Ash-Shams

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

See ayat 10 for tafseer.

The successive and emphatic oaths at the beginning of this sūrah—numbering eleven according to one reckoning and seven according to another—collectively encompass most of the Qur’anic oaths. This clearly indicates that an extremely important matter is being addressed here: a matter equal in magnitude to the greatness of the heavens, the earth, the sun, and the moon, and one that is decisive for destiny and life‑giving in nature. It is therefore necessary first to explain these oaths, and then to reflect upon the profoundly important truth for which all these oaths are taken. The sūrah begins by stating: “By the sun and its radiance” (وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا). As noted earlier, Qur’anic oaths generally serve two purposes: first, to emphasize the importance of the truth being confirmed; and second, to draw attention to the significance of the realities by which the oath is taken, since oaths are sworn only by matters of great importance. For this reason, such oaths prompt human reflection upon key phenomena within the realm of creation, guiding thought toward God. The sun plays the most essential and enduring role in the life of humanity and all terrestrial living beings. Beyond being the source of light and heat—both of which are among the primary foundations of life—all other vital resources ultimately originate from it. The movement of winds, the falling of rain, the growth of vegetation, the flow of rivers and waterfalls, and even the emergence of energy‑producing resources such as petroleum, oil, and coal, upon close examination, are all connected in some way to sunlight. If this life‑giving lamp were ever extinguished, darkness, stillness, silence, and death would envelop everything. The term ضحیٰ originally denotes the spreading of the sun’s light, which occurs when the sun rises above the horizon and its rays encompass all directions. It was subsequently applied to that particular part of the day as well. The emphasis on ضحیٰ is due to its significance as the time when sunlight fully dominates the earth. The third oath follows: “By the moon when it follows it” (وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا). As many exegetes have explained, this most likely refers to the full moon on the fourteenth night, when the moon rises immediately after sunset, appearing in the eastern horizon with its luminous face and asserting its brilliance across the sky. Since it is at this time that the moon is at its most splendid and majestic, the oath is taken by it. Some exegetes have also suggested that this expression points to the moon’s perpetual dependence on the sun and its receipt of light from that source, in which case إِذَا تَلَاهَا would be an explanatory qualification. Other suggested interpretations are not significant enough to merit discussion. The fourth oath states: “By the day when it reveals it” (وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّاهَا). The verb جَلَّاهَا, derived from tajliya, means to disclose or make manifest. Exegetes differ regarding the referent of the pronoun ها: many hold that it refers to the earth or the world, which the day illuminates, while others hold that it refers to the sun—meaning the day reveals the sun. The first interpretation appears more appropriate. In any event, this oath underscores the immense impact of daytime upon human life and all living beings, for day represents movement, vitality, and life, and nearly all human effort, labor, and striving occur in daylight. The fifth oath declares: “By the night when it covers it” (وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا). Here too, exegetes differ as to whether the pronoun refers to the earth—which night covers like a veil—or to the sun, whose face it symbolically conceals. Consistency with the preceding verse determines the referent. Night, with all its blessings and effects, both moderates the sun’s daytime heat and provides rest and tranquility for all living beings. Without night and darkness, continuous sunlight would eliminate rest altogether, and the sun’s intense heat would destroy everything. This can be observed on the moon, whose days and nights each last two weeks; at midday, temperatures reach nearly 300°C, and at midnight plunge far below zero, rendering life impossible as we know it. It is noteworthy that some verbs in these oaths appear in the past tense and others in the present tense. This variation may indicate that the phenomena of night and day are not confined to a single era, but encompass past, present, and future alike, thus emphasizing their timeless universality. The sixth and seventh oaths state: “By the heaven and by Him who built it” (وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا). The creation of the heavens with such awe‑inspiring grandeur—along with their stars, celestial bodies, and governing systems—is among the greatest wonders of existence, and above all stands their Creator. Although the word ما is typically used for non‑rational entities in Arabic, it is also used for rational beings, including God, as in فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ (نساء: 3). Given its parallel usage in وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا, which will be discussed shortly, ما here clearly refers to God Himself as the Creator. The eighth and ninth oaths state: “By the earth and by Him who spread it out” (وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا طَحَاهَا). The earth is the cradle of life, with its mountains, seas, valleys, forests, springs, rivers, resources, and treasures—each of which alone constitutes a sign of God. The verb طَحَاهَا, from ṭaḥw, means to spread out or expand, alluding to the gradual emergence and leveling of land from beneath water and rough terrain into habitable plains. Some exegetes also see in this expression a subtle reference to the earth’s motion, whether axial, orbital, or both. Finally, the tenth and eleventh oaths declare: “By the soul and by Him who proportioned it” (وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا). The human being—essence of creation and synthesis of the visible and invisible realms—is so remarkable that God swears by both the human soul and its Creator together. Whether نفس is understood to mean the soul alone or both body and soul, سَوَّاهَا refers to the harmonious organization of human faculties—spiritual, intellectual, sensory, and physical alike. The Qur’an applies نفس to both meanings, as in اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا (زمر: 42) for the soul, and قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِنْهُمْ نَفْسًا (قصص: 33) for the body. The indefinite form of نفس here points to its immense significance and mystery. The next verse presents a crucial matter related to human creation: “Then He inspired it with its wickedness and its piety” (فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا). Once creation was completed, God instructed the human being in what ought and ought not to be done. Thus, the human becomes a being composed of earthly matter and divine spirit, informed by awareness of good and evil, capable of ascending higher than angels or descending lower than beasts—depending solely upon the path chosen through free will. The term إلهام originally means to cause something to be swallowed or absorbed, and by extension refers to the divine casting of understanding into the soul. فجور, from fajr, signifies cleaving open—just as dawn splits the darkness—and thus came to denote sin, which rends the veil of morality. تقوى, from wiqāyah, means self‑protection: guarding oneself from evil and corruption. This verse does not mean that God implanted sinful impulses in the soul, but rather that He taught humanity the distinction between good and evil, as stated in وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ (بلد: 10). After all these profound and repeated oaths, the conclusion is drawn: “He has succeeded who purifies it” (قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا). The verb زكّى, from تزكية, means both growth and purification. Salvation belongs to the one who nurtures and purifies the soul, keeping it free from satanic traits, sin, rebellion, and disbelief. This is the central issue of human life. Conversely, “He has failed who corrupts it” (وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا). خاب denotes loss, failure, and deprivation, while دسّاها implies concealing or polluting—metaphorically burying the soul under sin and corruption. Thus, the true criterion of success and failure in worldly life becomes clear: purification of the soul and growth in piety, versus contamination through sin and rebellion. This meaning is echoed in the statement attributed to Imam Muḥammad al‑Bāqir and Imam Jaʿfar al‑Ṣādiq: “قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن أَطَاعَ، وَخَابَ مَن عَصَى”—“He who obeys succeeds, and he who disobeys fails.” It is also reported that when the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny recited قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا, he paused and supplicated: “اللَّهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا، أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلَاهَا، وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا.” This indicates that traversing this path—even for the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny—requires divine assistance. Accordingly, he is also reported to have said: “أَفْلَحَتْ نَفْسٌ زَكَّاهَا اللَّهُ، وَخَابَتْ نَفْسٌ خَيَّبَهَا اللَّهُ مِنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ.”

What is the relationship between these eleven emphatic oaths and the truth for which the oaths are taken? It appears that God the Exalted intends, through this declaration, to convey that all material and spiritual means necessary for human felicity and happiness have been provided. On the one hand, He has illuminated the arena of human life through the light and radiance of the sun and the moon, and by regulating the system of movement and rest through night and day, He has rendered the earth fully prepared for human existence from every perspective. On the other hand, He has created the human soul endowed with all its capacities, bestowed upon human beings a vigilant conscience, and inspired them with the ability to discern goodness and evil. Therefore, nothing is lacking for traversing the path of felicity. In such a situation, why does the human being fail to purify his own soul, and why does he succumb to the temptations of Satan?

With regard to the sun, which is the center of the solar system and the commander and guide of its planets, there are two discussions. One concerns its greatness, which we have already addressed; the other concerns its blessings and effects, which may be summarized as follows: 1. For the life of human beings and other creatures, heat and light are required as primary necessities. Both of these vital elements are provided in a perfectly balanced manner by this fiery celestial body. 2. All sources of nourishment are ultimately derived from sunlight. Even the beings that live in the depths of the seas benefit from plants that grow on the ocean’s surface under sunlight and among the waves, then descend downward; and if living beings benefit from one another, the food of at least one group is plants, which cannot grow without sunlight. 3. All the colors, beauties, and manifestations observed in the physical world are, in one way or another, connected to the radiance of the sun; this fact has been demonstrated by various sciences, particularly physics. 4. Life‑giving rains fall from clouds, and clouds themselves arise from vapors produced by the sun’s shining upon the surfaces of the seas. Consequently, all water sources nourished by rainfall—whether rivers, springs, canals, streams, or even deep wells—are among the blessings of sunlight. 5. Winds, whose function is to regulate the atmosphere, carry clouds to different regions, pollinate and graft plants, and transfer heat and cold from warm regions to cold ones and from cold regions to warm ones, arise from variations in temperature across the Earth’s surface caused by sunlight. Thus, they too draw their energy from the sun. 6. Energy‑producing substances and resources—whether waterfalls, large dams built in mountainous regions, petroleum and oil reserves, or coal mines—are all, in one way or another, linked to the sun; were it not for it, none of these resources would exist, and all movement on the Earth’s surface would come to a standstill. 7. The stability of the solar system is due to the balance of gravitational attraction existing between the sun and the planets that orbit around it; in this way, the sun plays a decisive role in keeping the planets within their respective orbits. From all of this discussion, it becomes clear why God begins the first oath with the sun. Likewise, the moon, daylight, and nighttime darkness each play a crucial role in the life of humans and non‑humans alike on Earth. For this reason, oaths are taken by them; and above all of these stands the human soul and body, which are the most mysterious and astonishing of all. We shall discuss the purification of the soul at the conclusion of this sūrah.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

See ayat 15 for tafseer.

After the warning presented in the preceding verses concerning those who defile their own souls, these verses set forth, by way of example, a clear historical illustration of this theme, describing the destiny of the rebellious people of Thamūd in decisive and meaningful terms. It states: “The people of Thamūd denied [their prophet] out of arrogance and rebellion.” (كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ بِطَغْوَاهَا). The terms ṭaghwā and ṭughyān convey the same meaning—transgression beyond limits—which here refers to exceeding divine boundaries and rebelling against God’s commands. The people of Thamūd, whose prophet was Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام, were among the earliest nations, dwelling in a mountainous region between the Ḥijāz and Syria. They lived in prosperity, with cultivated lands, fertile plains suitable for agriculture, magnificent palaces, and strong, well‑built dwellings. Yet they not only failed to give thanks for these blessings; rather, they rose in rebellion, denied their prophet Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام, mocked the divine signs, and ultimately God annihilated them through a heavenly catastrophe. The verses then highlight a concrete manifestation of their rebellion: “When their most wretched man rose up.” (إِذِ انبَعَثَ أَشْقَاهَا). Ashqā denotes the most wretched and hard‑hearted individual of that people, referring to the one who destroyed the she‑camel of Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام—the camel that appeared as a miracle among them—and whose killing amounted to a declaration of war against the divine messenger. According to exegetes and historians, this man’s name was Qidār ibn Sālif. Some narrations report that the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny asked ʿAlī عليه السلام: “Who was the most wretched among the former peoples?” He replied: “The one who hamstrung the she‑camel.” The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny said: “You have spoken the truth. Then who is the most wretched among the later peoples?” When ʿAlī replied that he did not know, the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny said: “The one who will strike you here,” pointing to the top of his head. (Reported in Majmaʿ al‑Bayān, vol. 10, p. 499; a similar meaning appears in Tafsīr al‑Qurṭubī.) The next verse elaborates further on the rebellion of Thamūd: “The Messenger of God said to them: Leave the she‑camel of God and her share of water.” (فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ نَاقَةَ اللَّهِ وَسُقْيَاهَا). Here, Rasūl Allāh refers to Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام, the prophet of Thamūd, and the expression Nāqat Allāh signifies that this was no ordinary camel but a divine sign and manifest miracle attesting to Ṣāliḥ’s truthfulness. According to well‑known reports, one of its special features was that it emerged from within a mountain rock as a clear miracle for the obstinate deniers. Other Qur’anic verses indicate that Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام informed them that the water of the settlement was to be shared between them and the camel—one day for the camel and one day for the people—each benefiting in turn without interfering with the other: وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ (قمر: ۲۸). He also warned them explicitly: “Do not harm her, lest the punishment of a terrible Day seize you.” (وَلَا تَمَسُّوهَا بِسُوءٍ فَيَأْخُذَكُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ) (شعراء: ۱۵۶). Yet the following verse states: “But they denied him and hamstrung her.” (فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا). Although the act was physically carried out by a single individual—described as ashqā—it is attributed to the entire people, because such crimes are typically conceived collectively and executed with the approval of the wider group. As Amīr al‑Muʾminīn ʿAlī عليه السلام eloquently states, although only one person struck the she‑camel, God encompassed all with punishment because they all consented to the deed (Nahj al‑Balāghah, Sermon 201). Following this denial and defiant opposition, God imposed a punishment that left no trace of them, as the verse continues: “So their Lord crushed them for their sin and leveled them.” (فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِذَنبِهِمْ فَسَوَّاهَا). The terrifying heavenly cry and earthquake destroyed their land in moments, reducing their homes to ruins and turning their dwellings into their graves. The term damdama conveys annihilation, punishment, overthrow, enclosure, and wrath—all of which apply here. The final verse issues a stern warning to all who follow the same path: “And He does not fear the consequence thereof.” (وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقْبَاهَا). Unlike worldly rulers who hesitate out of fear of repercussions, God—whose knowledge fully encompasses all outcomes and whose power is untainted by weakness—executes His will with absolute decisiveness. Tyrants must inevitably face the consequences of their deeds; therefore, they must guard themselves against incurring divine wrath.

