31. Teacher's Book Surah Al-Buruj

Surah al-Buruj Overview. Surah al-Buruj was revealed in Makkah. It was revealed when Muslims were experiencing their worst oppression by the unbelievers. Hence, this surah was revealed to re-strengthen the faith of the believers so that they will remain patient with Allah’s plans. It is also a guarantee that His aids will eventually arrive. “al-Buruj” means constellation, referring to the stars that make up patterns in the sky. Aside from strengthening the faith of the believers, this surah also brings yet some new arguments to be presented to the unbelievers about the sure coming of the Day of Judgment. And that Allah is the sole Owner of the universe. These arguments are based on the natural phenomena that play their roles as God’s witness, just like in Surah al-Inshiqaq and al-Tariq. This surah begins by taking an oath on the sky and the countless constellations found in it. And then Allah takes an oath on the coming of the promised Day of Judgment and the witnesses involved. Next, Allah opens the topic on the fate of the early Muslims and compares it with the fate of the believers in the past. They are the “Ashab al-Ukhdud”, who experienced far worse oppression than the current Muslims. At the same time, this mentioning is to make the unbelievers aware of their evil deeds, which is them oppressing the Muslims. Then, Allah describes the punishments that befall the unbelieving oppressors who mistreated the weak Muslims just because they believe in Allah as the only Master worthy of respect and worship. With the promise of punishment for the unbelievers, it also serves as a guarantee that the Muslims will not be left unavenged. Just as the oppressors of the past were punished for their oppression, so, too, the unbelievers among the people of Quraysh will receive the same fate. And just as the believers in the past were rewarded for their patience, so, too Muslims in Makkah will be rewarded infinitely.

And, as a conclusion, Allah reminds both of the groups - be it the believers or the non-believers - that Allah is the only one powerful enough to do whatever He pleases. And that the message contained in the Quran is not merely small talk. Surah al-Buruj is related to Surah al-Inshiqaq in that both surahs use the sky and its contents as an argument for the surety of the Day of Judgment. And it is also related to Surah al-Tariq by also being an argument for the Day of Judgment. Besides that, both surah al-Tariq and al-Buruj describe the Quran as being serious and not just small talk. 1. Allah Takes an Oath by the Sky and the Constellations. “Demi langit yang mempunyai gugusan bintang-bintang;” Allah begins by taking an oath on the stars that are arranged such that they exhibit patterns that can guide travellers at night. These arranged stars are known as “constellations” (buruj). In this verse, Allah takes an oath on the sky that contains constellations. The word “dhati” refers to ownership, where the sky is referred to as owning the constellations. In reality, the underlying message that Allah wants to get across is His ownership of everything whether they are animate or inanimate, including humans who always think that they own themselves. Therefore, the beginning of the surah is to remind humans that absolute ownership belongs only to Allah. And He is not responsible for doing any favour to anyone, according to human whims. 2. The Promised Day of Judgment. “Dan hari (pembalasan) yang dijanjikan;” Aside from the theme of ownership, Allah also mentions the objects of nature as witnesses. They are witnesses to the matter that Allah intends to bring up, which is on the promised (maw’ud) Day of Judgment. Therefore, in this surah, the witnesses are the constellations.

3. All of Creation as Witnesses. “Dan makhluk-makhluk yang hadir menyaksikan hari itu, serta segala keadaan yang disaksikan;” And on that day, everything and everyone will be witnesses to the reality of that Day. No one will ever doubt it anymore. Also, on that day, everything and everyone will be a witness to the things that occurred in this world, including human deeds. All the angels, stars, planets, skies, and the Earth - and even humans themselves - are witnesses to human evil deeds. 4. The People of the Pit. “Telah terbunuh ahli parit” The people of the pit (Ashab al-Ukhdud) mentioned in this verse refers to two groups: the oppressors and the oppressed. In Arabic, when a person is nicknamed the “ashab” of something, it refers to the thing for which the person is well-known. For example, “Ashab al-Kahfi” refers to a group of young men who slept in a cave for hundreds of years. Hence, “Ashab al-Ukhdud” is known for the event of the pit, which was dug by the order of a cruel king to punish his people. His people refused to worship him because they believed in Allah. Why did Allah mention this example? This is to give a picture to Muslims of the kind of punishment that was experienced by these people. It is also a reminder that this kind of fate is usual for those who choose to believe in Allah. Therefore, Muslims must be patient just as the ancient people once endured their tests. But this does not mean that they should not do anything. Instead, Allah has outlined His plans for them, and they must endure until His plans are in motion. Besides that, this example is also presented to the unbelievers to point out the similar punishment that they will receive for oppressing the Muslims.

Then, “qutila” can mean the believers who are killed, but it can also mean a curse on the people who oppress the Muslims. And this fact must be understood in tandem with the theme of Allah’s ownership. Therefore, we must surrender our fate to Allah unquestioningly. 5. Pit of Fire. “(Parit) api yang penuh dengan bahan bakaran,” And the pit contains fuel for the fire. But the fuel referred to in this verse is not firewood or oil, but humans. Thus, the fire is not easily extinguishable. It continuously burned the believers. Such is the visual imagery of the oppression that was done towards the Muslims. Moreover, this verse also refers to the unbelievers. The fire that they used to kill the Muslims will be the same fire that will burn them in the hereafter. 6. Sitting Around the Pit. “(Mereka dilaknat) ketika mereka duduk di kelilingnya,” Worse, the unbelievers not only threw the believers into the pit, bu they also sat and watched their suffering as if it was entertainment for them. The word “qu’ud” means to sit and to watch until the end. And they gathered around it, watching innocent people getting burned as if it was a festival. Again, this verse also refers to two groups: the oppressors and the oppressed. When referring to the believers, the word “qu’ud” means the believers were sitting in the fire, trapped and cannot escape. 7. The Unbelievers Loved to Oppress the Believers. “Sambil mereka melihat apa yang mereka lakukan kepada orang-orang yang beriman.” Thus, they are witnesses to the things they themselves did to the believers. The word “yaf’alun” refers to an action that is done without thinking about its consequences.

This fits the kind of activity that they did. They did not think that their oppression will be avenged by none other than Allah Himself. This also shows that, for the unbelievers, the value of the lives of the believers are of no worth, to the extent that they did not even feel guilty for doing such evil. These people are truly wicked. And again, they are not only witnesses to the event, but also to their own crimes. 8. The Unbelievers are Full of Hatred. “Dan mereka tidak marah dan menyeksakan orang-orang yang beriman itu melainkan kerana orang-orang itu beriman kepada Allah Yang Maha Kuasa, lagi Maha Terpuji!” These unbelievers are very wicked. They hated the believers without any acceptable reasons. “Naqamu’ means to hate someone with any reason and to plan something bad out of the hatred. Even though there are a lot of good things, they always manage to point out the few bad things and make it a reason for hatred. In this matter, they hated the believers because they believe in Allah. And even though the believers are good people, they hated them all the same. But why did they hate the believers so much? Because the believers were not only believing in any kind of God, but the One that is the Most Powerful and the Most Majestic. “al-Aziz’ means the highest authority, whereas “al-Hamid’ means the one who is worthy of all praises. The believers not only viewed Allah as the highest authority but also realized that they belong to Allah. And this awareness obligated them to be grateful and surrender themselves to none other than Him. This kind of belief directly challenges the status quo of the unbelievers who considered themselves to be the highest authority and the masters of all people. There, a belief in something that challenges them sowed unbearable hatred in their hearts. 9. Everything Belongs to Allah.

“Tuhan yang menguasai segala alam langit dan bumi. Dan (ingatlah), Allah sentiasa menyaksikan tiap-tiap sesuatu.” And this All-Powerful God is beyond their power. While the power that they had are only on people, Allah’s power engulfs the whole universe, including them and the hearts of humans which He instilled with belief. This kind of ownership belongs only to Allah. This kind of power scared the unbelievers. And this fear was translated into their acts of hatred and anger towards the Muslims. Therefore, Allah warns them. Because the whole universe belongs to Him, hence He watches everything that happens - visible and invisible. He saw the things that they did outwardly and the fear, anger, and hatred that they hid in their hearts. 10. The Punishment for Oppression. “Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang menimpakan bencana untuk memesongkan orang-orang lelaki yang beriman dan orang-orang perempuan yang beriman, kemudian mereka tidak bertaubat, maka mereka akan beroleh azab neraka Jahannam, dan mereka akan beroleh lagi azab api yang kuat membakar.” These are the people who have imposed a “fitnah” upon the believers. The word “fitnah” refers to tests that are given to believers to gauge the strength of their faith. Therefore, the unbelievers were giving them tests so that they will abandon their faith. However, Allah describes that these people stayed true to the path of faith, by describing them with the word “al-mu’minun” and “al-mu’minat’, referring to the oppressed people. In Arabic, nouns ascribe to the people described by the word with the qualities contained in the word continuously. This reflects the unwavering faith of the believers. So, what will be the fate of the oppressors? Initially, they will be given the opportunity to repent in this world. However, if they still refused to repent (thumma lam yatubu), then they will be given two types of punishment: “Azab Jahannam” dan

“Azab al-Hariq”, where they will be the fuel for the fire intended as their punishment. While in other levels of Hell, the fire is the punishment, and the fuel is other objects, in this level, being the fuel is itself a punishment. 11. The Success of the Believers. “Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal soleh, mereka akan beroleh Syurga yang mengalir di bawahnya beberapa sungai; yang demikian itu ialah kemenangan yang besar.” As for the believers, Allah provided them with Heaven. Underneath it, rivers of various kinds flow without stop. In the previous verses, the punishments that are given to the unbelievers are due to their disobedience. However, Heaven is not bestowed because of obedience or faith. Instead, it is a gesture of mercy from Allah. This is because no amount of deeds can qualify anyone for Heaven. In fact, not even our faith is because of our volition, but due to Allah’s mercy. Again, the theme of ownership is clearly at play here. If that is the case, then what are our entire deeds for? All those are so that our Owner loves us, His belongings and, consequently, takes care of us and destines us with a good fate - in this world and the next. We are like someone who is desperate to attract the love of our lover, so that the lover will see us, attend to us, and take care of us in his/her care. In this case, the lover is Allah. And when His love is acquired, verily that is the highest success. 12. Allah’s Punishment is Very Severe. “Sesungguhnya azab Tuhanmu amatlah berat.” At this point, all the advice intended for the believers transitioned towards the threats for the unbelievers. Although rewards are guaranteed for them, the injustices done upon them are not yet addressed. So, Allah gives them a guarantee that He will not leave His beloved servants in misfortune for long.

