The celestial bodies are either the bright stars of the sky...

The celestial bodies are either the bright stars of the sky, or the 'constellations', that is, 'a number of fixed stars arbitrarily considered as a group' usually named after some mythological beings that they supposedly resemble an outline, or the broad belt of the constellations marking the twelve Signs of the Zodiac. Each makes the solar path through the heavens, as we see it, month after month.

(Indeed, the sun is rather fixed and the earth rotates round the sun, but, to us it seems to be the contrary.) Whichever of them the oath is made to, it denotes to its greatness which, perhaps, was not completely known to Arabs at that time, but it is clear to us, today, though it seems that the meaning is 'the bright stars of the sly'.

The holy Prophet (S) is narrated to have said, on the commentary of the verse, that: "It means the stars.” [^1] "By the promised Day (of Judgement)" The appointed Day that all the prophets spoke about and hundreds of verses of the Holy Qur’an warned of. The Day that "Those of old and those of later times." “All will certainly be gathered together for the meeting appointed for the Day” [^2] , and the account of all will be made clear.

And, in the third and fourth oaths, it says: “By the Witness and the Witnessed.” There are many commentaries given on the meaning of the terms /ŝahid/ 'witness' and maŝhud/ 'witnessed'. There are more than thirty, of which the following are the most outstanding: The 'Witness' is the Prophet (S) as Surah Ahzab, No. 33 verse 45 says: "O prophet! Truly We have sent you as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings and a Warner”.

And the 'Witnessed' is the Day of Judgment, as Surah Hud, No.11, verse 103 says: "...that is a Day for which mankind will be gathered together: that will be a Day of Testimony”. The 'Witness', /ŝahid/, is the witnesses to man's deeds like his limbs, as mentioned in Surah Nur, No. 24, verse 24: "On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions”. And the 'Witnessed', /maŝhud/, is people and their deeds.

The 'Witness' is Friday which is witness to the community of Muslims in the great ceremony of 'Friday Prayers'. And the 'Witnessed' is ‘Arafah Day' when the pilgrims, of Kaaba, are the visitors on that Day (the ninth day of Zilhajj). This very commentary has been narrated from the Prophet, Imam Baqir, and Imam Sadiq (as).[^3] The 'Witness' is 'the Feast of Sacrifice', and the 'Witnessed' is ‘Arafah Day’.