SURAH (85) AL-BURUJ (AYA 1 to 22)

Sura (85) AL-BURUJ (The Celestial Station) Aya 1 to 22 verses in 1 Section

Revealed at Makka

SECTION 1

Qur’an secured in the Guarded Tablet

Those who persecute the believers, shall be punished---The righteous shall be rewarded---The fate of the hosts of Pharaoh and Thamoud referred to---The glorious Qur’an is secured in the Guarded Tablet the ‘Lauhe-Mahfooz’.

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ {85:1}

[Q85:1] Wassamaaa‘i zaatil burooj
[Q85:1] By the heaven, holding the big stars .

See commentary of Hijr 15:16 for buruj the imaginary belt of the constellations marking the twelve signs of the Zodiac. The constellations are as follows 1. Aries (Ram) 2. Taurus (bull) 3. Gemini (Twins) 4. Cancer (Crab) 5. Leo (Lion) 6. Virgo (Virgin) 7. Libra (Balance) 8. Scorpio (Scorpion) 9. Sagittarius (Archer) 10. Capricorn (Goat) 11. Aquarius (Water-bearer) 12. Pisces (Fishes).

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(85:1) By the heaven with its impregnable castles; *1

*1 Literally: "By the heaven having constellations." Some of the commentators have interpreted it to mean the twelve signs of the zodiac in the heavens according to ancient astronomy, However, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Hasan Basri, Dahhak and Suddi it unplies the glorious stars and platters of the sky.

وَالْيَوْمِ الْمَوْعُودِ {85:2}

[Q85:2] Wal yawmil maw'ood 
[Q85:2] And by the Promised Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection);

THE DAY OF THE FINAL JUDGMENT WHICH EVERY MAN IS WARNED OF---TO BE MINDFUL OF THE INEVITABLE REQUITAL IN THE ULTIMATE EVEN IF RESPITE IS GIVEN FOR THE WHOLE OF HIS LIFE.

The promised day is the Day of Judgement which will inevitably come to pass. See commentary of Waqi-ah; Haqqah; Ma-arij; Qiyamah; Nazi-at; Takwir; Infitar; Inshiqaq and other references mentioned therein.

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(85:2) by the Promised Day, *2

*2 That is, the Day of Resurrection. 

وَشَاهِدٍ وَمَشْهُودٍ {85:3}

[Q85:3] Wa shaahidinw wa mashhood 
[Q85:3] And by the witnessing day (i.e. Friday), and by the witnessed day [i.e. the day of 'Arafat (Hajj) the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah];

ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT **THERE WILL BE CERTAIN PERSON, WHO WILL BE WITNESSES, AND **CERTAIN PERSONS OR THINGS WHICH WILL BE THE SUBJECTS OF THE WITNESS.

The witnesses may be:

1.        ALLAH (SWT) (Al Imran 3:81 and Yunus 10:61).

2.        THE PROPHETS (Nisa 4:41).

3.        THE RECORDING ANGELS (Qaf 50:21).

4.        THE SINNER'S LIMBS (Nur 24:24).

5.        THE RECORDS OF DEEDS (Bani Israil 17:14).

6.        THE SINNER (Bani Israil 17:14).

7.        THE HOLY PROPHET (Barat 9:105; Ahzab 33:45).

The subject witnessed may be:

(i)        The deed OR the crime

(ii)      The sinner against whom the witness gives the evidence.

SO THE SINNER will not be able to escape the consequences of his crimes, BUT IF HE REPENTS, before death seizes him, make amends and lives a life free from sins, thereafter he may be forgiven.

The literal meaning of shahidin wa mash-hud is clear, but its application has been explained in a variety of ways by different commentators.

v  Imam Hasan bin Ali al Mujtaba said: "Shahid is the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and mash-hud refers to the Day of Resurrection."

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(85:3) and by the witness and what is witnessed: *3

*3 The commentators have expressed many different views about "the seer" and "that which is seen". In our opinion what fits in well with the context is that the seer is every such person who will witness the Day of Resurrection and that which is seen is the Resurrection itself, the dreadful scenes of which will be seen by aII.  This is the view of Mujahid. 'Ikrimah, Dahhak, lbn Nujaih and some other commentators.

قُتِلَ أَصْحَابُ الْأُخْدُودِ {85:4}

[Q85:4] Qutila as haabul ukhdoud 
[Q85:4] Cursed were the people of the ditch (the story of the Boy and the King).

NOTES FOR VERSES 4 to 7.

In every age there were people [1] who believed in ALLAH (SWT) and [2] the truth [3] did good deeds and [4] opposed tyranny and [5] despotism, so the tyrants persecuted the righteous servants of ALLAH (SWT).

