"Sirius", the brightest star in the night sky, appears as “Shi’ira,” meaning “star” in verse 49 of Surat an-Najm:
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. (Allah knows the truth.) 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.
