The main task for everyone in life is to differentiate between truth and falsehood and ultimately choose truth while avoiding falsehood. This is humanity’s raison d’être. Everything else is secondary and should serve the purpose of embracing and living the truth.

Islam is that truth. One of the main objectives of the Qur’an, as the Word of God, is to present, explain, and guide towards the paths that lead to truth. Each surah (chapter) of the Qur’an does so in its unique way. This article discusses the distinctive case of Surah al-Najm.

The chapter is named al-Najm, which translates to "The Star," and in the first verse, Allah swears by the Star as it descends or goes down. This sets the tone for the main themes of the chapter.

Allah seldom swears in the Qur’an to affirm the prophethood of the final Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). As Fakhruddin al-Razi explained, the authenticity of Muhammad’s prophethood was self-evident. His exemplary behavior, the reasonableness, and the results of his message were clear for all to see. When Allah swears in this chapter, the importance of the chapter’s content becomes readily apparent.

Moreover, one interpretation of the word "najm" is "installment." Some commentators suggest that in this context, the term refers to the Qur’an instead of a star. They argue that the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet gradually, in installments.

Therefore, unlike most English translations of the Qur’an that render the first verse of the chapter as "By the Star when it goes down (descends)," Muhammad Asad translated it as "Consider this unfolding of God’s message as it comes down from on high!"

The phrase "coming down from on high" signifies the divine origin of the Qur’an, highlighting its infallible and permanent nature. Conversely, interpreting the first verse as the star descending or disappearing suggests that all false alternatives to truth, linked in some way to the sky and celestial bodies through conjecture and superstition, will inevitably be exposed and fade away, similar to how planetary bodies regularly disappear.

Ways to Know Truth

There are two ways to determine truth: by verifying its sources and assessing its effects. The al-Najm chapter aims to ascertain truth and expose falsehood, hence its emphasis on this dual aspect of truth.

Regarding the source, Allah emphasizes that the source of Islam, the ultimate truth, is Himself. The angel Jibril (Gabriel) has been entrusted with delivering it to the Prophet, along with Allah's direct revelations to him.

Therefore, Islam showcases the best, represented by the truth of Islam as revealed through the best in heaven, Jibril, to the best on earth, Prophet Muhammad. This is why the essence of Islam is seen as trust (amanah), with Jibril known as al-amin (trustworthy), and Muhammad also referred to as al-amin (trustworthy).

The message conveyed is that Islam is not a befuddling and abstract philosophy, nor a belief created based on personal interests, fantasies, or desires. Instead, Islam is a comprehensive and practical way of life, bestowed by the Creator of life, who continues to govern it according to the highest standards of meaning, virtue, and consequentiality.

Accordingly, if man has been created in the image of the Almighty Allah (Sahih Muslim), then the righteousness of life on earth is a reflection of the righteousness in heaven. The axes between the physical and metaphysical levels of reality, as well as between this world and the afterlife, are as actual as the pressing needs necessitating them.

The concept of prophethood, reaching its peak with Prophet Muhammad as the final prophet, is a clear demonstration of the significant influence these axes possess and how they can shape life on earth.

Due to these considerations, the al-Najm chapter makes it clear that the Prophet is neither astray nor being misled. His words and actions were inspired and not based on his own desires. The Qur’an is considered Allah's sacred message revealed to the Prophet through Jibril, who is powerful, sound, wise, and taught the Prophet about it (al-Najm 2-6).

The Prophet, chosen and prepared by Allah, possessed similar qualities in the earthly realm, enabling him to be fully aware of what was going on. Mentally and spiritually, he was well-equipped for the responsibilities at hand.

The Prophet had the chance to see Jibril twice in his true form. The first encounter was during the initial revelation in the Cave Hira, and the second was during the Prophet’s ascension into heaven (mi’raj).

These two events marked the closest connection between the earthly and spiritual realms, underscoring the profound link between them. The chapter emphasizes that in the Cave Hira, the Prophet’s perception remained true to what he saw (al-Najm 11), and during the mi’raj, his vision remained steadfast, beholding the greatest signs of his Lord (al-Najm 11, 17-18).

During the Cave Hira episode, the Prophet mentioned that Jibril squeezed him so tightly a couple of times that he felt like he was about to die. This was to assure the Prophet that the events were real and weighty, not a mirage, dream, or product of his imagination. Equally important and real are the jurisdictions of spirit and matter, working together harmoniously.

