Surat Ash-Shams (The Sun)
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Name
The Surah has been so designated after the word ash-shams with which it opens.Period of Revelation
The subject matter and the style show that this Surah too was revealed in the earliest period at Makkah at a stage when opposition to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) had grown very strong and intense.Theme and Subject Matter
Its theme is to distinguish the good from the evil and to warn the people, who were refusing to understand this distinction and insisting on following the evil way, of the evil end.In view of the subject matter this Surah consists of two parts. The first part consists of vv. 1-10, and the second of vv. 11-15. The first part deals with three things:- That just as the sun and the moon, the day and the night, the earth and the sky, are different from each other and contradictory in their effects and results, so are the good and the evil different front each other and contradictory in their effects and results; they are neither alike in their outward appearance nor can they be alike in their results.
- That Allah after giving the human self powers of the body, sense and mind has not left it uninformed in the world, but has instilled into his unconscious by means of a natural inspiration the distinction between good and evil, right and wrong, and the sense of the good to be good and of the evil to be evil.
- That the future of man depends on how by using the powers of discrimination, will and judgment that Allah has endowed him with, he develops the good and suppresses the evil tendencies of the self. If he develops the good inclination and frees his self of the evil inclinations, he will attain to eternal success, and if, on the contrary, he suppresses the good and promotes the evil, he will meet with disappointment and failure.
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This sūrah, which maintains the same rhyme in all its verses and keeps the same musical beat throughout, starts with several aesthetic touches which seem to spring out from the surrounding universe and its phenomena. These phenomena form the framework which encompasses the great truth which is the subject matter of the sūrah, namely, the nature of man, his inherent abilities, choice of action, and responsibility in determining his own fate.This sūrah also refers to the story of the Thamūd and their negative attitude to the warnings they received from God’s messenger, to their killing of the she-camel, and finally their complete annihilation. This provides an example of the unpromising prospects which await those who corrupt their souls instead of keeping them pure and who do not confine themselves within the limits of piety. “Successful is the one who keeps it pure, and ruined is the one who corrupts it.” (Verses 9-10)
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Period of Revelation: This Surah was revealed, in the early stage at Makkah, when opposition to the Prophet (peace be upon him) had grown very strong and intense.Major Issues, Divine Law and Guidance:
- Success depends on keeping the soul pure and failure depends on corrupting it, people of Thamud were leveled to the ground for that very reason.
- Just as the sun and the moon, the day and the night, the earth and the sky are different from each other and contradictory in their effects and results, so are good and evil different from each other and contradictory in their effects and results; they are neither alike in their outward appearance nor can they be alike in their results.
- Allah, after giving human his body, sense and mind has not left him uninformed in this world. He has instilled into his subconscious, by means of a natural inspiration, the distinction between good and evil, right and wrong.
- The future of man depends on recognizing these differences, developing the good and suppressing the evil tendencies of the self. If he develops good inclinations and frees himself of evil inclinations, he will attain eternal success, and if, on the contrary, he suppresses good and promotes evil, he will meet with disappointments and failures.