سُوْرَةُ الذَّارِياتِ

Surah Adh-Dhaariyat (51) — Ayah 7

The Winnowing Winds · Meccan · Juz 26 · Page 521

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْحُبُكِ ﴿7﴾
By the heaven full of paths,
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ wal-samāi By the heaven
ذَاتِ dhāti full of
ٱلْحُبُكِ l-ḥubuki pathways

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 7) {وَ السَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ الْحُبُكِ: ’’حَبَكَ يَحْبُكُ حَبْكًا‘‘} (N, D) To bind something, to make it strong, the weaver weaving cloth with strength and beauty. It is the plural of {’’ الْحُبُكِ ‘‘ ’’حَبِيْكَةٌ‘‘}. {’’حُبُكُ الرَّمْلِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالشَّعْرِ‘‘} The waves that form on still water or sand due to wind, the waves of curly hair. {’’حُبُكُ السَّمَاءِ‘‘} The paths of stars in the sky. (Qamus)

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

7. 1. Another translation: The moon, sun, stars and planets, shining stars, its height and vastness, all these things are the cause of the adornment, beauty, and splendor of the sky.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

7. By the sky full of pathways [3],

[3]
The Literal Meaning of ﴿حَبَكَ﴾:

﴿حبك﴾ (ath-thawb) means to weave cloth, and hibāk means a weaver, and habk hābik al-thawb means the weaver skillfully weaving the cloth, making it finely (Al-Munjid). When weaving cloth, one thread goes lengthwise and the other crosswise. Thus, habk also means a path (Mufradat al-Qur’an, Munjid), and its plural is ﴿حُبُك﴾. So, the meaning of this verse is: by the sky which has countless paths in both its length and breadth, which intersect and form a mesh. In this sense, some translators have rendered it as “the netted” or “meshed sky.” That is, by the sky which, due to the countless pathways and routes of planets and angels, has become like a mesh.