Surah Al-Mulk 67:5
سُورَةُ المُلۡكِ · Meccan · Verse 5 of 30
وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًۭا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ
Translation
We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and made them [missiles] for stoning devils for whom We have also prepared the torment of a blazing fire.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
'We adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils.' al-Biqa'i and Ibn Ashur note the double role in one breath: the very same stars are beauty for those who gaze up and a guard against what would corrupt the unseen. Without them, al-Saadi says, the sky would be a dark, featureless ceiling, Allah made it both lovely and protective. Ask yourself: I tend to split the world into things that are beautiful and things that are useful. Here one creation is both, adornment and defence from a single hand. Where in my life is His care working as beauty and protection at once, without my ever noticing?
Grounded in classical tafsir: al-Biqa'i, Ibn Ashur, al-Saadi.
Wording
This verse, a powerful declaration from Allah, draws our attention to the wonders of creation, specifically the heavens, and subtly unveils layers of divine purpose and justice within their intricate design. It speaks directly about Allah's actions and His prepared consequences for the devils (Shayatin).
The Lower Heavens: A Beautiful Display
The verse begins with the emphatic phrase, وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (And We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps). The initial وَلَقَدْ (wa laqad) is a strong affirmation, signaling a truth that is firmly established and undeniable, as Ibn Ashur notes. Allah is not merely stating a fact; He is emphasizing its profound certainty. The word زَيَّنَّا (zayyanā), meaning "We adorned" or "We beautified," highlights Allah's deliberate act of making the heavens not just functional, but also aesthetically pleasing. It's an act of grace, integrating beauty into the very fabric of existence, for our appreciation.
The ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا (as-Samā' ad-Dunyā) refers to the lowest heaven, the one nearest to us and visible to our eyes, as explained by al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi. What adorns this closest heaven? بِمَصَٰبِيحَ (bi-masābīḥ) – "with lamps." This is a beautiful, eloquent simile, as Ibn Ashur points out, comparing the stars to bright, illuminating lamps. The use of the indefinite "lamps" (rather than "the lamps") implies their immense splendor and countless nature, like magnificent, unnamed gems.
A Protective Barrier
Following this description of beauty, Allah reveals another profound function: وَجَعَلْنَٰهَا رُجُومًۭا لِّلشَّيَٰطِينِ (And We made them projectiles for the devils). The pronoun "them" (هَا) here refers back to these very "lamps," the stars. However, as scholars like al-Zamakhshari and al-Razi clarify, it's not the stars themselves that are thrown, but rather fiery sparks, or meteors (شهب, shuhub), that detach from them. The word رُجُومًۭا (rujūman), meaning "projectiles" or "means of stoning," indicates these fiery objects are used to strike the devils (الشَّيَاطِينِ) when they try to eavesdrop on divine matters in the heavens. This reveals a hidden aspect of the night sky's beauty – it serves as a protective barrier against unseen malevolent forces.
The Ultimate Consequence
Finally, the verse concludes with a stark warning: وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ (And We have prepared for them the torment of the Blazing Fire). The word أَعْتَدْنَا (a'tadnā) means "We have made ready" or "We have prepared in advance." This emphasizes that their ultimate punishment is not a spontaneous reaction but an already established consequence. The "them" (لَهُمْ) specifically refers to the devils. The punishment awaiting them is عَذَابَ ٱلسَّعِيرِ (adhāb as-Sa'īr), the "torment of the Blazing Fire." Ibn Ashur explains that "as-Sa'īr" denotes a layer of Hellfire that is exceptionally intense and fiercely blazing. This specific mention of "as-Sa'īr" highlights that even though devils are made of fire, Allah's Hellfire is so tremendously hotter that it will be a painful torment for them, underscoring the severity of divine retribution.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Mulk 67:5 is discussed in 5 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Mulk 67:5 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.