In Arab tradition there is the [a] story of Ibrahim whom Nimrud tried to burn to death (see Anbiya 21:51 to 70). Another case cited [b] is that of Zu-Nuwas.

THE STORY ABOUT ZU-NUWAS

The true events concerning him and those whom he persecuted have been narrated by Imam Ali as follows: "ALLAH (SWT) sent a prophet to the people of Abyssinia. Zu-Nuwas, the king, was a pagan and asked the people to worship him as their God. The prophet prevented the people from worshipping him. The king killed many of the companions of the prophet and arrested him along with a few remaining believers.

     A huge pit of burning fire was prepared and it was announced that whoso believed in the God whom the prophet worshipped should jump into that pit.

     A believing woman came with a baby in her arms but stopped at the eleventh hour on account of her love for her child. The child cried (as ALLAH (SwT) willed so): "Mother, jump into the fire with me. It is a test to prove our faith in ALLAH (SwT)." She jumped and the prophet along with his remaining followers also jumped into the fire.

     By ALLAH (SwT)'s command all of them were saved from the fire.”

The words are no doubt general BUT THE REFERENCE can very appropriately be construed to be the persecution to which the Ahlul Bayt and their followers were subjected by the rulers who usurped power after the departure of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

£  The Qur’an condemns [**] not only the cruel persecutors BUT ALSO those [**] who witnessed the cruelties AND DID NOT take steps to prevent persecution, nor even said a word of disapproval.

±  It was a warning [**] to the pagans of Makka who were persecuting those who accepted Islam as their religion. It also refers [**] to those who persecuted and killed the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt and their followers.

In Ziyarat Imam Husayn it is said: "O ALLAH (SwT), curse those who persecuted you, and also those who hear about it and remain agreeable to it, or rejoice."

µ  A QUESTION WOULD ARISE IN THE MIND OF ANY INTERLLIGENT ONE that will there not be a requital OR accounting for inflicting persecution and causing the worst miseries and tortures to those poor souls for being faithfully attached to the Holy Ahlul Bait of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). How hundreds and thousands of men, women and children were persecuted and put to death for being the Shias of Ali AND HOW many were asked to pay a merciless tax for visiting the shire of Holy Imam Husain and the martyrs of Karbala.

This is why in the Ziarut it is said: “La’anaLLaah to Ummatan Zahamatka wa La’anallahu Ummatan Same’at bezaalika wa raziat beh.” “Ya ALLAH (SWT) withdraw Your blessing to the people who did injustice to you and Ya ALLAH (SWT) withdraw Your blessing to the people who heard this and were pleased with it.”

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(85:4) the people of the pit were destroyed

النَّارِ ذَاتِ الْوَقُودِ {85:5}

[Q85:5] Annaari zaatil Waqood 
[Q85:5] Fire supplied (abundantly) with fuel,

 (see commentary for verse 4)

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(85:5) with fire abounding in fuel,

إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌ {85:6}

[Q85:6] Iz hum 'alaihaa qu'ood 
[Q85:6] When they sat by it (fire),

 (see commentary for verse 4)

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(85:6) while they sat around it,

وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌ {85:7}

[Q85:7] Wa hum 'alaa maa yaf'aloona bil mu'mineena shuhood 
[Q85:7] And they witnessed what they were doing against the believers (i.e. burning them).

 (see commentary for verse 4)

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(85:7) and were witnessing what they did to the believers. *4

