This verse begins a new theme/section within the Surah. So after Allah has emphasized the concept of Resurrection and accounting, Allah then ties this in with the truthfulness of Prophet and the trustfulness of Jibreel.
Everything we have read so far should strike fear into a persons heart. All these events that will happen on that Day. The hard hearts have become softened so Allah uses this moment to affirm the prophet-hood of His Messenger.
This is a very effective approach in dawah. That before we mention the trustfulness of this message to a non-muslim we should 1st soften their hearts so that they will be more willing to accept the truth or will at least give you their attention. Some people today don’t even what to hear the name Allah or Muahmmed etc. If we notice in the 1st 14 verses Allah does not even mention that All these events will be occurring due to His will and power etc Allah leave of His name But now the ears and listening and the heart is softened He say ‘I swear By…’
Now in the section when Allah speaks about His Revelation He doesn’t just say ‘This is the truth etc but Allah makes a number of oaths.
FA .. i.e SO … this is an indication that this portion of the Surah is a continuation of the previous section and not separate. So it as if Allah is saying ‘Every soul will know what it has bought forth… SO… I Swear By Al-Khunnas
LAA. What does this LAA mean? LAA in Arabic means; no/negation. So the verse will literally read… I do not swear by the Al-Khunnas.
However the majority of the Ulamaa said that this is the LAA of ZAAIDAH which doesn’t convey the meaning of No but rather emphasis, Indeed I swear by the Al-Khunnas.
Some Ulamaa said this LAA is the LAA of negation but its not negating the oath rather it is negating something else. So what is it negating? The fact that they deny the last hour and the Resurrection. So after Allah mentines the 1st 14 verses and the disbelieving listener still doesn’t believe in the Quan (so Allah responds) No! I swear by the Al-Khunnas
Another view and this the weakest is that it LAA here is a negation …So Literally Allah is saying, ‘NO! I don’t even need to swear by the Al-Khunnas (becuase this Qur’an is the clear truth)
Khunnas; refers to the stars or a particular group of planets but without a doubt they refer to important celestial bodies and we know when Allah makes an Oath He does so by something important.
Muslim recorded in his Sahih, and An-Nasa’i in his Book of Tafsir, in explaining this Ayah, from Amr bin Hurayth that he said, “I prayed the Morning prayer behind the Prophet , and I heard him reciting (But nay! I swear by Al-Khunnas, Al-Jawar Al-Kunnas, and by the night when it `As`as, and by the day when it Tanaffas.)” Ibn Jarir recorded from Khalid bin `Ar`arah that he heard `Ali being asked about the Ayah; (لَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ. الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ) (Nay! I swear by Al-Khunnas, Al-Jawar Al-Kunnas.) and he said, “These are the stars that withdraw (disappear) during the day and sweep across the sky (appear) at night.’
So the verse can be translated; So Indeed, I swear by the planets that recede (i.e. disappear during the day and appear during the night).
ContemplateQuran 