Al-Burûj (Surah 85)

Introduction

The beginning of this Meccan sûrah condemns the persecution of the Christians of Najrân (a city on the border of Yemen and Saudi Arabia) at the hands of the pagans around 524 C.E. The tyrants are warned of the torment of burning, whereas the believers are promised a great reward in Paradise. Both this sûrah and the next swear by the towering sky, emphasize Allah’s infinite power, pose a warning to the evildoers, and stress the divinity of the Quran. In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful