Walaqad jaAAalna fee assama-i buroojan wazayyannaha linnathireen (surah Hijr: 16)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(15:16) It is We Who have divided the heavens into many fortified spheres *8 for the sake of administration and adorned and decked them out fair to the beholders, *9

Wa laqad ja`alnaa fissamaaa`i buroojanw wa zaiyannaahaa linnaazireen

*8) In the preceding verses (14-15) it was stated that the disbelievers had become so hardened against the Qur'an that they would not have believed in it even if they had ascended the Heaven and seen with their own eyes the Signs mentioned in it. Now in vv.16-22, some of the Signs arc being cited in order to convince there of its trurth.
"Fortified spheres" (buruj) are Signs of AIlah for it is not possible to pass through one sphere of the Heaven into another, as each sphere of the space has been fortified by invisible boundaries. In this connection, it may be noted that literally the Arabic word burj means "a fortified place" but as a technical term of ancient astronomy this stood for each of the twelve Signs of the Zodiac, which marked the sun's path through the heavens. This has led some of the commentators to form the opinion that in this verse the word buruj refers to the same. But there are some others who think that it means "planets". However, if we consider this word in the context of v. 19, we are led to the conclusion that probably it stands for "spheres".
*9) "We have adorned and decked the "fortified spheres": "We have placed a shining star or planet in each of these spheres and made them look beautiful". In other words, it means; "We have not made the boundless universe dismal, desolate and frightful, but so beautiful that one finds marvellous order and harmony in it everywhere, and sights therein are. so attractive that each one of these charms hearts and minds. This wonderful structure of the universe is a clear proof of the fact that its Creator is not only Great and All-Wise but is also a perfect Artist". The Qur'an has also stated this aspect of the Creator in XXXII: 7: "(AIIah is) that God Who has created in perfect beauty everything He has created" .