparent.” Ponder how a cross-section cut from a tree’s trunk “exposes” its history to a scientist who knows how to “read” its rings to determine the environmental conditions that had existed during its life. The fact is that God created us (41:21) and is aware of all that we do; however, we are ignorant of this fact (41:22)and thus, are easily led astray (41:23). On that Day, our hands, feet, and eyes will testify as to how we used them to inflict pain and injustice on others (24:24).
It may be difficult to imagine how a bodily part could provide such information. A short discussion of how vision is created in our brain will be helpful here. When we look at an object, the information is sent to our brain and eventually converted into electrical signals that affect it. Thus it is the brain that interprets whatever the eyes see. Everything we have heard or seen is recorded in a part of the brain where, under special circumstances, it can be retrieved. Each bodily organ records its activities and their effects. We do not think about our cells because they are so miniscule; but in reality, they shape our destiny. But consider the human body’s truly complex and amazingly advanced nature. One milliliter of blood contains 6 million red globules, each of which is a world in its own right. Some capillaries are so narrow that only one blood cell can pass through them at a time.
Ali says, “You may think that you are a small being, although the world inside you is much bigger than the one outside.” Our being is a “book” that records and preserves this information over the course of our lifetime, after which it will be retrieved and read on that Day, just like a CD or DVD. Our eyes will testify about the immoral and illicit objects that we looked at, our tongues to the false oaths that we made, and our skin to the immoral and unethical relationships that we had. In other words, they will serve as a witness and a witnessed to whatever we have done. Everything becomes apparent on that Day (40:16), including all of the atrocities committed by those who thought that their deeds had been “forgotten” as well as those that were never recorded or mentioned.
Politicians’ sense of realty can sometimes become so twisted that they may envision the world as they want it to be, even if only a tiny minority supports their grandiose vision. In their view, other people’s opinions are irrelevant because only they know the correct path. They therefore follow an “end justifies the means” policy, for such things as that Day, burūj, protector, witness, and witnessed have no place in their worldview.

[85:9] (The One) to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and Earth, and God is witness to everything.
Shahīd (witness; شهيد) is the intensive form of shāhid (شاهد). God, being Omniscient and Omnipresent, is aware of everything. The word la-hu (لَهُ) signifies exclusivity, for God is the only King and therefore does not share His kingdom with any other person or thing. He is the only Authority and Power and, since He created everything, the only Lord. So how could He possibly not know everything? How can one even imagine that God did not establish the burūj and is not witnessing and watchful?

[85:10] Surely, as for those who persecuted the believing men and women and never repented, [they] will suffer the torment of Hell and the torment of burning.
A most grievous torment awaits those who never repented of participating in such evil deeds. Their maleficent actions caused wars and mayhem, destroyed lives and property, and produced countless widows and orphans. The burning Hell within them is the result of how they lived and thus the natural consequence of their own actions.

[85:11] (But) certainly for those who believe and do righteous deeds will be gardens graced with streams (of water) flowing below. This is the supreme achievement.
In contrast, believers who engage in benevolent deeds enter Paradise, with flowing water beneath them. The word jannāt (gardens and/or paradises; جنّات) is preceded by la-hum (لَهُمْ) to express exclusivity, for only they will enter the abode to enjoy an eternal pleasant life. This reward is an immense attainment.
It may be useful here to reflect upon the meaning of the oft-repeated phrase “gardens through which running waters flow,” for people living in places with lush gardens may not appreciate the sensory excitement that it evokes. The Qur’an speaks to the cultural and geographical language of where it was revealed. For the pre-Islamic Arabs, who lived in a barren desert, this expression sparked their imagination and created the vision of an exciting and blissful life. Clearly, trying to understand a verse within its given context is extremely important, for not doing so can lead to erroneous interpretations.
Qur’an 43:51 narrates Pharaoh’s telling his subjects about his authority over them and his dominion over Egypt: “rivers flowing under me.” This does not mean that the Nile was literally running under his feet, but that he controlled it and its tributaries and thus had the power to grant or deny it to his people. Water has always played a critical role in the largely desert and barren Middle East. In fact, its absence has initiated wars, just as land ownership did in feudal Europe. As the Nile and its tributaries were the Egyptians’ main source of livelihood and irrigation, Pharaoh’s control of its water meant that he also controlled Egypt.
This is a good place to pause and reflect upon two Qur’anic words that convey the same meaning, fawz (achievement, salvation; فوز ) (used in this verse) and falāh (blossom, prosperity, salvation; فلاح), but with the caveat that the latter means actualizing one’s innate talent. For example, a bud that turns into a flower has, in essence, achieved its purpose. Fawz means salvation from life’s trials and tribulations, similar to a student who completes a school year with good grades, whereas falāh means to attain happiness (prosperity). The greatest fortune (fawz) that one can achieve in this life is to secure one’s place in Paradise by having faith and doing good deeds.

