Quran Universe
85:21

بَلۡ هُوَ قُرۡءَانٞ مَّجِيدٞ

Bal huwa quranun majeedun

But this is an honored Qur'an

Word by word
  1. بَلۡNay
  2. هُوَIt
  3. قُرۡءَانٞ(is) a Quran
  4. مَّجِيدٞGlorious
Al-Buruj · 85:21Makkah

No, this is a glorious Quran.

Not what the deniers called it

What it is
what they deniedverse 19
but
a glorious Quranmagnificent and noble
How to treat it
a book on the shelffor special days
a glorious Quranfor every day

Ibn Kathir says glorious means magnificent and noble. The surah ends by defending the very book the Makkans were rejecting.

The mushaf sits on a high shelf, dusted before guests arrive. Your phone has a Quran app you open in Ramadan. Glorious things deserve daily attention.

The Quran is something I respect but rarely open.

This glorious book is meant to be read, not only respected.

Try this

Read one page of the Quran today, even slowly.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 85:11)

Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow. That is the supreme success (11)Verily, the punishment of your Lord is severe and painful (12)Verily, He it is Who begins and repeats (13)And He is Oft-Forgiving, Al-Wadud (14)Owner of the Throne, Al-Majid (the Glorious)(15)Doer of what He intends (16)Has the story reached you of the hosts (17)Of Fir'awn and Thamud (18)Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying (19)And Allah encompasses them from behind (20)Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'an (21)In Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (22)

The Reward of the Righteous, and the Harsh Seizing of the Disbelieving Enemies of Allah

Allah informs about His believing servants that

 لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ

(for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow.)

This is the opposite of what he has prepared for His enemies of Fire and Hell. Thus, He says,

ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِيرُ

(That is the supreme success.) Then Allah says,

إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ

(Verily, the punishment of your Lord is severe and painful.)

meaning, indeed His punishment and His vengeance upon His enemies, who have rejected His Messengers, and opposed His command, is severe, great and strong. For verily, He is the Owner of power, Most Strong. He is the One that whatever He wants, then it will be however He wants it to be, in the matter of a blinking of an eye, or even swifter. Thus, Allah says,

إِنَّهُ هُوَ يُبْدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ

(Verily, He it is Who begins and repeats.)

meaning, from His perfect strength and power is that He begins the creation, and He repeats it just as He began it, without opposition or resistance.

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ

(And He is Oft-Forgiving, Al-Wadud.) meaning, He forgives the sin of whoever repents to Him and humbles himself before Him, no matter what the sin may be. Ibn 'Abbas and others have said about the name Al-Wadud, "It means Al-Habib (the Loving)."

ذُو الْعَرْشِ

(Owner of the Throne,) meaning, the Owner of the Mighty Throne that is above all of the creation. Then He says,

 الْمَجِيدُ

(Al-Majid (the Glorious).) This word has been recited in two different ways: either with a Dhammah over its last letter (Al-Majidu), which is an attribute of the Lord, or with a Kasrah under its last letter (Al-Majid), which is a description of the Throne. Nevertheless, both meanings are correct.

فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ

(Doer of what He intends.) meaning, whatever He wants He does it, and there is no one who can counter His ruling. He is not asked about what He does due to His greatness, His power, His wisdom and His justice. This is as we have related previously from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, that it was said to him during the illness of (his) death, "Has a doctor seen you?" He replied, "Yes." They said, "What did he say to you?" He replied, "He said, 'I am the Doer of whatever I intend.'"

Concerning Allah's statement,

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْجُنُودِ - فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ

(Has the story reached you of the hosts. Of Fir'awn and Thamud?)

meaning, has the news reached you of what Allah caused to befall them of torment, and that He sent down upon them the punishment that no one was able to ward off from them? This is the affirmation of His statement,

إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ

(Verily, the punishment of your Lord is severe and painful.)

meaning, when He seizes the wrongdoer, He seizes him with a severe and painful punishment. It is the seizing punishment of One Most Mighty, and Most Powerful. Then Allah says,

بَلِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي تَكْذِيبٍ

(Nay! The disbelievers (persisted) in denying.)

meaning, they are in doubt, suspicion, disbelief and rebellion.

وَاللَّهُ مِن وَرَائِهِم مُّحِيطٌ

(And Allah encompasses them from behind!)

meaning, He has power over them, and is able to compel them. They cannot escape Him or evade Him.

بَلْ هُوَ قُرْآنٌ مَّجِيدٌ

(Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'an.) meaning, magnificent and noble.

فِي لَوْحٍ مَّحْفُوظٍ

(In Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz!) meaning, among the most high gathering, guarded from any increase, decrease, distortion, or change. 

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Buruj, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah.