Dr. Rashad Khalifa provides the following footnote for this verse:
*53:1-18 Muhammad was summoned to the highest universe to receive this Quran into his heart. The stars fell away as he traveled through them at millions of times the speed of light. Subsequently, the Quran was gradually released to his memory. App. 28.
When I hear this verse, I always picture it like in Star Trek, where the ships would go to warp speed, causing the light from stars to stretch into brilliant streaks across the screen, as if space itself were being pulled and reshaped around the vessel.
The Star(s): Singular as Collective
Although al-najm is grammatically singular, there are strong linguistic grounds for rendering it in the plural. In Quranic Arabic, the singular often functions as a generic or collective noun, representing an entire class rather than just one instance. For example, the Quran uses al-insān (“the human”) to mean all of humanity, or al-dābbah (“the creature”) to refer to the totality of crawling creatures. By the same logic, al-najm can signify the “starry host,” or simply “the stars.”
This usage aligns with a familiar rhetorical pattern in the Quran’s oath formulas, where God swears by singulars that stand for larger realities. For example, Sura 103 God swears by the afternoon. In Sura 92, God swears by the night. In Sura 95, God swears by the fig. These are not references to one specific afternoon, night, or fig but to the entirety of all afternoons, nights, and figs. In this stylistic pattern, al-najm in Sura 53 functions not as a solitary star but as a symbol of the collective realm of stars. Therefore, in this stylistic register, al-najm aligns with the Quran’s broader rhetorical pattern: the singular evokes something far greater than itself—a cosmic order rather than just a lone star.
The Birth of Jesus and the Heavenly Journey
What is intriguing is that there are some subtle parallels between what is stated about Muhammad in the Quran (53:1) and Jesus in the Bible. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth (2:9–10), the Magi are led by a star that not only appears but also moves before them until it “stood over where the young child was.” This was no ordinary astronomical body but a heavenly sign, animated by divine command, guiding seekers to the Messiah. Early Christian commentators such as Origen and John Chrysostom emphasized that this star’s motion set it apart from the natural order, for it halted, descended, and singled out one house. It was a cosmic witness to Christ’s arrival that others could see and confirm.
By contrast, the Quran speaks of “the star when it fell away” as a sign tied to Muhammad’s ascension to the highest heavens, when he received the Quran into his heart. The imagery of celestial upheaval parallels Matthew’s moving star, yet the scope of witness diverges dramatically. In the Gospel, the star is a public sign, observed by outsiders as proof. In the Quran, the falling stars mark a private vision, known only to the Prophet, which his contemporaries were called to accept on faith. Both narratives frame revelation through the heavens, but one does so by means of a star that others could see, while the other does so by entrusting a vision to one messenger.
The Descent: Dove and Bird of Prey
This contrast deepens when we consider the Quran’s choice of verb utilized in this verse. The word hawā ( هوى), usually rendered “fell,” derives from the root ( ه و ي) that denotes not a gentle descent but the sudden plunge of a bird of prey stooping upon its target — a steep, forceful, almost violent falling. Applied to the stars, the word transforms the scene from a passive drift into cosmic upheaval, as though the heavens themselves collapse in deference to revelation.
Similarly, in the Gospel narrative, Jesus’ baptism is not a peripheral moment but a decisive turning point. The Gospels describe that at that moment the Spirit descended upon Jesus “like a dove” and the voice from heaven declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The event functions as his public anointing as God’s Messiah. In Jewish thought, the Messiah — literally “the Anointed One” — was expected to be marked out by God through the Spirit (cf. Isaiah 11:2; 42:1).
16 And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17 and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” — Matthew 3
It is critical to note that the designation “Son” in this context does not signify Jesus as divine, but rather reflects a familiar biblical title for kings, prophets, and the righteous who were specially chosen by God (cf. Psalm 2:7; 2 Samuel 7:14). Thus, when Jesus was baptized, this was the moment he entered into his messianic mission, and was appointed as the messiah (Christ), and was to transition from hidden life to public ministry.
Now contrast this with Muhammad’s experience in Sura 53. This was the moment Muhammad received the Quran into his heart and was thus made a prophet of God. Once the revelation was given to him, it was his duty to proclaim it to the people as God’s messenger. Therefore, both moments mark the divine commissioning of God’s messengers.
Hawā as Beloved
Interestingly, the word hawā itself carries layered meaning in Arabic. While its primary sense in Sura 53:1 is “to fall” or “to plunge,” classical usage also gives it the meaning of “love” or “beloved,” as when the heart “falls toward” what it desires. This dual sense opens a subtle parallel with the baptism scene in the Gospels, where the heavenly voice declares over Jesus that he is beloved and one in whom God is well pleased. The Quran’s usage of hawā may also signal God’s love for His messenger through the metaphor of the stars falling.
Final Thoughts
When placed side by side, the Gospel and Quranic accounts reveal parallel accounts of how God commissioned two of His messengers. In the Gospels, revelation unfolds as a public display: the heavens open, the Spirit descends gently like a dove, and a voice declares Jesus as the beloved, consecrated Messiah before the eyes of witnesses. The sign is visible, communal, and confirming — meant to assure all present that God’s chosen one has been anointed.
In the Quran, however, revelation takes the form of an inward, solitary journey: the stars plunge like birds of prey in awe at what was about to take place as Muhammad’s soul ascends to receive the Quran into his heart. No crowd looks on; no voice is heard by others. Instead, the truth of the experience rests on the Prophet’s testimony as described in the Quran, calling his community to trust and believe. The imagery of hawā — simultaneously signifying both falling and beloved — captures the paradox of this moment: the heavens themselves collapse in awe over the weight of what is about to be revealed.
[52:91] If we revealed this Quran to a mountain, you would see it trembling, crumbling, out of reverence for God. We cite these examples for the people, that they may reflect.
53:1 As the stars fell away.
53:2 Your friend (Muhammad) was not astray, nor was he deceived.
53:3 Nor was he speaking out of a personal desire.
53:4 It was divine inspiration.
53:5 Dictated by the Most Powerful.
53:6 Possessor of all authority. From His highest height.
53:7 At the highest horizon.
53:8 He drew nearer by moving down.
53:9 Until He became as close as possible.
53:10 He then revealed to His servant what was to be revealed.
53:11 The mind never made up what it saw.
53:12 Are you doubting what he saw?
53:13 He saw him in another descent.
53:14 At the ultimate point.
53:15 Where the eternal Paradise is located.
53:16 The whole place was overwhelmed.
53:17 The eyes did not waver, nor go blind.
53:18 He saw great signs of his Lord.