Surah Ash-Shams (The Sun)

سُورَةُ الشمس

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1. وَٱلشَّمۡسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا ﴿١﴾

   91:1 By the sun and its brightness

2. وَٱلۡقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا ﴿٢﴾

   91:2 And [by] the moon when it follows it

3. وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا ﴿٣﴾

   91:3 And [by] the day when it displays it[1931]

   Notes

   [1931] The earth. Also interpreted as the sun. The same applies to the following verse.

4. وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰهَا ﴿٤﴾

   91:4 And [by] the night when it covers [i.e., conceals] it

5. وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا ﴿٥﴾

   91:5 And [by] the sky and He who constructed it

6. وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا ﴿٦﴾

   91:6 And [by] the earth and He who spread it

7. وَنَفۡسٖ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا ﴿٧﴾

   91:7 And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it[1932]

   Notes

   [1932] i.e., balanced and refined it, creating in it sound tendencies and consciousness.

8. فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَىٰهَا ﴿٨﴾

   91:8 And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness,

9. قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا ﴿٩﴾

   91:9 He has succeeded who purifies it,

10. وَقَدۡ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا ﴿١٠﴾

    91:10 And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].

11. كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِطَغۡوَىٰهَآ ﴿١١﴾

    91:11 Thamūd denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,

12. إِذِ ٱنۢبَعَثَ أَشۡقَىٰهَا ﴿١٢﴾

    91:12 When the most wretched of them was sent forth.[1933]

    Notes

    [1933] To hamstring the she-camel which had been sent by Allāh as a sign to them.

13. فَقَالَ لَهُمۡ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقۡيَٰهَا ﴿١٣﴾

    91:13 And the messenger of Allāh [i.e., Ṣāliḥ] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allāh or [prevent her from] her drink."

14. فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمۡدَمَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمۡ فَسَوَّىٰهَا ﴿١٤﴾

    91:14 But they denied him and hamstrung[1934] her. So their Lord brought down upon them destruction for their sin and made it equal [upon all of them].

    Notes

    [1934] And then killed.

15. وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقۡبَٰهَا ﴿١٥﴾

    91:15 And He does not fear the consequence thereof.[1935]

    Notes

    [1935] Allāh is not asked about what He does, but His servants will be asked. See 21:23.