*4 "The people of the ditch": those who had burnt the believers at stake and witnessed their burning themselves. "Doomed were...": cursed were they by God and they became worthy of Hell torment. On this an oath has been sworn by Three things: (1) By the heaven having constellations, (2) by the Day of Resurrection, which has been promised, and (3) by the dreadful scenes of the Day of Resurrection and all those creatures who will witness those scenes. The first of these testifies to the truth that the Sovereign, Absolute Being Who is ruling over the glorious stars and planets of the universe, cannot allow this contemptible, insignificant creature called man to escape His grip. The second thing has been sworn by on the basis that the wicked people committed whatever tyranny they wanted to commit, but the Day of which men have been fore-warned is sure to come when the grievances of every wronged person will be redressed and every wrongdoer will be brought to book and punished. The third thing has been sworn by for the reason that just as these wicked people enjoyed witnessing the burning of the helpless believers, so will aII human beings on the Day of Resurrection witness how they are taken to task and burnt in Hell.
Several events have been mentioned in the traditions of the believers having been thrown into pits of blazing fire, which show that such tyrannies have been inflicted many a time in history. 
One of the events has been reported by Hadrat Suhaib Rumi from the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace), saying that a king had a magician at his court who on becoming old requested the king to appoint a boy who should learn magic from him. Accordingly the king appointed a boy. But the boy while going to the magician's place and coming hack home also started visiting on the way a monk (who was probably a follower of the Prophet Jesus) and being influenced by his teaching turned a believer. So much so that by his training he acquired miraculous powers. He would heal the blind and cure the lepers. When the king carne to know that the boy had behaved in the Unity of God, he first put the monk to the sword:  He wanted to kill the boy, but no instrument and no device had any effect on him. At last, the boy said to the king: "If you are bent upon killing me, shoot an arrow at me with the word: Bi-ismi Rahhil-ghulam (in the name of this boy's Lord) in front of the assembled people and I shall die." The king did as he was told and the boy died. There upon the people cried out that they affirmed faith in the Lord of the boy. The courtiers told the king that the same precisely had happened which Ire wanted to avoid: the people had forsaken his religion and adopted the boy's religion. At this the king was filled with rage. Consequently, he got pits dug out along the roads, got them tilled with tire and ordered aII those who refused to renounce the new faith to he thrown into the tire. (Ahmad, Muslim. Nasa'i, TIrmidhi, Ibn Jarir. 'Abdur Razzaq. Ibn Abi Shaibah, Tabarani. 'Ahd hin Humaid)
The second event has been reported from Hadrat 'Ali. He says that a king of lean drank wine and committed adultery with his sister resulting in illicit relations between the two. When the secret became known, the king got the announcement made that God had permitted marriage with the sister. When the people refused to believe in it, he started coercing them into accepting by different kinds of punishment; so much so that he began to cast into the pits of fire every such person who refused to concede it. According to Hadrat 'AIi, marriage with the prohibited relations among the fire worshippers has begun since then (Ibn Jarir).
The third event has been related by lbn 'Abbas probably on the hasin of the Israelite traditions, saying that the people of Babylon had compelled the children of Israel to give up the religion of the Prophet Moses (peace he upon himl: so much so that they cast into pits of tire aII those who refused to obey. Ibn Jarir, 'Ahd bin Humaid).
The best known event, how ever, relates to Najran which has been related by Ibn Hisham, Tabari, Ibn Khaldun, the author of Mujam al-Buldan and other Islamic historians. Its resume is as follows: Tuban Asad Abu Karib, king of Himyar (Yaman), went to Yathrib once where he embraced Judaism under the influence of the Jews, and brought two of the Jewish scholars of Bani Quraizah with him to Yaman. There he propagated Judaism widely. His son Dhu Nuwas succeeded him and he attacked Najran which was a stronghold of the Christians in southern Arabia so as to eliminate Christianity and make the people accept Judaism. (Ibn Hisham says that these people were true followers of the Gospel of the Prophet Jesus) In Najran he invited the people to accept Judaism but they refused to obey. There upon he caused a large number of the people to be burnt in the ditches of fire and slew many others with the sword until he had killed nearly twenty thousand of them. Daus Dhu Tha laban an inhabitant of Najran escaped and went according to one tradition to the Byzantine emperor, and according to another to the Negus king of Abyssinia, and told him what had happened
According to the first tradition, the emperor wrote to the king of Abyssinia, and according to the second, the Negus requested the emperor to provide him with a naval force. In any case; an Abyssinian army consisting of seventy thousand soldiers under a general called Aryat, attacked Yaman, Dhu Nuwas was killed, the Jewish rule came to an end, and Yaman become a part of the Christian kingdom of Abyssinia.-
The statements of the Islamic historians are not only confirmed by other historical means but they also give many more details. Yaman first came under the Christian Abyssinian domination in 340 A.D. and this domination continued till 378 A.D. The Christian missionaries started entering Yaman in that period. About the same time, a man named Faymiyun (Phemion), who was a righteous, earnest, ascetic man and possessed miraculous powers, arrived in Yaman and by his preaching against idol-worship converted the people of Najran to Christianity. These people were ruled by three chiefs: Sayyid, who was the principal chief like the tribal elders and responsible for external affairs, political agreements and command of the forces, 'Aqib, who looked after the internal affairs and Usquf (Bishop), the religous guide. In southern Arabia Najran commanded great importance, being a major trade and industrial center with tussore, leather and the armament industries. The well-known Yarnanite wrapper and cloak (hulls Yamani) was also manufactured here. On this very basis, Dhu Nuwas attacked this important place not only for religious but also for political and economic reasons. He put to death Harithah (called Arethas by the Syrian historians), Sayyid of Najrain, killed his two daughters in front of his wife Romah and compelled her to drink their blood and then put even her to death. He took out the bones of Bishop Paul from the' grave and burns them, and ordered women, men, children, aged people, priests and monks, all to be thrown into the pits of fire. The total number of the people thus killed has been estimated between twenty and forty thousand. This happened in October, 523 A.D. At last, in 525 A.D. the Abyssinians attacked Yaman and put an end to Dhu Nuwas and his Himyarite kingdom. This is confirmed by the Hisn Ghurab inscription which the modern archaeologists have unearthed in Yaman.
IN SEVERAL CHRISTIAN WRITINGS of the 6th century A.D. details of the event relating to the people of the ditch" have been given, some of which are contemporary and reported from eye-witnesses. Authors of three of these books were contemporaries with the event. They were Procopeus, Cosmos Indicopleustis, who was translating Greek book of Ptolemy under command of the Negus Elesboan at that time and resided at Adolis, a city on the sea-coast of Abyssinia, and Johannes Malala froth whom several of the later historians have related this event. After this, Johannes of Ephesus (d. 585 A.D) has related the story of the persecution of the Christians of Najran in his history of the Church from a letter of Bishop Mar Simeon who was a contemporary reporter of this event. Mar Simeon wrote this letter to Abbot von Gabula; in it Simeon has reported this event with reference to the statements of the Yarnanite eye-witnesses present on the occasion. This letter was published in 1881 A.D from Rome and in 1890 A.D. in the memoirs of the martyrs of Christianity Jacobian Patriarch Dionysius and Zacharia of Mitylene have in their Syriac histories also related this event. Ya`qub Saruji also in his book about the Christians of Najran has made mention of it. Bishop Pulus of Edessa's elegy on those who perished in Najran, is still extant. An English translation of the Syriac kitab al-Himyarin (Book of the Himyarites) was published in 1924 from London, which confirms the statements of the Muslim historians. In the British Museum there are some Abyssinian manuscripts relating to that period or a period close to it, which support this story. Philby in his travelogue entitled "Arabian Highlands", writes: Among the people of Najran the place is still well known where the event of the people of the ditch (ashab al-ukhdud) had taken place. Close by Umm Kharaq there can still be seen some pictures carved in the rocks, and the present day people of Najran also know the place where the cathedral of Najran stood.
The Abyssinian Christians after capturing Najran had built a church here resembling the Ka`bah, by which they wanted to divert pilgrimage from the Ka`bah at Makkah to it. Its priests and keepers wore turbans and regarded it as a sacred sanctuary. The Roman Empire also sent monetary aid for this "ka`bah". The priests of this very "Ka`bah" of Najran had visited the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) under the leadership of their Sayyid, `Aqib and Bishop for a discussion with him and the famous event of the mubahala (trial through prayer) took place as referred to in Al-Imran: 61. (For details. see E.N.'s 29 and 55 of Al-Imran) 

وَمَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ {85:8}

[Q85:8] Wa maa naqamoo minhum illaaa aiyu'minoo biLLaahil 'azeezil Hameed. 
[Q85:8] They had nothing against them, except that they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, Worthy of all Praise!

 (see commentary for verse 4)

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(85:8) Against these they had no grudge except that they believed in Allah, the Most Mighty, the Most Praiseworthy,

الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ {85:9}

[Q85:9] Allazee lahoo mulkus samaawaati wal ard; waLLaahu 'alaa kulli shai 'in Shaheed. 
[Q85:9] Who, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth! And Allah is Witness over everything.

 (see commentary for verse 4)

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(85:9) to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Allah witnesses everything. *5

*5 In these verses those of Allah Almighty's attributes have been mentioned on account of which He alone deserves that one should believe in Him, and the people who feel displeased at one's believing in Him, are wicked and unjust. 

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ {85:10}

[Q85:10] Innal lazeena fatanul mu'mineena wal mu'minaati summa lam yatooboo falahum 'azaabu Jahannama wa lahum 'azaabul hareeq. 
[Q85:10] Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and then do not turn in repentance, (to Allah), will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire.

 (see commentary for verse 4)

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(85:10) Surely those who tormented the believing men and the believing women and then did not repent, theirs shall be the chastisement of Hell, and theirs shall be the chastisement of burning. *6

*6 "Punishment by burning" has been mentioned separately from the torment of Hell because they had burnt the oppressed people to death by casting them into the pits of fire. Probably this will be a different and severer kind of fire from the fire of Hell in which those people will be burnt. 

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِيرُ {85:11}

[Q85:11] Innal lazeena aamanoo wa 'amilus saalihaati lahum Jannaatun tajree min tahtihal anhaar; zaalikal fawzul kabeer. 
[Q85:11] Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). That is the great success.

