Celestial Fortresses: The Sky Full of Constellations
Translation: “By
the sky with constellations,” (85:1)
In the Quranic perspective, the opening verse of Surah Al-Buruj ("By the sky with constellations") serves as a majestic divine oath that establishes God's absolute power and watchfulness over human affairs.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْبُرُوجِ ١
By the sky full of constellations,
[Surah Al Buruj : Ayat 1]
The term buruj (plural of burj) linguistically refers to something prominent and visible, like a tower or fortress. Scholars offer three primary interpretations:
Stellar Formations: Many classical commentators (including Ibn Abbas and Mujahid) define them as giant stars or groups of stars that adorn the heavens.
Zodiacal Signs: Some interpret them as the twelve mansions of the sun and moon, through which these celestial bodies travel at precise intervals.
Celestial Fortresses: The word also implies protected towers or palaces in the sky, sometimes understood as guarded posts where angels are stationed.
Theological Significance
Divine Authority:
By swearing by the immense heavens, Allah underscores His role as the Sovereign over a vast, ordered creation. This serves as a reminder that insignificant human tyrants cannot escape His grip.
Testament to Order:
The constellations are viewed as signs (verses) of divine artistry and cosmic order, intended for human reflection and practical guidance in navigation.
Warning and Comfort:
This oath sets a serious tone for the Surah, which details the persecution of the "People of the Ditch". It comforts the oppressed by showing that the Creator of the vast universe is a constant witness to their suffering and will eventually deliver justice.
Protection of Revelation:
Some scholars suggest the "fortresses" in the sky represent the protection of divine revelation from any corruption or interference.
Distinctions in Islamic Scholarship
The Quranic view encourages the study of constellations for astronomy (ilm al-falak)—used for religious purposes like determining prayer times—but strictly forbids [Haram] astrology (ilm al-ahkam al-nujum), which claims to predict human destiny through the stars.
Would you like to explore the historical event of the "People of the Ditch" referenced later in this same Surah?
Reflection: This brief
verse opens Surah al-Burūj with an oath: God swears “by the heaven
containing burūj.” Burūj in Arabic means fortresses,
strongholds, or towers, and by extension came to refer to the prominent star
formations or constellations that dominate the sky like majestic
castles in the night. Swearing by the sky filled with constellations implies
that these glittering star patterns are of great significance and beauty. It
sets a scene of the night sky as a grand, orderly array – almost like a
celestial calendar or storyboard. In Arab culture, as in many others,
constellations had practical and poetic importance (guiding travel, marking
seasons, inspiring folklore). By invoking them, the Qur’an grabs the listener’s
attention to something they already admire and rely on.
Spiritually, an oath by the
sky’s constellations emphasizes the seriousness of the surah’s subsequent
message (which deals with God’s watchfulness and judgment). It’s as if
saying: “Look at the mighty stars – as real as they are, so is the
truth that follows.” It also hints at the idea that just as stars in
their lofty fortresses witness human affairs from above, so too God witnesses
and will record and judge (this resonates with Surah Al Buruj/85: Verses9-10) later, which assures that
God is witness to the persecution of believers and will punish the oppressors.
The image of stars as fortresses can comfort the oppressed: even if on earth
they face cruelty, above them the sky stands as a protective canopy dotted with
“watchtowers” (stars) under God’s command.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدٌ ٩إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا۟ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا۟ فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ ٱلْحَرِيقِ ١٠
"the One˺ to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and earth. And Allah is a Witness over all things.Those who persecute the believing men and women and then do not repent will certainly suffer the punishment of Hell and the torment of burning."
(Surah Al Buruj/85: Verses9-10)
Another nuance: constellations are relatively fixed on human timescales (the patterns change only subtly over millennia due to star motions). This stability made them reliable markers. The oath by constellations could underscore the reliability of God’s promise – as fixed as the stars in their places. Also, fortresses implies guardianship; in later verses of this surah (85:11);
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٌۭ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ١١
"Surely those who believe and do good will have Gardens under which rivers flow. That is the greatest triumph."
(Surah Al Buruj/85: Verses 11 )
we see mention of
God’s Throne and His might, so perhaps the starry sky is a symbol of the guarded
nature of the universe – nothing escapes God.
