سورة التكوير

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Umm Hani said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about these verses: فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالخُنَّسِ * الجَوَارِ الْکُنَّسِ [But nay! I swear by the stars that run their course (and) hide themselves]. He said: "O Umm Hani! It is an Imam who hides himself from view in the year two hundred and sixty, then appears like a piercing meteor in a dark night. O Umm Hani! If you are alive in that time, your eyes will be delighted."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Umm Hani said: I met Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and asked him about these verses: فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالخُنَّسِ* الجَوَارِ الْکُنَّسِ [But nay! I swear by the stars that run their course and hide themselves]. He said: "Al-Khunnas is an Imam who, in his time, in the year 260, will be hidden from view, and people will not benefit from his knowledge [they will know nothing from him]. Then he will appear like a blazing meteor in the darkness of the night. If you are alive in that time, your eyes will be delighted."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Umm Hani al-Thaqafiyya that she said: I said to Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): "My master! A verse of the Quran has come to my heart whose meaning has troubled me." He said: "Umm Hani, ask." I said: "The verse فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِالخُنَّسِ* الجَوارِ الْکُنَّسِ [But nay! I swear by the stars that run their course and hide themselves]." He said: "Umm Hani, what a fine question you have asked me! What is meant by this verse is a child who will come at the end of time, and he is the Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble reappearance) of this pure family. He will have a bewilderment and an occultation by which some people will go astray and some people will be guided. Blessed are you if you live to see him, and blessed is the one who beholds him."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Asbagh ibn Nubata said: Ibn al-Kawwa' asked Imam Ali (peace be upon him): "What is meant by these verses فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالخُنَّسِ * الجَوَارِ الْکُنَّسِ [But nay! I swear by the stars that run their course and hide themselves]?" He said: "Allah does not swear by anything of His creation. As for al-Khunnas, it is thus: Allah has mentioned a group who veiled the knowledge of the awsiya' (successors) and called people to enmity toward them. And the meaning of khanasu is that they covered up."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): That is, I swear by al-Khunnas, and it is the name of certain stars.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِالخُنَّسِ [But nay! I swear by the stars]; they are the stars that appear at night and hide by day so they are not seen.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ [But nay! I swear by the stars]; they are five stars: Zuhal (Saturn), Utarid (Mercury), Mushtari (Jupiter), Bahram (Mars), and Zuhra (Venus), and other than these there is no star that traverses the galaxy.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding the saying of Allah بِالْخُنَّسِ الْجَوارِ الْکُنَّسِ [By the stars that run their course and hide themselves] that he said: They are seven planets: Zuhal (Saturn), Bahram (Mars), Utarid (Mercury), Mushtari (Jupiter), Zuhra (Venus), the sun, and the moon. Their khunus (retreat) is their turning back toward the earth, and their kunus (hiding) is their concealment during the day.