The people of Thamūd, as we have explained, lived in the land situated between Medina and Syria, known as Wādī al‑Qurā. Their religion was idolatry, and they were deeply immersed in various forms of sin. God’s great prophet Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام was sent among them and exerted himself to guide them and bring about their salvation, but they neither abandoned idol‑worship nor altered their attitude of rebellion and sin. When they demanded a miracle, God brought forth a she‑camel in a miraculous and extraordinary manner from within a mountain. However, in order to test them, it was decreed that the entire water of the settlement would belong to the she‑camel on one day, and on the following day the people themselves would use the water; some reports even state that on the days when they were deprived of water, they benefited from the milk of the she‑camel. Yet even this great miracle failed to diminish their obstinacy and their persistence in wickedness and corruption. Consequently, they devised a plan to destroy the she‑camel and also to kill Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام, for they regarded him as an obstacle to the fulfillment of their desires and passions. The plan to destroy the she‑camel was carried out by an extremely ruthless and wretched man, Qidār ibn Sālif, who struck it several times and cast it to the ground. This act was, in reality, a declaration of war against God, for they imagined that by eliminating the she‑camel— the miracle of Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام— they would extinguish the light of guidance. At that point, Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام warned them that they might enjoy whatever blessings they wished in their homes for three days, but they should know with certainty that after three days the divine punishment would encompass them all (سورہ هود، آیت ۶۵). These three days were a final opportunity for reflection and a last chance for repentance and return. However, not only did they fail to reconsider, but their tyranny and rebellion increased further. Thereupon the divine punishment descended upon them, and the “heavenly cry” (i.e., the صیحہ آسمانی) utterly destroyed their land, so that they all fell lifeless and prostrate within their homes: وَأَخَذَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُوا فِي دِيَارِهِمْ جَاثِمِينَ (هود: ۶۷). They were annihilated in such a manner, and their land became so silent, as though no one had ever resided in those dwellings. Yet God delivered Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام and his believing companions from that deadly punishment (هود: ۶۶). For further details of the story of the people of Thamūd, see Tafsīr‑e Nemūneh, vol. 5, p. 312 onwards.