In any case, the spiritual
effect is to draw our gaze upward in awe and to preface the idea that the
Creator of those mighty star-castles can surely uphold justice and reward
faith. It invites reflection on the vastness and order of the cosmos as
a prelude to trusting God’s oversight of our moral order. Many exegetes say
each oath in the Qur’an is connected to the theme of the section; here one might
say: “Heaven with its burūj bears witness – the tale of the oppressed
believers and the tyrants (mentioned in (Surah Al Buruj/85: Verses 4-8) is not forgotten; the Ruler of
the sky’s fortresses has it in His care.”
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
قُتِلَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأُخْدُودِ ٤ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلْوَقُودِ ٥إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌۭ ٦وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌۭ ٧وَمَا نَقَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ ٨
Condemned are the makers of the ditch—the fire ˹pit˺, filled with fuel—when they sat around it, watching what they had ˹ordered to be˺ done to the believers,who they resented for no reason other than belief in Allah—the Almighty, the Praiseworthy—
(Surah Al Buruj/85: Verses 4-8 )
Scientific Insight: The term burūj (constellations) in a scientific context refers to the recognizable groupings of stars on the celestial sphere. There are 88 official constellations used by modern astronomers to map the sky. When the Qur’an reveals:[Surah Al Buruj/85: Verse 5]
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلْوَقُودِ ٥
the fire ˹pit˺, filled with fuel—
(Surah Al Buruj/85: Verses 5 )
was revealed, people were familiar with many ancient constellations (like
Orion, known as “al-jabbar” to Arabs, or the Big Dipper part of Ursa Major
known as “Banāt Naʿsh”). These patterns are essentially accidents of our line
of sight – the stars in a constellation can be light-years apart and not physically
related, but they appear near each other from Earth. Nevertheless, they had
real utility: for example, navigation (the “burūj” helped navigators
know directions and latitudes), and calendrical signs (certain
constellations rising at dawn indicated seasonal changes). The Qur’an’s
acknowledgement of “sky full of constellations” shows an appreciation for how
the sky is both beautiful and functional.
Scientifically, one could say constellations are projections of the stellar distribution onto an imaginary sphere around Earth. They are humanity’s way of imposing meaning on the random scatter of stars. But intriguingly, the distribution of bright stars isn’t completely random; it’s influenced by our galaxy’s structure (the Milky Way’s band, etc.), so certain “fortresses” of stars (like Orion or Scorpio) stand out strikingly. Why do some stars cluster in our view? Often, they might be physically near each other (e.g., the Pleiades cluster – a literal fortress of stars bound together) or lie along the dense plane of the galaxy.
So in a way, burūj can be seen as signifying star
clusters or notable stellar arrangements. Modern astronomy indeed
identifies stellar clusters (open clusters like Pleiades, globular
clusters) that are like “cities of stars” up in the heavens. These could be
considered real fortresses of stars, not just line-of-sight groupings. The
verse likely meant the conspicuous constellations known to people, but the
metaphor extends well: the sky truly does have “forts” of stars – think of the
Galactic center bulge as a massive fortress of billions of stars tightly
packed, or globular clusters as spherical stellar citadels.
From a cosmological
perspective, swearing by the constellations also underscores the vast scale:
constellations span huge swaths of space (the Orion constellation’s stars range
hundreds of light-years deep). It hints at a multitude of stars beyond
just our sun and a grand design. One could poetically link “heaven with
constellations” to what science calls the cosmic web –
filaments of galaxies that form patterns on the largest scale (we included an
image earlier of the cosmic web). Those aren’t constellations to the eye, but
to scientific instruments, they show that even galaxies form cluster patterns
(e.g., the Coma Cluster of galaxies is a “burj” of galaxies in the sky). It’s
intriguing how each deeper look at the sky shows structure: from constellations
of stars to clusters of galaxies to clusters of clusters.
