Surah Shams, Chapter 91

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Verses 1 – 15

وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا {1}

1. I swear by the sun (Mohammad) and its illumination (guidance).

وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا {2}

2. And I swear by the moon (Ali) when he succeeds.

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّاهَا {3}

3. I swear by the day which is lit up (by the sun).

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا {4}

4. I swear by the night1 when it hides2 diffusing guidance.

وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا {5}

5. And I swear by the heavens and their architect.

وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا {6}

6. And I swear by Earth and its spreader.

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا {7}

7. And I swear by the spirit who created it pure.

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا {8}

8. Verily did I declare (unto man) ills and piety to which it (spirit) is subject.3

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا {9}

9. Verily did he attain salvation (who ruled his passion and) kept thereby pure his spirit.

وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا {10}

10. And verily was he unsuccessful who was ruled by his passion.4

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا {11}

11. The tribe of Thamud falsified its prophet, Salih, under transgression.

إِذِ انْبَعَثَ أَشْقَاهَا {12}

12. When the cursed ring leader rose among them.5

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ نَاقَةَ اللَّهِ وَسُقْيَاهَا {13}

13. When the Divine Prophet Salih warned them6 “This is a Divine camel and let her have her share of water.

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنْبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا {14}

14. They falsified him and cut out her udders, whereupon their Creator, under wrath, sent them punishment, razing them to ground level.

وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقْبَاهَا {15}

15. What do they (Meccans) not even now fear God, Divine punishment 9for their evil deeds to Divine Lights)?

Moral

Clear.

• 1. by tyrannical leader
• 2. the Divine Light
• 3. Under human rule, i.e. rule your passions, else they shall rule you.
• 4. E.g. immediate succession of the Prophet by breaching fealty to Ali.
• 5. To perpetuate the crime.
• 6. Kidar ibgn Salif, prototype and his companions whom followed ibn Mulgim in Islam.