When the Stars are Dimmed (Surah 81:2)

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Blessing and peace be upon you, my master, Apostle of God!

And upon your family and your companions, my master, Apostle of God!

May my father and mother be sacrificed for your sake, Apostle of God!

Allah جلّ جلاله says:

وَاِذَا النُّجُوۡمُ انۡکَدَرَتۡ

And when the stars are dimmed

(Surah 81, Ayah 2)

فَاِذَا النُّجُوۡمُ طُمِسَتۡ

And when the stars are dimmed

(Surah 77, Ayah 8)

*Surah 77:8 may also be translated: “And when the stars are obliterated”

This apocalyptic prophecy in the Holy Quran should be properly understood by referring also to similar statements in other heavenly Scriptures. In the Book of Joel, attributed to the Prophet Joel: “The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining” (Joel 2:10), “The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining” (Joel 3:15) and Jesus Christ is quoted as saying “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matthew 24:29), “And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken” (Mark 13:25)

According to some of the Mufassirin, like Ibnu Zayd, the meaning of this Ayah is that the stars shall be thrown down from the sky to the Earth:

رمي بها من السماء إلى الأرض

(Tafsir Ibn Jarir)

This is mirrored in the Christian Book of Revelation: “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” (Revelation 6:12-14, KJV)

Many of these things are mentioned in the Holy Quran:

A great earthquake:

إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا

And when the Earth is shaken with her shaking

(Surah 99, Ayah 1)

*It should be noted that in religious terminology “quakes” usually refer to political turbulence. The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said concerning the land of Najd:

هُنَاكَ الزَّلاَزِلُ وَالْفِتَنُ وَبِهَا يَطْلُعُ قَرْنُ الشَّيْطَانِ

There are earthquakes and tribulations, and from it rises the Horn of Satan (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The sun becoming dark:

اِذَا الشَّمۡسُ کُوِّرَتۡ

When the sun is wrapped up

(Surah 81, Ayah 1)

The blood moon eclipse:

وَخَسَفَ الۡقَمَرُ

And the moon is eclipsed

(Surah 75, Ayah 8)

The heaven being rolled up like a scroll:

یَوۡمَ نَطۡوِی السَّمَآءَ کَطَیِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلۡکُتُبِ

The Day when We shall roll up the Heavens like the rolling up of written scrolls

(Surah 21, Ayah 104)

The mountains moved from their places

وَاِذَا الۡجِبَالُ سُیِّرَتۡ

And when the mountains are made to move

(Surah 81, Ayah 3)

*See also Surah 20:105; 52:10; 56:5; 70:9; 73:14; 77:10; 78:20; 101:5

Returning to the subject of the stars becoming dim, that is being diminished in their luminosity, this should be understood as literally occurring as a Sign of the Apocalypse, the Final Judgment. Jesus is quoted as saying: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25)

The general summary we can derive from the apocalyptic narrative in the Holy Quran concerning the darkening of the sun, moon and stars is that these shall literally be perceived in the End Times. They shall serve as celestial signs concerning the nearness of the End. If these prophecies have a dual meaning they may be understood as referring also to the significant reduction of saints and pious Believers in this world who serve as stars through whom Allah guides the people and brightens this place with their presence. It may refer to the fall or death of the Angels or Angelic forces and figures. Other apocalyptic language concerning the earthquakes, shifting and annihilation of mountains surely refers to political upheaval and the destruction of once large and mighty nations. Allah knows best!