Another scientific resonance: The word burūj also means zodiacal constellations in classical usage (the 12 signs through which the sun and planets move). They were like 12 fortresses guarding the ecliptic. The Qur’an, using buruj might well include those. The zodiac constellations are tied to the Earth’s orbit and the ecliptic plane. While astrology is not endorsed, the existence of the zodiac signs is a factual description of the sky’s layout. In (Quran 15:16) and (Quran 25:61),
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجًۭا وَزَيَّنَّـٰهَا لِلنَّـٰظِرِينَ ١٦
"Indeed, we have placed constellations in the sky and adorned it for all to see."
[Surah A Hijr: Verse 16]
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجًۭا وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَٰجًۭا وَقَمَرًۭا مُّنِيرًۭا ٦١
"Blessed is the One Who has placed constellations in the sky, as well as a ˹radiant˺ lamp1 and a luminous moon."
[Surah Al Furqan: Verse 61]
we saw mention of constellations, too. Here, swearing by
them could also be seen as swearing by the order of the ecliptic and the
calendar. The zodiac “fortresses” divide the year into sections. This relates
to time-keeping – the surah might be linking cosmic order to moral order (time
will come for judgment, just as stars rise in their time).
Science of timekeeping
indeed used the zodiac; the sun’s apparent position among those constellations
told ancient people what time of year it was. Even today, astronomers refer to
coordinates by constellations (e.g., “in the constellation Virgo”). So the
sky’s division into constellations is a foundational part of how we
systematically understand the heavens – like addresses in the sky.
In conclusion, [Surah Al Buruj/85:1’s] oath captures the grandeur and reliability of the starry heavens. Scientifically, it highlights an aspect of nature – the patterned night sky – that has both aesthetic and practical import. It reminds us that humans throughout time have looked up and seen essentially the same constellations, drawing guidance and inspiration. That continuity connects us to our ancestors under the same sky. And in a way, it connects science to spirituality: when we map constellations or admire Hubble photos of star clusters, we’re engaging with those same “burūj,” fulfilling perhaps the call to reflect on the heavens as signs.
The oath by the constellations can be seen as God directing us: “Pay
attention to this magnificent celestial order, and realize the truth that
follows.” Modern science, by uncovering ever more about those stars
(their distances, energies, life cycles), only deepens that appreciation. It’s
as if the more we learn about the fortress of Orion – say, that its stars
include the red supergiant Betelgeuse and the bright blue Rigel, or that the
Orion Nebula within it is birthing new stars – the more awe we feel. That awe
can translate into stronger faith for believers or at least a sense of wonder
at existence for others.
As the Quran states elsewhere:
(Surah Al Buruj/85:13-14) and (Surah Al Buruj/86:1 verses-3):
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبْدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ ١٣وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلْوَدُودُ ١٤
"˹For˺ He is certainly the One Who originates and resurrects ˹all˺.And He is the All-Forgiving, All-Loving—."
[Surah Al Buruj: Verse 13-14]
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَشَاهِدٍۢ وَمَشْهُودٍۢ ٣
"and the witness and what is witnessed!1."
[Surah Al Furqan: Verse 3]
the same Lord of the starry sky can revive the
dead and knows every secret. Thus, the constellations serve as a cosmic
backdrop for the drama of human faith, reminding us that the God who
arranged the stars in recognizable patterns is fully capable of arranging
guidance and judgment in our lives, and that none of our deeds are lost in the
void – they’re all under the watchful “fortresses” of heaven, under God’s
command.
Conclusion:
Across
these verses we have journeyed through the Qur’an’s depiction of the natural
world – from the origin of the universe to the daily sunrise, from the
far-flung galaxies (heavens) to the water in a living cell, from the orbits of
stars to the moral orbit of human souls. The Qur’anic perspective is that the
entire cosmos is a tapestry of signs (āyāt): pointers to the Divine. We’ve
seen how remarkably many of these descriptions align with modern scientific
understanding – not in the sense of providing technical detail, but in
capturing the essence of phenomena that centuries later became
scientific truths (like the expansion of the universe or the concept of
universal natural laws. This convergence is not only intellectually satisfying
but spiritually enriching, inviting a posture of curiosity and humility.
