What does « Tower / Zodiac sign » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Tower / Zodiac sign (برج) in the Quran, with 6 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

برج
Tower / Zodiac sign
Root: ب - ر - ج
Quranic language 6 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 3 min read

Definition of Tower / Zodiac sign

Al-burj (tower): tall and visible construction.

Plural 'burûj'.

Allah says: 'By the sky with constellations (burûj)' (Al-Burûj: 1).

The burûj are star stations.

Tabarraja: she displayed herself, she showed off her beauty.

Tower / Zodiac sign in the Quran (6)

Meccan: 3 Medinan: 3
Distribution of verses by surah
An-Nisa 1
Al-Hijr 1
An-Nur 1
Al-Furqan 1
Al-Ahzab 1
Al-Buruj 1
Surah An-Nisa : 78 Medinan
﴿أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا۟ يُدْرِككُّمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُوا۟ هَٰذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُوا۟ هَٰذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِكَ قُلْ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ فَمَالِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلْقَوْمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًا
Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allah." So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement?
Surah Al-Hijr : 16 Meccan
﴿وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجًا وَزَيَّنَّٰهَا لِلنَّٰظِرِينَ
And We have placed within the heaven great stars and have beautified it for the observers.
Surah An-Nur : 60 Medinan
﴿وَٱلْقَوَٰعِدُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ٱلَّٰتِى لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَٰتٍۭ بِزِينَةٍ وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُنَّ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And women of post-menstrual age who have no desire for marriage - there is no blame upon them for putting aside their outer garments [but] not displaying adornment. But to modestly refrain [from that] is better for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.
Surah Al-Furqan : 61 Meccan
﴿تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجًا وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَٰجًا وَقَمَرًا مُّنِيرًا
Blessed is He who has placed in the sky great stars and placed therein a [burning] lamp and luminous moon.
Surah Al-Ahzab : 33 Medinan
﴿وَقَرْنَ فِى بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِيَّةِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ وَأَقِمْنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتِينَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِعْنَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ ٱلرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا
And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification.
Surah Al-Buruj : 1 Meccan
﴿وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْبُرُوجِ
By the sky containing great stars

Words from the same root as Tower / Zodiac sign

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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Fri 24 Muharram
الجمعة 24 محرّم
هلال متناقص Waning Crescent Day 25.1 / 29.5
Illumination 20%
New moon in 4 days
لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله There is no power nor strength except with Allah