بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Ash-Shams 91:8
The Sun · Juz 30 · Page 595
فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَىٰهَا ٨
And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness,
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 91:8
فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا (then inspired it with its [ instincts on evil and piety...91:8) The word ilham denotes 'to cast into the heart'. The word fujur denotes 'open transgression'. The meaning of taqwa is well-known. This sentence is linked with the seventh oath وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا and by the soul, and the One who made it well, [ 91:7] ', signifying that Allah has equipped man with human soul which has the capacity to distinguish between good and bad, and right and wrong. In other words, in his make-up Allah has built in him a special ability to choose freely the righteous path or the sinful path. Whichever way he takes out of his own free will, he will be rewarded or punished. This interpretation is deducible from a traceable Hadith which is transmitted by Muslim on the authority of Sayyidna ` Imran Ibn Husain ؓ . The Holy Prophet ﷺ was sitting in the company of his followers. They asked him a question regarding Divine Destination. In response, the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited this verse. This verse will allay the doubt about Divine Destination only if the words 'then inspired it with its (instincts of) evil and piety, [ 91:8] ' are taken in the sense that human soul has been inspired with conscience to distinguish between right and wrong, and has also been granted the ability to do good as well as the ability to commit sin. Man is not a creature of pure force or coercion. He has free will to choose his path of good or evil. He, in fact, has the option to do good or refrain from sin. The choice is his, for which he is rewarded or punished.
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah and Ibn ` Abbas ؓ report that whenever the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited the verses [ 91:7-8] under comment would stop and recite the following supplication aloud:
اللّٰھُمَّ اٰتِ نفسِی تَقوٰھَا اَنتَ وَلِیُّھَا وَ مَولَاھَا وَ اَنتَ خَیرُ مَن زَکَٰھَا
'0 Allah! Give my soul its good. You are its Guardian and Master, and the best to purify it.'
Page 595
سورة الشمس
Ash-Shams
The Sun · Meccan · 15 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
91:1
وَٱلشَّمۡسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا ١
By the sun and its brightness
91:2
وَٱلۡقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا ٢
And [by] the moon when it follows it
91:3
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا ٣
And [by] the day when it displays it1
1 translator’s note
- The earth. Also interpreted as the sun. The same applies to the following verse. ↩
91:4
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰهَا ٤
And [by] the night when it covers [i.e., conceals] it
91:5
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا ٥
And [by] the sky and He who constructed it
91:6
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا ٦
And [by] the earth and He who spread it
91:7
وَنَفۡسٖ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا ٧
And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., balanced and refined it, creating in it sound tendencies and consciousness. ↩
91:8
فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَىٰهَا ٨
And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness,
91:9
قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا ٩
He has succeeded who purifies it,
91:10
وَقَدۡ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا ١٠
And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].
91:11
كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِطَغۡوَىٰهَآ ١١
Thamūd denied [their prophet] by reason of their transgression,
91:12
إِذِ ٱنۢبَعَثَ أَشۡقَىٰهَا ١٢
When the most wretched of them was sent forth.1
1 translator’s note
- To hamstring the she-camel which had been sent by Allāh as a sign to them. ↩
91:13
فَقَالَ لَهُمۡ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقۡيَٰهَا ١٣
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."
91:14
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمۡدَمَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمۡ فَسَوَّىٰهَا ١٤
But they denied him and hamstrung1 her. So their Lord brought down upon them destruction for their sin and made it equal [upon all of them].
1 translator’s note
- And then killed. ↩
91:15
وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقۡبَٰهَا ١٥
And He does not fear the consequence thereof.1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh is not asked about what He does, but His servants will be asked. See 21:23. ↩
سورة الليل
Al-Layl
The Night · Meccan · 21 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
92:1
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰ ١
By the night when it covers1
1 translator’s note
- With darkness. ↩
92:2
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ ٢
And [by] the day when it appears
92:3
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰٓ ٣
And [by] He who created the male and female,
92:4
إِنَّ سَعۡيَكُمۡ لَشَتَّىٰ ٤
Indeed, your efforts are diverse.
92:5
فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أَعۡطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ ٥
As for he who gives and fears Allāh
92:6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ٦
And believes in the best [reward].
92:7
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ ٧
We will ease him toward ease.
92:8
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ ٨
But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need
92:9
وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ٩
And denies the best [reward],
92:10
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡعُسۡرَىٰ ١٠
We will ease him toward difficulty.
92:11
وَمَا يُغۡنِي عَنۡهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ ١١
And what will his wealth avail him when he falls?1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., when he dies or is destroyed. It can also mean when he falls into the Hellfire. ↩
92:12
إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا لَلۡهُدَىٰ ١٢
Indeed, [incumbent] upon Us is guidance.
92:13
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ ١٣
And indeed, to us belongs the Hereafter and the first [life].
92:14
فَأَنذَرۡتُكُمۡ نَارٗا تَلَظَّىٰ ١٤
So I have warned you of a Fire which is blazing.