A group of prominent Shiʿi and Sunni scholars—including Thaʿlabī, Wāḥidī, Ibn Mardawayh, al‑Khaṭīb al‑Baghdādī, Ṭabarī al‑Mawṣilī, and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, among others—have transmitted, through their respective chains of narration, reports from ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir, Jābir ibn Samurah, and ʿUthmān ibn Ṣuhayb, on the authority of the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny, that he said to ʿAlī عليه السلام: يَا عَلِيّ! أَشْقَى الْأَوَّلِينَ عَاقِرُ النَّاقَةِ، وَأَشْقَى الْآخِرِينَ قَاتِلُكَ، and in one narration: مَنْ يَخْضِبُ هَذِهِ مِنْ هَذَا “O ʿAlī! The most wretched person among the former peoples was the one who slew the she‑camel of Ṣāliḥ, and the most wretched among the latter peoples is the one who will kill you;” and in another narration: “the one who will dye this with this,” meaning the one who will dye your beard with the blood of your head. (Reported in Tafsīr Nūr al‑Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 587) The similarity between Qidār ibn Sālif and Ibn Muljam In reality, a striking resemblance exists between Qidār ibn Yūsuf, who severed the legs of the she‑camel of Ṣāliḥ عليه السلام, and ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān ibn Muljam al‑Murādī, the assassin of Amīr al‑Muʾminīn. Both sought to extinguish the light of truth. Just as, following the episode of the she‑camel of Ṣāliḥ, divine punishment encompassed that tyrannical and rebellious people, so too, after the مظلومانہ (unjust and oppressed) martyrdom of Amīr al‑Muʾminīn ʿAlī عليه السلام, the Muslims witnessed the most painful forms of suffering under the oppressive and unjust rule of the Banū Umayyah. It is noteworthy that al‑Ḥākim al‑Ḥaskānī, in Shawāhid al‑Tanzīl, has transmitted a large number of narrations on this subject whose content closely resembles the narration cited above. (See Shawāhid al‑Tanzīl, vol. 2, pp. 234–242)

The more emphatically and repeatedly Qur’anic oaths are employed concerning a subject, the greater its significance thereby becomes. We know that some of the longest and most strongly emphasized oaths occur in this very sūrah, especially where oaths by the Divine Essence itself are repeated three times. Ultimately, the discourse culminates in emphasizing that success and salvation lie in the purification of the soul, whereas deprivation, failure, and misery lie in abandoning such purification. In reality, this is the most crucial issue of human life. Indeed, the Qur’an, through the foregoing meanings, has clarified that human salvation is not contingent upon mere beliefs or imaginations, nor upon wealth, status, or social position, nor upon the actions of others—such as the Christian claim that salvation depends entirely upon the sacrificial act of Jesus Christ—nor upon any other such notions. Rather, human salvation is contingent upon the purification and elevation of the soul under the shade of faith and righteous action. Human misery and loss are not rooted in compelled fate or unavoidable destiny, nor in decrees imposed upon individuals, nor in the actions of others. Instead, they lie solely in avoiding contamination by sin and in adopting the path of piety. It is related in history that when the wife of the ʿAzīz of Egypt (Zulaykhā) met Joseph عليه السلام after he had become the custodian of the treasuries and the ruler of Egypt, she said to him: “Indeed, greed and lust turn kings into slaves, whereas patience and piety turn slaves into kings.” Joseph عليه السلام affirmed this statement and recalled the divine saying: إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ — “Indeed, whoever is mindful of God and remains patient, God does not let the reward of the righteous go to waste.” (reported in Muḥajjat al‑Bayḍāʾ, vol. 5, p. 116). The same meaning is transmitted in another expression, wherein the wife of the ʿAzīz was seated by the roadside when Joseph’s procession passed by, and she proclaimed: “Praise be to God who turned kings into slaves through their disobedience, and turned slaves into kings through their obedience.” (Muḥajjat al‑Bayḍāʾ, vol. 5, p. 117). Indeed, servitude to the lower self results in human bondage, whereas piety and self‑discipline grant sovereignty over existence. Numerous individuals, through devotion and obedience to God, have attained such elevated stations that they became possessors of wilāyah takwīniyyah, able—by God’s permission—to influence the events of the universe and manifest extraordinary acts. O God, assist and support us in striving against the desires of the ego. Our Lord, You have inspired us with awareness of wickedness and piety; grant us the ability to benefit from this inspiration. O God, the snares and deceptions of Satan are hidden deep within the human soul—make us aware of these plots and grant us insight to recognize them. Āmīn, O Lord of all the worlds.