By the star when it falls

The word najm (star) is closely tied to the angel who brought revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him), or to the Quran itself. The point is that this angel, or the Quran, is bright and gives light like a star. For one of the meanings of najm is “a portion of the Quranic revelation sent down at one time.”

The word ‎هَوَىٰ‎ in Arabic carries a dual meaning that’s crucial to understanding this ayah. It means both “to fall” and “to desire.”

The verb is typically used for something falling from a very high place in the atmosphere, particularly stars falling from the sky.

This connection between falling and desire isn’t coincidental. In some pagan cultures, falling stars were associated with wishes and omens.

The mushrikeen of Arabia paid particular attention to the stars because they used them to navigate during their night journeys through the desert. When they observed a star falling, they saw it as an omen.

Some believed the Prophet (peace be upon him) was like a fortuneteller or astrologer, someone who received information by studying the stars, perhaps through jinn who they thought controlled the stars.

But for those familiar with the Quran’s broader message, this oath carries deeper significance. The shooting star is actually a reminder of how well-protected divine revelation is.

When angels deliver any important information from the heavens (not just revelation, but any command to be executed on Earth) and a shaytan tries to overhear even a single word, he is shot down by these very stars.

This is the reality happening in the sky that Allah swears by, using it as proof for what comes next.