Explanation of Surah No 91 of Quran ASH-SHAMS (The Sun)

                       Explanation of Surah No 91 of Quran ASH-SHAMS (The Sun)

                In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

This is an early Meccan Surah.

The topic of this Surah is to make the Meccan Pagans realize the difference between rights and wrongs and to warn them the consequences of their wrong ways of life which was very common those days and the Pagans were very proud to enjoy their wrongs but never prepared to leave and come to Righteous.

In the beginning of this Surah Allah vows on the Sun and the Moon, The Day and The Night and the Sky and the Earth to make them understand that these are the contrast in Allah’s Sublime Creation. Sun is so bright and gives a lot of heat and shines while Moon is Just opposite i.e. pale and conspicuous.

Next is Day and Night, opposite to each other i.e. one is bright and the other is dark, so the difference is very obvious.

Then next contrast is given of sky which is above spreaded high and down is spreaded is Earth. Both belong to the same University yet they are different to each other. Same way Allah has created a man and breathed in him a soul with given faculty of knowledge, senses, understanding in due proportion and relative perfection, so he is able to differentiate between sin and piety. Allah has kept an instinct in him which is conscience which makes him realize when he is wrong as something inside him screams and tells him to be careful else he will face the bad consequences. If a man can see the vast differences between Allah’s given Nature of Sun and Moon, Night and Day, and Sky and the Earth then why can’t he see the differences between rights and wrong? And how can he say that both should have the same consequences. In the court of this world the Judge Punishes the sinners and rewards the righteous, so how can they expect in the Court of Justice of their Lord it should be different and have no result. Allah also sent His Messengers and the Books to guide them and warn them for their wrongs.

Therefore by these tokens man should learn that his success and his salvation depend on keeping his soul pure by choosing the height of right ways. And his failure and his decline on soiling his souls by choosing the wrongs.

Then Allah gives the example of Nation of Thamud whose Warner and Messenger was Prophet Saleh (A.S) The Meccans used to see their ruins of their destruction in the North of Hijaz. This is to make them realize the necessity of Messenger to Strengthen their knowledge of Rights and wrongs with its consequences. Thamud people were arrogant and astray, rejected their Messenger of Allah. So he warned them with a she camel as a sign to let her alone drink water by the Command of Allah from the reserve on her drinking day and let her come no harm or else you will face a grievous Chastisement, but they killed her, thus they were destroyed by Allah and He was not at all sorry for destroying them.

Thus this Surah ends with a warning of terrible consequences for those who wants to remain in their wrongs and have no fear of Hereafter.   

The Summary is taken from the Book "The Pearls Of Wisdom" by Mrs. Badria Kazim (May Allah shower Blessings And Mercy upon Her)

May Allah Subhanahu Wa ta'ala Have Mercy & Blessings upon Me & whole Ummah to get a place in Jannatul Firdaus

Mr. Liyakat Shah