A Simplified Explanation of Sūrah Al-Shams from Al-Tafsīr Al-Muyassar
Categorized under: Al-Tafsīr Al-Muyassar, Qurʿān
Al-Shams
Verse 1
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا
Allāh swore by the Sun, its light during the day, and its brightening [of the sky] at midmorning;
Verse 2
وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلاهَا
by the Moon, when it follows [the Sun] in coming into view and going into hiding;
Verse 3
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلاهَا
by the day, when it clears away darkness and removes it;
Verse 4
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا
by the night, when it covers the Earth, after which whatever is upon it is cast in darkness;
Verse 5
وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا
by the sky and its perfect construction;
Verse 6
وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا
by the Earth and its [expansive] spread;
Verse 7
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا
and by every soul and Allāh’s having perfected its creation in order to perform its mission.
Verse 8
فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
Then He made clear to it the way to evil and the way to good.
Verse 9
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا
He has certainly triumphed, who has cleansed it and increased it in goodness.
Verse 10
وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا
And He has certainly lost, who has buried his soul in sins.
Verse 11
كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا
The [people of] Thamūd disbelieved in their prophet as a result of their having reached the limits of sinfulness…
Verse 12
إِذِ انْبَعَثَ أَشْقَاهَا
…when the most wretched [member] of the tribe got up to go cut one of the she-camel’s legs [in order to slaughter it].
Verse 13
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ نَاقَةَ اللَّهِ وَسُقْيَاهَا
Then Allāh’s messenger Ṣāliḥ, may Allāh protect him further from every kind of fault or harm, said: Beware of laying a hand on the she-camel with evil [intent], for she is a [miraculous] sign that Allāh has sent to you all, showing the truthfulness of your prophet; and beware of transgressing against its access to water, for she gets her share of water one day, and you get a share of water on a known day.
Verse 14
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنْبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا
That was difficult for them; they refused to believe him with regard to that which he had threatened them with; then they slaughtered it. Their Lord then closed upon them the punishment [due to them] as a result of their crime, making it the same for them [all], so not one of them escaped.
Verse 15
وَلا يَخَافُ عُقْبَاهَا
And He has no fear–exalted is His position–of repercussions for what He sent down upon them of severe punishment.
Source:
Al-Tafsīr Al-Muyassar. King Fahd Qurʾān Printing Complex. Madīnah: 1434 H.