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(85:11) As for those who believed and acted righteously, theirs shall be Gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great triumph. 

إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ {85:12}

[Q85:12] Inna batsha Rabbika lashadeed. 
[Q85:12] Verily, (O Muhammad (pbuh & hp)) the Grip (Punishment) of your Lord is severe.

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(85:12) Stern indeed is your Lord’s punishment.

إِنَّهُ هُوَ يُبْدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ {85:13}

[Q85:13] Innahoo huwa yubdi‘u wa yu‘eed. 
[Q85:13] Verily, He it is Who begins (punishment) and repeats (punishment in the Hereafter) (or originates the creation of everything, and then repeats it on the Day of Resurrection).

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(85:13) He it is Who creates for the first time and He it is Who will create again,

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ {85:14}

[Q85:14] Wa Huwal Ghafoorul Wadood,
[Q85:14] And He is Oft-Forgiving, full of love (towards the pious who are real true believers of Islamic Monotheism),

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(85:14) and He is the Ever Forgiving, the Most Loving

ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدُ {85:15}

[Q85:15] Zul 'Arshil Majeed
[Q85:15] Owner of the throne, the Glorious

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(85:15) – the Lord of the Glorious Throne,

فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يُرِيدُ {85:16}

[Q85:16] Fa' 'aalul limaa yureed. 
[Q85:16] He does what He intends (or wills).

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(85:16) the Executor of what He wills. *7

*7 "He is All-Forgiving": If a person repents and reforms himself, he can hope to be received by AIlah in His mercy. "He is All-Loving", i.e. He has no emnity with His creatures that he would subject them to torment without any reason, but He loves the creatures He has created and punishes them only when they do not give up the attitude of rebellion against Him. "Owner of the Throne" means that He alone is the Ruler of the Kingdom of the Universe: no one who is a rebel can escape His grip and punishment. The mention of His being "Exalted" is meant to warn man for his meanness when he adopts an attitude of arrogance against such a Being. Last of aII, "He is Doer of whatever He wills": no one in the entire universe has the power to obstruct and resist what Allah wills to do. 

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ {85:17}

[Q85:17] Hal ataaka hadeesul junnood 
[Q85:17] Has the story reached you of the hosts,

Refer to the commentary of Araf: 73 to 79 for the people of Thamud, and Yunus: 75 to 92 for the hosts of Firawn.

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(85:17) Has the story of the armies reached you,

فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ {85:18}

[Q85:18] Fir‘awna wa Samood.
[Q85:18] Of Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and Thamud?

 (see commentary for verse 17)

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(85:18) the armies of Pharaoh and Thamud? *8

*8 The address is directed to the people who in their false pride of having powerful hosts, are breaking the law of God on His earth. They are being warned. as if to say: "Do you know what evil fate was stet before by those who broke the hounds set by AIIah on the strength of the power of their hosts'" 

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي تَكْذِيبٍ {85:19}

[Q85:19] Balil lazeena kafaroo fee takzeeb 
[Q85:19] Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying (Prophet Muhammad (pbuh & hp) and his Message of Islamic Monotheism).

IN SPITE OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE PAST, the disbelievers persist (in all ages) in refusing to believe in ALLAH (SWT) and His religion.

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(85:19) The unbelievers are indeed engaged in denying it, calling it a lie,

وَاللَّهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ مُحِيطٌ {85:20}

[Q85:20] WaLLaahu minw-waraaa‘ihim Muheet. 
[Q85:20] And Allah encompasses them from behind! (i.e. all their deeds are within His Knowledge, and He will requite them for their deeds).

 (see commentary for verse 19)

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(85:20) although Allah surrounds them.

بَلْ هُوَ قُرْآنٌ مَجِيدٌ {85:21}

[Q85:21] Bal huwa Quraanum Majeed. 
[Q85:21] Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'an,

Refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:2; Ali Imran 3:7; Hijr 15:9 and Waqi-ah 56:77 to 79. 

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(85:21) Nay; but this is a glorious Qur’an,

فِي لَوْحٍ مَحْفُوظٍ {85:22}

[Q85:22] Fee Lawhim Mahfooz. 
[Q85:22] (Inscribed) in Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet)!

 (see commentary for verse 21)

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(85:22) inscribed on a well-guarded Tablet. *9

*9 That is, "The writ of the Qur'an is unchangeable and imperishable. It is inscribed in the Preserved Tablet of God which cannot he corrupted in any way Whatever is written in it, has to be fulfilled: even the whole world together cannot avert its fulfilment.

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