Ways to Know Falsehood

The al-Najm chapter also exposes the ways by which falsehood and its people can be identified. Here, too, the focus is on the sources, performance, and effects. Admittedly, the discourse on falsehood is more comprehensive, given that while truth is plain and undeniable, falsehood is often shrouded in duplicity and fraud, making its true nature difficult to grasp. To deceive people into embracing falsehood, it is masked and presented as something appealing.

The chapter emphasizes that the statements made by non-believers, who reject truth and promote fraudulent alternatives, are rooted in ignorance, speculation, and personal biases.

Allah says: "They (non-believers’ false deities) are not but (mere) names you have named them – you and your forefathers – for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what (their) souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance" (al-Najm 23).

Also: "And they have no knowledge (about the metaphysical realm). They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all" (al-Najm 28).

Having rejected the prospect of seeking truth and honoring the Creator, non-believers cut off all ties with the fundamental sources of existence and truth. Consequently, when faced with the compelling existence of the spiritual aspect of life, they find themselves lost in skepticism, speculation, relativism, and self-centeredness.

Their level is low, scope of operation narrow, and vision myopic. They rejected the Prophet because they could not bridge the gap between him and themselves. They spoke different languages and viewed the same things from different vantage points. While the Prophet’s case was universal and all-inclusive, theirs was one-dimensional and prejudiced.

The Qur’an reminds non-believers that they were not on equal footing with the Prophet: "What! Do you then dispute with him as to what he saw?" (al-Najm 12). Their entire case, in trying to rival the Prophet, was merely wishful thinking, whereas humanity can never have everything it wishes or hankers after (al-Najm 24).

Being without reliable sources and unsubstantiated, the followers of falsehood have nothing solid to rely on, resulting in poor performance and ultimately poor outcomes. Just like the followers of truth, the followers of falsehood can be recognized by their fruits, or lack thereof. Their individual and collective legacies communicate on their behalf.

Their similarity is comparable to a bad tree lacking strong roots and useful fruits, making their existence insignificant and artificial according to the standards of the higher ontological order: "And the example of a bad word (falsehood) is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, not having any stability" (Ibrahim 26).

Whereas the example of truth (a good word) is likened to a good tree: "Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, (making) a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches (high) in the sky? It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Lord. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded" (Ibrahim 24-25).

The Paradoxical Behavioral Patterns of the Followers of Falsehood

The al-Najm chapter enumerates some paradoxical behavioral patterns of the followers of falsehood, arising from their degenerate foundations. Such patterns cannot be associated with truth, which is grounded in rationality, common sense, and propriety. They can only be associated with those who have lost these qualities.

First, looking down on female children and favoring the male, non-believers ascribed to Allah the former and to themselves the latter. Allah reminded them: "That, then, is an unjust division" (al-Najm 21-22).

Second, they also held that the angels were female and considered them to be Allah’s daughters (al-Najm 27). They desired for Allah what they disliked for themselves.

Third, non-believers were unenlightened, materialistic, pleasure-seeking, selfish, and greedy, lacking any internal moral compass to steer them away from such vices (al-Najm 28-35).

Their self-generated proclivity draws them ever closer to transgressions, impacting not only themselves but also those around them. Their denial of the Day of Reckoning and deficiency in moral direction led to inexplicably unaccountable behavior.

Fourth, non-believers fail to realize that the truth revealed to Prophet Muhammad was also revealed to earlier prophets. Muhammad was just one of the many warners throughout history (al-Najm 36-37, 56).

Fifth, impaired by their falsehood, non-believers spend their time in vanities, centering their entire civilizational efforts around them. Their limited understanding prevents them from recognizing consistent and logical patterns in history, nature, and society, and how they fit into these patterns. They fail to realize that it is now their moment to either succeed or fail, and to build or destroy in the arena of civilization-making.

No matter what happens, everybody will be responsible exclusively for what they have done. No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another; a person can have nothing but what he strives for; the fruit of every person’s striving will soon be seen, for which he will be recompensed with the fullest recompense (al-Najm 38-42).

Regarding both truth and falsehood, the final goal is Allah, when all will be able to see with the eye of certainty. The belated realization and conviction of falsehood’s blind and ignorant followers in this world will avail them nothing on the Day of Judgment except shameful self-reproach and bitter regrets.

"The Approaching Day (of Judgment) has approached. None besides Allah can avert it, (or advance it, or delay it). Do you then wonder at this recital (the Qur’an)? And you laugh at it and weep not" (al-Najm 57-60).

Lastly, there are even reports of Jesus expressing a similar sentiment: "Beware of false prophets (all sorts of charlatans, impostors, dogmatists, delusionists, and so-called influencers) who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:15-20).