عَمَُّْ ْ 1531 اَلشَّمْس
وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا ﴿۱﴾ وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا ﴿۲﴾ وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّاهَا ﴿۳﴾ وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا ﴿۴﴾ وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا ﴿۵﴾
﴾1﴿ Wash shamsi wa duhaa haa
﴾2﴿ Wal qamari izaa talaa haa
﴾3﴿ Wannahaari izaa jallaa haa
﴾4﴿ Wallaili izaa yaghshaa haa
﴾5﴿ Wassamaaa'i wa maa banaahaa
﴾1﴿ I swear by the sun and its brightness at the time of forenoon
﴾2﴿ And by the moon when it follows the sun
﴾3﴿ And by the day when it reveals the sun
﴾4﴿ And by the night when it conceals the sun
﴾5﴿ And by the sky and He who built it
Relevancy:
This surah is connected to the previous one in several ways. The first connection is that the previous surah mentioned two types of people, while this surah highlights the difference in their outcomes. The second connection is that the previous surah contained a warning against the transgressors of this ummah, whereas this surah mentions the transgressors of past nations, specifically the Thamud.
Claim of this surah:
The distinction between the outcomes of the two groups is made, along with a worldly warning to one of them. And Allah, the Most High, has mentioned two of His names—Allah and Rabb—as well as seven of His active attributes, which serve to increase knowledge and understanding of Allah, the Most High.
Summary of the surah:
At the beginning, four oaths are mentioned as evidence for the claim of the surah up to (verse 10). Then, a worldly warning is given through the event of the transgressing Thamud, highlighting their rebellion, denial, and their act of slaughtering. In response, Allah, the Most High, sent down a severe punishment (dumdama) and made them all equal in destruction (taswiyah).
[1,2] These are three oaths:
The first oath is "By the sun (وَالشَّمْسِ)"—In the Qur'an and Sunnah, the sun’s attributes and benefits have been mentioned extensively. Additionally, through sound intellect and senses, many of its benefits have been recognized. This single word (الشَّمْسِ) refers to all of these aspects.
The second oath is "And its brightness (وَضُحَاهَا)"—The word "Ḍuḥā" refers to increased brightness, which occurs at forenoon, when the sun’s light becomes more intense. During this time, the sun's brightness increases, but its heat remains moderate, making its benefit greater than its harm.
The third oath is "And by the moon when it follows it (وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا)"—This could refer to the first night of the lunar month, when the sun sets in the west, and the moon’s light starts to appear, though it soon disappears behind the sun and remains faint. Alternatively, it could refer to the full moon on the 14th night, when, after the sun sets in the west, the moon rises from the east, yet even at this stage, its brightness is still less than that of the sun.
[3,4] Here, two more oaths are mentioned:
The fourth oath: "By the day when it reveals it" (وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّاهَا)—The pronoun (هَا) refers to the sun. The day is described as revealing the sun, because during daylight, the sun becomes fully visible. This phrase also hints that daytime has many benefits, but those benefits are most complete when the sun is fully visible, without clouds. That is why this specific moment is emphasized.
The fifth oath: "And by the night when it covers it" (وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا)—The night gradually covers the sun's brightness. When the sun sets, a red glow remains. When the redness fades, a whitish light lingers. Once the whiteness disappears, complete darkness spreads, and the night becomes fully dark.
[5,6] Here, four more oaths are mentioned:
The sixth oath: "By the sky and He who built it" (وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا)—The sky contains countless benefits, and this oath refers to all of them. The phrase "وَمَا بَنَاهَا" (and He who built it) is mentioned in connection with the sky to emphasize the greatness of its creation.
The seventh oath: "And He who built it" (وَمَا بَنَاهَا)—This oath highlights both the sky and the act of its construction, emphasizing Allah’s power and wisdom in creating it.
The eighth and ninth oaths: "By the earth and He who spread it" (وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا)—The word "طَحَا" refers to spreading the earth, but it also includes the meaning of bringing forth its vegetation, reservoirs, and enclosures. The term "دَحَا" means only spreading, whereas "طَحَا" implies both spreading and providing sustenance through the growth of plants and other resources.