CHAPTER 91: ASH-SHAMS (THE SUN)

It was revealed in the Mecca period. It consists of 15 verses. Shams means "sun." The surah takes its name from the related word in the first verse. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/594)

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) recommended Muaz b. Jabel, who was the imam for his tribe, to recite short surahs like Surah Ash-Shams instead of long ones during the evening (Isha) prayer. (From Bukhari, Ezan 63; Muslim, Salat 178; O. CELIK, 5/473)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

91/1-10 HE WHO PURIFIES HIS SOUL HAS SUCCEEDED.

Translation

1- 8- By the sun and its brightness, 2- By the moon when it follows it [in light], 3- By the day when it displays it [the sun] in splendor, 4- By the night when it covers it [its light], 5- By the sky and Him who built it, 6- By the earth and Him who spread it out [making it suitable for life], 7- By each soul and Him who proportioned it [in human form], 8- And inspired it [with the ability to know] its wickedness and its righteousness/guarding!

9- 10- He who purifies his soul has succeeded. And he who corrupts it has failed.

Commentary

(1, 2) ‘By the sun and its brightness, by the moon when it follows it, by the day when it displays it, by the night when it covers it, by the sky and Him who built it, by the earth and Him who spread it out, by each soul and Him who proportioned it, and inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness.’

It is noteworthy that in the Holy Qur'an, Almighty Allah does not swear eleven times consecutively in this manner regarding any matter other than the purification (tezkiyah) of the soul. This reality is sufficient to express how important and necessary the purification of the soul is for the salvation of man. (O. CELIK, 5/475)

(1-3) ‘By the Sun and its brightness,’ ‘By the Moon following it,’ ‘By the day when it reveals it,’

There is a miracle here regarding the universe. Because apparently, the sun brings out the day. This would be possible if the earth were fixed and did not rotate. However, the world rotates on its own axis. Therefore, the day brings out the sun. This means that the rotation of the earth on its own axis hides or reveals the Sun. (S. HAWWA 16/219)

(4) ‘By the night when it covers it,’

It is the night that covers the Sun; it does not disappear by itself. This is also related to the issue of the earth's rotation. Therefore, this verse completes the previous meaning. Thus, along with its eloquence (i'jaz), there is a cosmic miracle in this verse. (S. HAWWA 16/220)

(5, 6) ‘By the sky and Him who built it,’ ‘By the earth and Him who spread it out,’

Allah built it. He raised its height and established its order (cf. Nazi'at 79/27-28). Oath be to Almighty Allah—or to His way of building and His laws—who created the stars and bodies suspended in it and linked them with complete power like parts of a building, establishing balance and order in its height. And oath be to that Creator—or to that unique way of spreading—who spread the earth beneath you like a bed so that it could be lived upon. (ELMALILI, 9/238)

(7) ‘By the soul and Him who proportioned it,’

The soul (nafs) is the entity consisting of the spirit and the body, or the spirit that manages the body. Proportioning the body means bringing it to a level where the spirit can be breathed into it, as per the verse "When I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My spirit" (Hijr 15/29). Proportioning the soul is the arrangement of its organs and its internal and external powers to be capable of maturing with the breathing of the spirit. (ELMALILI, 9/240)

(8) ‘(By) Him who inspired it (the soul) with its wickedness and its righteousness.’

This verse indicates that every human being, by virtue of their creation, finds the potential for evil and good ready in their own soul. Because Allah Almighty has placed this feeling in the essence of man. Placing the feelings of wickedness and righteousness in the human soul has two meanings: First, the Creator created man in a consistency suitable for these two tendencies. Therefore, this feeling exists in everyone. Second, every person is given the ability to do good and evil. Due to this ability, every human perceives that evil (fujur) is ugly and goodness (taqwa) is beautiful. (From MAWDUDI; M. DEMIRCI, 3/573)

(9) ‘He who purifies his soul has succeeded.’