[85:12] Your Lord’s punishment is truly stern.
Those who spread corruption in the land, conceal the truth, or engage in other reprehensible activities should know that God’s promise is not empty, for He will hold them accountable and punish them severely. The particle la (ل) prefixed to shadīd (شديد) is for emphasis to signify the severity of the punishment.

[85:13] It is He who originates (creation) and restores.
Observe how spring gushes forth life after the dead of winter, when everything appears so dreadful. Indeed, He initiates life and brings back people from the dead (30:50).

[85:14] He is the Oft-Forgiving and the Most Loving,
Of course God is not just a punisher. It is interesting to note that when the Qur’an wants to describe God’s reaction, it uses such adjectives and attributes as “the Oft-Forgiving” (al-Ghafūr) and “the Intensely Loving One” (al-Wadūd). It reminds us that while God’s punishment is severe, He is also the Forgiver, the Loving, and the Compassionate One. This tells us that one can develop an intimate and close friendship with Him.
The Qur’an does not ascribe the attribute of “tormentor” to God, even though He punishes wrongdoers. Qur’an 15:49–50 orders the Prophet to inform people that God, despite being the Compassionate and the Forgiver, is a harsh punisher. In other words, He is like a parent who, every once in a while, must display anger by punishing the children so that the latter will understand that they have made a mistake. A parent’s anger is never the result of spite or cold-heartedness, but rather emanates from a yearning for the children’s best welfare and long-term success. God’s love and anger are correlative, but the former always supersedes the latter.
What would you think of teachers who tell their students, “I chose to become an educator because of my love for educating youngsters, but I will be assigning grades that range from ‘A’ to ‘F’”? You would not consider them vindictive and illogical, as deriving some kind of pleasure from flunking students, but rather as those who seek to honor a system that evaluates the knowledge they attain and the effort they exert. While he loves to educate them and wants to see them succeed, they nevertheless are required to follow procedures that reward students according to their merits. Of course those who fail will feel the accompanying pain and humiliation of their teacher’s decision, but they have no right to complain because their failure is the result of their own laziness or lack of understanding.
These verses focus our attention on the positive and negative as-pects, as opposed to the attributes of God. God can punish us severely, even though to punish is not one of His attributes.

[85:15] Lord of the Glorious Throne,
The creation of God, “the Majestic One,” is neither limited nor finite. Scientists have discovered that the known material world, which comprises billions and billions of galaxies, comprises only 4% of the universe. The rest is made up of black matter (26%) and unknown energy (70%), both of which are unknown to us.

[85:16] He does whatever He wills.
No member of creation, which obviously includes humanity, can resist His will, for His ability to command is limitless and above all powers.
So far, the discussion has been about those who think that they will suffer no consequences for their crimes, injustice, and oppression. Unaware of the fact that whatever they do is witnessed, on that Day they will be rejected and receive a grievous punishment. In contrast, the believers who engaged in doing good deeds will receive God’s forgiveness and justice. The chapter narrates an anecdote to illustrate this truth for those who doubt it.

[85:17] Have you (not) heard the story of the armies

[85:18] Of Pharaoh and Thamūd?
Pharaoh ruled over powerless slaves who, unlike modern people, could not exert even one iota of power. He claimed that he was their lord. People today can exert some influence over their leaders, and public opinion has become such a strong and powerful tool that it can affect and sway public policy. Even the most powerful contemporary leaders cannot fathom how much sheer power Pharaoh possessed.