For example, reflecting on:
[Surah Al Baqarah: Ayat 164]:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍۢ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍۢ وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَعْقِلُونَ ١٦٤
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth; the alternation of the day and the night; the ships that sail the sea for the benefit of humanity; the rain sent down by Allah from the skies, reviving the earth after its death; the scattering of all kinds of creatures throughout; the shifting of the winds; and the clouds drifting between the heavens and the earth—˹in all of this˺ are surely signs for people of understanding"
[Surah Al Baqarah: Ayat 164]
We appreciated how Earth’s systems sustain life; science detailed those systems and thereby amplified our awe and gratitude. In
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
أَوَلَمْ يَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًۭا فَفَتَقْنَـٰهُمَا ۖ وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ حَىٍّ ۖ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٣٠
"Do the disbelievers not realize that the heavens and earth were ˹once˺ one mass, then We split them apart? And We created from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?"
[Surah Al Anbiya: Ayat 30]
the Qur’an compelled us to consider a common origin of everything and life’s water foundation; cosmology and biology strongly echo these ideas. The orbital motions celebrated in [Surah Yassin: Ayat 38–40] and [Surah Ar Rahman: Ayat 5] :
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَٱلشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى لِمُسْتَقَرٍّۢ لَّهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ ٣٨وَٱلْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَـٰهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَٱلْعُرْجُونِ ٱلْقَدِيمِ ٣٩لَا ٱلشَّمْسُ يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدْرِكَ ٱلْقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيْلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّۭ فِى فَلَكٍۢ يَسْبَحُونَ ٤٠
[The sun travels for its fixed term. That is the design of the Almighty, All-Knowing.As for the moon, We have ordained ˹precise˺ phases for it, until it ˹appears˺ like an old, curved palm stalk. It is not for the sun to catch up with the moon,1 nor does the night outrun the day. Each is travelling in an orbit of their own.]
[Surah Yassin: Ayat 38–40]
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
ٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍۢ ٥
[The sun and the moon ˹travel˺ with precision]
[Surah Ar Rahman: Ayat 5]
we found to be precisely calculable – a fact that has allowed humanity to navigate and even send spacecraft to other planets using the “precise calculation” of celestial mechanics. The mention of “seven heavens and earths” in:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍۢ وَمِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ يَتَنَزَّلُ ٱلْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُنَّ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًۢا ١٢
[Allah is the One Who created seven heavens ˹in layers˺, and likewise for the earth. The ˹divine˺ command descends between them so you may know that Allah is Most Capable of everything and that Allah certainly encompasses all things in ˹His˺ knowledge.]
[Surah At Talaq/65: Ayat 12]
set the stage for thinking beyond our planet – and today we know countless planets exist. The concept that “the command of God” pervades all levels of the cosmos resonates with our discovery that one set of physical laws applies everywhere we look. And the foundational philosophical query in:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
أَمْ خُلِقُوا۟ مِنْ غَيْرِ شَىْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰلِقُونَ ٣٥أَمْ خَلَقُوا۟ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۚ بَل لَّا يُوقِنُونَ ٣٦
[Or were they created by nothing, or are they ˹their own˺ creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? In fact, they have no certainty.]
[Surah At Tur/52: Ayat35–36]
Created from nothing or themselves the creators?”) still stands at the border of science and metaphysics, pointing to a cause beyond the material domain.
What emerges is a picture of profound harmony between the Quranic worldview and the discoveries of science, when each is understood in its own lane. The Qur’an is not give scientific theory; it gives signs and purposes, but those signs often intersect with scientific truth, as if to say: Open your eyes, studying nature will reinforce what revelation is telling you. We saw that theme explicitly in verses like 3:191 (those who reflect on creation conclude it’s not aimless) and
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـٰهَا بِأَيْي۟دٍۢ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ ٤٧وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـٰهَا بِأَيْي۟دٍۢ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ ٤٧وَٱلْأَرْضَ فَرَشْنَـٰهَا فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَـٰهِدُونَ ٤٨
[We built the universe with ˹great˺ might, and We are certainly expanding ˹it˺. As for the earth, We spread it out. How superbly did We smooth it out!1And We created pairs of all things1 so perhaps you would be mindful.]
[Surah Adh Dhariyat/51: Ayat 47–49]
(the more we grasp cosmic expansion and pairing
in nature, the more we remember God’s wisdom). Throughout, the tone remained
one of awe, gratitude, and reflection.