That is, those who bring abundance by purifying the soul from sins and disciplining it with taqwa; (in another sense) the pure soul inspired by Allah, whom He has thus purified, has found true success. He has reached his goal by being worthy of the address, "Enter among My servants, enter My Paradise" (Fajr 89/29-30). (ELMALILI, 9/243)

Purifying the soul is primarily to clean it from disbelief, ignorance, bad feelings, wrong beliefs, and evil habits. It is to cleanse it from all kinds of creedal, moral, and practical errors contrary to Islam. After cleaning it and protecting it from evils, it is to fill it with spirituality by disciplining it with characteristics of taqwa such as faith, knowledge, wisdom, good feelings, and beautiful habits. (O. CELIK, 5/477)

(10) ‘And he who corrupts it has failed.’

In another sense, the sinful and low soul, which Allah has thus debased and buried, has truly suffered loss and disappointment. Being unable to save itself, with all its dreams turned upside down and deprived of every hope, it fell into regret and loss within eternal punishment and unbreakable bonds, saying, "I wish I had sent forth some good for my life" (Fajr 89/24). (ELMALILI, 9/243)

Hadith: "The wise person is the one who controls his soul and works for what is after death. The fool is the one who follows his soul's desires and yet expects goodness from Allah." (From Tirmidhi, Qiyamah 25; O. CELIK, 5/478)

Hadith: "O Allah, grant my soul its taqwa and purify it. For You are the best of those who purify it. You are its Guardian and its Master. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit, from a heart that does not fear, from a soul that is never satisfied, and from a prayer that is not answered." (From Muslim, Dhikr 73; O. CELIK, 5/478)

91/11-15 DO NOT HARM THE SHE-CAMEL OF ALLAH AND HER RIGHT TO DRINK

Translation

11- 15- Thamud [people] denied [their prophet Salih] because of their transgression. 12- When the most wretched of them was sent forth [to kill the she-camel given as a miracle]. 13- And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them: "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink [turn]." 14- But they denied him and hamstrung [and killed] her. So their Lord brought down upon them a crushing punishment for their sin and leveled them [to the ground]. 15- And He does not fear the consequence thereof [of their destruction].

Commentary

(11-14) ‘Thamud (people) denied (their prophet Salih) because of their transgression.’ ‘When the most wretched of them was sent forth.’ ‘And the messenger of Allah (Salih) said to them: 'Do not harm the she-camel of Allah or her drink'.’ ‘But they denied him and hamstrung her. So their Lord brought down upon them a crushing punishment for their sin and leveled them.’ The tribe of Thamud is given as an example from history to explain the state of a soul mired in sin. Because among the tribes who were subjected to punishment before, they were the community whose settlement was closest to the Meccans. Their historical remains existed in the north of the Hejaz. When the Meccans went to Damascus for trade, they would pass through there. The people of Thamud deserved punishment and were destroyed by slaughtering the camel they had requested as a miracle. (cf. A’raf 7/73-79; Hud 11/61-68; Qamar 54/23-32; O. CELIK, 5/480)

They denied their prophets and killed the camel. The one who killed the camel was indeed the most rebellious among them. However, they were all held responsible and were considered to have killed the she-camel all together. In fact, they did not hold the hand of that rebellious person and kill the camel jointly, but they condoned his action. This is one of the basic principles of Islam regarding sharing social responsibility in worldly life. However, this principle does not conflict with the principle of personal responsibility in the punishments to be given in the hereafter.  Because no one bears the sin of another. Moreover, it is a sin to neglect mutual advice, solidarity, and encouragement of goodness, and not to prevent those who commit transgression and evil. (S. KUTUB, 10/494)

Humans were not created without purpose. The sins one commits will not go unpunished. In places where commanding good and forbidding evil are not practiced and sinfulness continues, punishment comes collectively against the rebellion of an individual or a group. [cf. 8/25] (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/594)

(15) ‘And He does not fear the consequence thereof (of their destruction).’

That is, Allah, unlike worldly kings and rulers, does not need to think about what the outcome will be before taking action. His power is above everything. Allah is also far removed from thinking that the supporters of the Thamud tribe could take revenge. (MAWDUDI, 7/136)