THE STAR SIRIUS
“Sirius”, the brightest star in the night sky, appears as “Shi’ira,” meaning “star” in verse 49 of Surat an-Najm:
That it is He Who is the Lord of Sirius [Shi’ira]. (Surat an-Najm, 49)
The fact that the word “Sirius,“ or “Shi’ra” in Arabic, appears only in the 49th verse is particularly noteworthy. Because, based on the irregularities in Sirius’ orbit, scientists discovered it is actually a binary star. Therefore, Sirius is actually two stars, known as Sirius A and Sirius B. One feature of Sirius B is that is cannot be seen by telescope.
The stars in Sirius system follow a course toward one another in the shape of a bow, and hang in the sky by approaching one another every 49.9 years. These scientific data have been unanimously confirmed by the astronomy departments at the universities of Harvard, Ottawa and Leicester.1 Yet this scientific fact that only emerged toward the end of the 20th century was miraculously referred to in the Qur’an 1400 years ago. This miracle appears when we read verses 9 and 49 of Surat al-Najm together.
That it is He Who is the Lord of Sirius. (Surat an-Najm, 49)
He was two bow-lengths away or even closer. (Surat an-Najm, 9)
The term “kane kabe kavseyni ev edna,” in verse 9 of Surat al-Najm, translated as “two bow-lengths away or even closer,” may be a reference to these two stars drawing closer to one another in their courses. This scientific fact, which could not possibly have been known at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an, proves once again that the Qur’an is the word of our Almighty Lord.
The star Sirius appears in the Surah called an-Najm, meaning “Star.” The stars comprising Sirius approach one another in their courses once every 49.9 years. This astronomic phenomenon is indicated in verses 49 and 9 of Surat an-Najm.
A new concept therefore existed in the Quran that was not to be explained until centuries later.
It just showed how incapable men were of understanding these astronomical concepts that Muhammad used to bring from God. In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad’s day, it is inconceivable that many of the statement in the Quran which are connected with science could have been the work of a man. It is, moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Quran as the expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which , when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.
Sir William Muir, a renowned critic of Islam on the Quran:
“There is not a single book on earth that has remained in its pristine form as it were revealed some 12 centuries ago, (now 14 centuries) but the Koran.”
Thus, the word of God, the Quran informed us about what we knew not. This is The Last and The Unchanged Revelation from God.