Sūrah 53 · Meccan

How Sūrah An-Najm was revealed.

Where and when it came down, what it teaches, and the hadith about it — all on one calm page.

Read An-Najm → The revelation story
Where revealed Meccan

Revealed in the Meccan period, before the migration to Madīnah.

Order of revelation #23

Its place in the traditional order in which the sūrahs were revealed.

Length 62 ayahs

3 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This uncompromising Makkan surah is dedicated to validating the Prophet Muḥammad’s (ﷺ) mission and the divine origin of the Quran against the polytheists. It establishes that the Prophet (ﷺ) speaks only through revelation, refutes shirk by denying the reality of idols and the claim that angels are Allah's daughters, and affirms the absolute certainty of the Resurrection and Recompense.

Themes and purpose:

This uncompromising Makkan surah is dedicated to validating the Prophet Muḥammad’s (ﷺ) mission and the divine origin of the Quran against the polytheists. It establishes that the Prophet (ﷺ) speaks only through revelation, refutes shirk by denying the reality of idols and the claim that angels are Allah's daughters, and affirms the absolute certainty of the Resurrection and Recompense.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan by unanimous agreement. The style, language, and subject matter firmly place it in the early period of confrontation.

Context: It was revealed in response to the polytheists claiming that the Prophet (ﷺ) fabricated the Quran. Its recitation culminated in the first public sajdah (prostration) performed by the Prophet (ﷺ), where even the polytheists nearby were overcome and prostrated with him.

Chronology: It is counted as the 23rd surah in the order of revelation.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known by "Sūrat al-Najm" and "Wa-al-Najm" (The Star) based on its opening words.

Ayah Count: 61 ayahs (Majority) or 62 (Kūfan).

Surah Overview:

  • Affirming the Prophet's (ﷺ) truthfulness and divine guidance, emphasizing that his words are not based on personal desire but pure revelation. [2-4]
  • Proving the divine source of the Quran through the powerful description of the Angel Gabriel’s descent and strength. [5-18]
  • Refuting Shirk: Denying the divinity and power of the idols (al-Lāt, al-ʿUzzā, Manāt) and invalidating the polytheists’ custom of naming angels as daughters of Allah. [19-27]
  • Warning those who speak of the Unseen based on mere conjecture rather than divine proof. [28]
  • Proving the Resurrection and the impending punishment for those who denied the former messengers. [43-56]
  • Consoling the Prophet (ﷺ) and establishing that his message encompasses the core truths found in the scriptures of previous prophets (Moses and Abraham). [36-54]
  • Concluding with a command to prostrate to Allah and worship Him. [62]

Sūrah background — via the Quran Foundation Content API. Shown as supplied by the provider. We do not edit, summarise or generate it.

Hadith about this sūrah

What the hadith say.

These 7 narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī are connected to specific āyāt of this sūrah — a linkage reviewed by the Quran Foundation. Open any one to read it in full, in Arabic and English.

  1. Relates to āyah8–9
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3235

    حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ بْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ الأَشْوَعِ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ فَأَيْنَ قَوْلُهُ ‏﴿‏ثُمَّ دَنَا فَتَدَلَّى * فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى‏﴾‏ قَالَتْ ذَاكَ جِبْرِيلُ كَانَ يَأْتِيهِ فِي صُورَةِ الرَّجُلِ، وَإِنَّهُ أَتَاهُ هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ فِي صُورَتِهِ الَّتِي هِيَ صُورَتُهُ، فَسَدَّ الأُفُقَ‏.‏

    Narrated Masruq: I asked Aisha "What about His Statement:-- "Then he (Gabriel) approached And came closer, And was at a distance Of but two bow-lengths Or (even) nearer?" (53.8-9) She replied, "It was Gabriel who used to come to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the figure of a man, but on that occasion, he came in his actual and real figure and (he was so huge) that he covered the whole horizon."

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  2. Relates to āyah9–10
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3232

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ زِرَّ بْنَ حُبَيْشٍ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ، تَعَالَى ‏﴿‏فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى * فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى‏﴾‏‏.‏ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ رَأَى جِبْرِيلَ لَهُ سِتُّمِائَةِ جَنَاحٍ‏.‏

    Narrated Abu 'Is-haq-Ash-Shaibani: I asked Zir bin Hubaish regarding the Statement of Allah: "And was at a distance Of but two bowlengths Or (even) nearer; So did (Allah) convey The Inspiration to His slave (Gabriel) and then he (Gabriel) Conveyed (that to Muhammad). (53.9-10) On that, Zir said, "Ibn Mas`ud informed us that the Prophet (ﷺ) had seen Gabriel having 600 wings."

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4856

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زِرًّا، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، ‏﴿‏فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى * فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى‏﴾‏ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّهُ رَأَى جِبْرِيلَ لَهُ سِتُّمِائَةِ جَنَاحٍ‏.‏

    Narrated `Abdullah: Regarding the Verses: 'And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer; So did (Allah) convey the Inspiration to His slave (Gabriel) and then he Gabriel) conveyed (that to Muhammad...' (53.9-10) Ibn Mas`ud narrated to us that the Prophet (ﷺ) had seen Gabriel with six hundred wings.

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4857

    حَدَّثَنَا طَلْقُ بْنُ غَنَّامٍ، حَدَّثَنَا زَائِدَةُ، عَنِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ زِرًّا عَنْ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى ‏﴿‏فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى * فَأَوْحَى إِلَى عَبْدِهِ مَا أَوْحَى‏﴾‏ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم رَأَى جِبْرِيلَ لَهُ سِتُّمِائَةِ جَنَاحٍ‏.‏

    Narrated Ash-Shaibani: I asked Zirr about the Statement of Allah: 'And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer. So did Allah convey the Inspiration to His slave (Gabriel) and then he (Gabriel) conveyed that to Muhammad.' (53.10) He said, "Abdullah (bin Mas`ud) informed us that Muhammad had seen Gabriel with six hundred wings."

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  3. Relates to āyah18
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3233

    حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه – ‏﴿‏لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى‏﴾‏ قَالَ رَأَى رَفْرَفًا أَخْضَرَ سَدَّ أُفُقَ السَّمَاءِ‏.‏

    Narrated `Abdullah: Regarding the Verse: "Indeed he (Muhammad) did see. Of the Signs of his Lord, The Greatest!" (53.18) That the Prophet (ﷺ) had seen a green carpet spread all over the horizon of the sky.

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4858

    حَدَّثَنَا قَبِيصَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه – ‏﴿‏لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى‏﴾‏ قَالَ رَأَى رَفْرَفًا أَخْضَرَ قَدْ سَدَّ الأُفُقَ‏.‏

    Narrated `Abdullah: (regarding the revelation) Truly he (Muhammad) did see of the signs of his Lord; the Greatest!' (53.18) The Prophet (ﷺ) saw a green screen covering the horizon.

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The link between each āyah and these narrations is the Quran Foundation's reviewed reference map. The wording is reproduced verbatim from a public-domain edition of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is not edited, summarised or generated; every narration also opens at Sunnah.com so it can be checked against another copy.

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