At-Takwir Verse 15

I do swear by the receding stars

I swear by the receding stars,

No! I swear by the slinkers,

I swear by the planets

I swear by the receding stars.

So verily I call to witness the planets - that recede,

No indeed; I swear by the alternating stars

So, I call the receding stars to witness,

So by oath of those that revolve. (The planets.)

So I swear by the stars that return,

Oh, I swear by the stars which recede (disappearing in the sun’s light),

Nay, I call to witness those (planets) that recede while advancing in one direction,

So I do not swear/make oath by the planets .

So by oath of those that revolve. (The planets.)

But nay! I swear by (or call to witness) the Planets,

So verily, I swear by the planets that recede (i.e. disappear during the day and appear during the night).

Running their course, (and) setting,

But nay! I swear by the stars,

Oh, but I call to witness the planets,

I do not need to swear by the orbiting

Rather, I swear by the returning

But nay! I swear by Al-Khunnas.

I swear by the receding stars,

I swear by the galaxies.

So I swear (fa-l; l is extra) by the receding [planets],

The Explanation of the Words Al-Khunnas and Al-Kunnas

Muslim recorded in his Sahih, and An-Nasa'i in his Book of Tafsir, in explaining this Ayah, from `Amr bin Hurayth that he said,

"I prayed the Morning prayer behind the Prophet , and I heard him reciting,

فَلَ أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ




الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