[85:19] Yet the unbelievers (persist) in denying (the truth),
Those who do not want to accept the truth deny it and cover it up. They learn nothing from history, are ignorant of the consequences of their deeds, and continue their sins and crimes.

[85:20] Although (the All-Powerful) God behind them surrounds (everything and everybody).
Even though God encompasses them and is fully aware of their innermost being, they remain under an illusion that He does not exist.

[85:21] This is a Glorious Qur’an,
The Qur’an is majestic, just as God is majestic (85:15). The word “Qur’an” literally means “recitation.” Those who compare the Prophet with poets and philosophers and deduce that he uttered the Qur’an’s sublime words through a divine spiritual awakening should realize that this is not the case. This verse clearly states that the Qur’an is so majestic a book that no one, not even the Prophet, could conceive of it. In fact, its literal words and meanings are divine and thus not a product of any human mind.

[85:22] (Inscribed) on a guarded tablet.
In the words of the late Ayatollah Tāleghānī, “tablet” (lawh; لوح) is something upon which information is recorded and preserved. For example, the Ten Commandments were engraved upon the stone tablets given to Moses. The human brain is also a tablet that preserves whatever is “written” on it. In the same vein, the Qur’an was first “written” in the minds of those who memorized it and was only written down in its entirety on paper at a later date. Today, both it and its complete exegesis are recorded on CDs, flash drives, and similar devices – all “protected tablets.” In reality, nothing is ever lost in this world. This chapter begins with burūj, structures that protect our world, and ends with “guarded tablets.”
In addition, this chapter warns all despotic rulers who remain in power through unimaginable repression, will eventually cause God to unleash a severe punishment, one that is far mightier than theirs upon the people. It particularly emphasizes that they should restrain themselves when using force against their citizens because God’s kingdom is more powerful, more splendid, and mightier than they can imagine. If they think that they can govern as they please because they “will” to do so, then they have failed to realize that only God “does whatever He wills”(85:16). Furthermore, if they think that they rule their citizens’ lives and livelihoods, then they should consider the following fact: “Although (the All-Powerful) God behind them surrounds (everything and everybody).”(85:20). And, finally, if they think that their deeds have no consequences, then they have yet to understand that He is the one who created them, for “It is He who originates (creation) and restores”(85:13), and that they cannot escape from His kingdom and authority.
As one can see, this chapter focuses on God’s attributes by listing seven of them in pairs. It also talks about the processes of protection, witnessing, and being witnessed. The words oversee, guarded, encompassed, witness and witnessed, and fortresses denote a protective and ever-watching divine system. Also, such words as blazing fire, pits of fire, armies, avenge, and destroy are among the Qur’an’s important messages, for they point out a society’s troubling signs and the suffering that disbelievers may endure as a result.
In this regard, Ali offers a profound discourse: God’s will is not to punish, destroy, or eradicate the oppressor and unjust leaders immediately after their unjust act, for “Surely, God did not break the neck of any unruly tyrant in this world except after allowing him time and opportunity [to ponder upon his deeds].” Ali goes on to talk about people and how nations are built and become united. He says that life’s difficulties build character, for “He did not join the broken bone of any people until He had inflicted calamity and distress upon them.” If God gives such people time to correct their misdeeds, this does not imply that He has “forgotten” what they have done, for He is ever vigilant and watchful. Like a bone in their throats, He is a bane to their existence. He encompasses them so tightly that He can take their lives whenever He wills to do so. He might even allow them to continue their injustice for as long as they live.

Given all of these facts, we should be aware that God may test our resolve at any moment. Otherwise, He could have established a system in which no one would have dared to commit atrocities, oppression, and so on. Despots and oppressors do not prevail because He is weak, apathetic, or does not care about His followers’ suffering, but because they are part of His plan and design to test the powerful as well as those who are afflicted with trials and tribulations, which often builds character as they struggle to remove the yoke of oppression.

Translator: Mohammad Fani
Editor: Hamid Mavani