In this spiritually
reflective scientific commentary, we repeatedly found that understanding the
science behind a verse’s imagery enhances the intended spiritual impact.
Knowing the size of the universe (2 trillion galaxies or more) makes “heavens
and earth were joined then split” even more staggering – thus “Will they not
then believe?” hits harder. Recognizing how crucial water’s properties are to
biochemistry makes “We made every living thing from water” an even more
humbling sign. Realizing the sun will indeed run out of fuel one day makes the
notion of it “running to an appointed term” very concrete – instilling trust
that this world is not forever, aligning with our moral sense that a higher end
awaits. Appreciating that the moon’s orbit keeps time and that gravity
invisibly supports the sky enriches our appreciation of verses about “the sky
raised without pillars” and the sun-moon in orbits by precise measure.
Conversely, the Qur’anic
perspective adds meaning and context to scientific facts. It urges us
not to stop at the mechanism but to see the significance: the
expansion of the universe isn’t just a mindless explosion – it’s an ongoing act
of divine might. The pairing in creation hints at a purposeful symmetry –
perhaps that we need companionship, we understand things by opposites, and
ultimately that everything contingent points to an Absolute beyond pairs (as
the Qur’an elsewhere says, “He is above having a partner or pair”). The stable
cycles of celestial bodies are not just happenstance but a stage set for humans
to develop rhythms of remembrance and gratitude (as 25:62 beautifully
indicated).
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةًۭ لِّمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَذَّكَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُكُورًۭا ٦٢
[And He is the One Who causes the day and the night to alternate, ˹as a sign˺ for whoever desires to be mindful or to be grateful.]
[Surah Al Furqan: Ayat 62]
In summary, through these
verses we’ve woven a tapestry where scriptural insights and scientific
knowledge illuminate each other. The Qur’anic verses invite us to a state
of dhikr (remembrance of God) and fikr (deep
thought) about the universe. Modern science provides an astounding amount of
material for that fikr, much of which strengthens the dhikr.
Far from being at odds, the two act like the pairs the Qur’an itself mentions –
complementary. The result for a reader is an enriched sense of awe (Arabic: taqwā often
begins with awe of God’s signs) and a deeper spiritual connection when
looking at a starry night or a sunrise or a glass of water. One begins to see
the “ayat” (signs) in the creation as clearly as the “ayat” of the Qur’an
recited.
We are thus invited to be,
in the Quranic phrase, “ʾulū l-albāb” – people of intellect
and core insight – who ponder creation and declare, “Our Lord, You have
not created this aimlessly! Exalted are You!” In doing so, we fulfill
the purpose of these verses: to cultivate a mindset that blends scientific
curiosity with spiritual humility, leading to an enduring sense of wonder,
responsibility, and closeness to the Creator of this magnificent cosmos. Each
new scientific discovery then doesn’t distance us from God but rather becomes
another “burj” – a towering fortress of evidence – testifying to His
glory.
“Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds” – indeed, whether in the glitter of a far galaxy or the quiet of a thoughtful heart, that Lord’s signs abound, awaiting our recognition and appreciation.
Epigraph سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِ We shall show
them Our signs in every region of the earth and in themselves, until it becomes
clear to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that your Lord witnesses
everything?
References:
QuranReflect
The Last Dialogue
Ibn Kathir. "Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Surah Al Buruj". Quran 4 U. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
Quran sura 85 at al-quran.infoQuran sura 85: see translations by Arberry, Pickthall, and Palmer
Wherry, Elwood Morris (1896). A Complete Index to Sale's Text, Preliminary Discourse, and Notes. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co. 
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain
Leaman, Oliver (2008). The Qur'an : an encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 346 (By Stefan Wild). ISBN 978-0-415-32639-1.
"Note: When mentioned Hasan al-Basri, he wrote الحسن Al-Hassan or الحسن البصري Al-Hassan al-Basri, and when he mentioned hassan ibn ali he wrote الحسن بن علي Al-Hassan ibn Ali". tafsir.app. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
Ibn Kathir. "Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English Translation)". QTafsir. Retrieved February 20, 202