He will avenge on their behalf for the injustices that they have suffered from. And when Allah avenges, He avenges without repress (lashadid). His grip is severe and is not loose. Nothing escapes His grip. 13. Allah is Able to Create Repetitively. “Sesungguhnya Dia-lah yang menciptakan (sekalian makhluk) pada mulanya, dan yang mengembalikannya (hidup semula sesudah mati).” Having heard this threat, the unbelievers started to question in their hearts: “Can Allah really do that? Can He bring the dead back alive and punish them?” According to them, after death there is nothing. Their bodies will be destroyed already. So, how can something already destroyed be punished? So, Allah emphasizes again that He is the one who created them the first time. Therefore, it is not a problem at all for Him to repeat the process endlessly. 14. Allah the Forgiver. “Dan Dia lah yang Maha Pengampun, lagi Maha Pengasih.” Nevertheless, if a person repented, then he can have the chance to redeem himself before Allah. And He is also the Most Compassionate. He does not punish without valid reasons. In fact, He only punishes the sinners if they are so stubborn not to abandon their wicked ways. Furthermore, He created sufferings in this world to wash away the sins of believers if they are patient. This is all to show that Allah loves His servants deeply. 15. The Magnificent Arash. “Tuhan yang mempunyai Arasy yang tinggi kemuliaannya,” And from whom does this love come? It comes from Allah, the owner of the Majestic Arash. Which means that this love is of higher prestige. And if this love comes from this degree, then no degree of misfortune can take away the blessings in it. Allah

Himself is the Sovereign of the universe. No rebels can escape His wrath, and no threat can overcome His protection. 16. Allah is Free to Do Anything. “Yang berkuasa melakukan segala yang dikehendakinya.” No one in this world can prevent Him from realizing His will. “Fa’al” means to do something multiple times. This means that no matter how many times He wants to do it, His will always prevails. 17. Reports on the Ancient Peoples. “Sudahkah sampai kepadamu perihal (kebinasaan yang telah menimpa) kaum-kaum yang menentang?” This verse is intended for those who, in their arrogance, rebelled against Allah on His Earth. They are warned as if to say: “Don’t you know the consequences of those wicked men who had bigger armies and were more powerful than you?” Allah has already destroyed the people who were stronger than the Arabs. And He did so without requiring any armies at all. He only sent some winds, small animals, water, and others. So, what makes the Arabs think that they could endure His punishments? 18. The People of Firaun and Thamud. “(Mereka itu ialah kaum) Firaun, dan Thamud (kaum Nabi Soleh).” The ancient people referred to were Firaun and the people of Thamud. They were two of the strongest humans ever lived and the most disobedient. 19. Drowned in Unbelief. “Bahkan orang-orang yang kafir itu terus tenggelam dalam keadaan mendustakan kebenaran;” Nothing prevented them from believing in Allah except for their own arrogance which drowned them in unbelief. They already understood the truth of the Quran, yet

they were too snobbish to acknowledge it. What contributed to this condition? They were surrounded by people who gave them bad counsel, and they did not want to mingle with good people. That is why they were trapped in their misguidance. 20. Allah Overpowers Them. “Sedang Allah, dari belakang mereka, melingkungi mereka (dengan kekuasaanNya)!” While they engulfed themselves with lies, Allah engulfed them with His power and dominance. 21. The Noble Quran. “(Sebenarnya apa yang engkau sampaikan kepada mereka bukanlah syair atau sihir), bahkan ialah Al-Quran yang tertinggi kemuliaannya;” And what is conveyed in the Quran is not something imperfect, containing blemishes here and there. But its message did not penetrate their hearts because of their own ignorance. No matter how they deny and defy it, the Quran’s perfection is not in any way tarnished. 22. Lawh Mahfuz, the Origin of the Quran. “(Lagi yang terpelihara dengan sebaik-baiknya) pada Lauh Mahfuz.” That is, the writings in the Quran cannot be deleted, altered, or manipulated. Its contents are recorded in the Preserved Tablet, which is incorruptible in any way. whatsoever. Whatever is written there will become a reality. Even when the whole universe conspired against its predetermination and the coming of the Day of Judgment, they can never stop it. The Quran is the source of strength for the believers. Because they believed, therefore they were oppressed. But because they believed also, therefore they were strong with the guidance of the Quran.

Summary Surah al-Buruj tells the story of Ashab al-Ukhdud to be a source of motivation for the oppressed Muslims and a guaranteed threat upon those who oppressed them.