By the sun and her morning light
أقسم الله بالشمس ونهارها وإشراقها ضحى، وبالقمر إذا تبعها في الطلوع والأفول، وبالنهار إذا جلَّى الظلمة وكشفها، وبالليل عندما يغطي الأرض فيكون ما عليها مظلمًا، وبالسماء وبنائها المحكم، وبالأرض وبَسْطها، وبكل نفس وإكمال الله خلقها لأداء مهمتها، فبيَّن لها طريق الشر وطريق الخير، قد فاز مَن طهَّرها ونمَّاها بالخير، وقد خسر مَن أخفى نفسه في المعاصي.
سورة الشمس: تقدم حديث جابر الذي في الصحيحين أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لمعاذ "هلا صليت ب "سبح اسم ربك الأعلى" "والشمس وضحاها" "والليل إذا يغشى" ؟". قال مجاهد "والشمس وضحاها" أي وضوئها وقال قتادة "وضحاها" النهار كله. قال ابن جرير والصواب أن يقال أقسم الله بالشمس ونهارها لأن ضوء الشمس الظاهرة هو النهار.
افتتح - سبحانه - هذه السورة الكريمة ، بالقسم بكائنات عظيمة النفع ، جليلة القدر ، لها آثارها فى حياة الناس والحيوان والنبات ، ولها دلالتها الواضحة على وحدانيته - تعالى - وكمال قدرته ، وبديع صنعه .فقال - سبحانه - : ( والشمس وَضُحَاهَا ) والضحى الوقت الذى ترتفع فيه الشمس بعد إشراقها ، فتكون أكمل ما تكون ضياء وشعاعا .فالمراد بضحاها : ضؤوها - كما يرى مجاهد - ، أو النهار كله - كما اختار قتادة وغيره - ، أو حرها - كما قال مقاتل - .وهذه الأقوال لا تنافر بينها ، لأن لفظ الضحى فى الأصل ، يطلق على الوقت الذى تنبسط فيه الشمس ، ويمتد النهار ، تقولك ضَحِى فلان يَضْحَى - كرضى يرضى - ، إذا برز للشمس ، وتعرض لحرها ، ومنه قوله - تعالى - : ( إِنَّ لَكَ أَلاَّ تَجُوعَ فِيهَا وَلاَ تعرى . وَأَنَّكَ لاَ تَظْمَأُ فِيهَا وَلاَ تضحى ).
القول في تأويل قوله تعالى جل ثناؤه وتقدست أسماؤه: وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا (1)قوله: ( وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا ) قسم أقسم ربنا تعالى ذكره بالشمس وضحاها؛ ومعنى الكلام: أقسم بالشمس، وبضحى الشمس.واختلف أهل التأويل في معنى قوله: ( وَضُحَاهَا ) فقال بعضهم: معنى ذلك: والشمس والنهار، وكان يقول: الضحى: هو النهار كله.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة ( وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا ) قال: هذا النهار.وقال آخرون: معنى ذلك: وضوئها.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن عمرو، قال: ثنا أبو عاصم، قال: ثنا عيسى؛ وحدثني الحارث، قال: ثنا الحسن، قال: ثنا ورقاء، جميعا عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد، في قول الله: ( وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا ) قال: ضوئها.والصواب من القول في ذلك أن يقال: أقسم جلّ ثناؤه بالشمس ونهارها؛ لأن ضوء الشمس الظاهرة هو النهار.
مكية( والشمس وضحاها ) قال مجاهد والكلبي : ضوءها ، والضحى : حين تطلع الشمس ، فيصفو ضوءها ، قال قتادة : هو النهار كله . وقال مقاتل : حرها ، كقوله في طه " ولا تضحى " ، يعني لا يؤذيك الحر .
وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا (1) القسم لتأكيد الخبر ، والمقصود بالتأكيد هو ما في سَوق الخبر من التعريض بالتهديد والوعيد بالاستئصال .والواوات الواقعة بعد الفواصل واوات قَسَم .وكل من الشمس ، والقمر والسماء والأرض ، ونفس الإِنسان ، من أعظم مخلوقات الله ذاتاً ومعنىً الدالة على بديع حكمته وقويّ قدرته .وكذلك كل من الضحى ، وتُلو القمر الشمس والنهار ، والليل من أدق النظام الذي جعله الله تعالى .والضحى : وقتُ ارتفاع الشمس عن أفق مشرقها ، وظهور شعاعها ، وهو الوقت الذي ترتفع فيه الشمس متجاوزة مشرقها بمقدار ما يخيل للناظر أنه طول رُمح .ومهد لذلك بالتنبيه على أن تزكية النفس سبب الفلاح ، وأن التقصير في إصلاحها سبب الفجور والخسران .والتلُوَّ : التبع وأريد به خَلف ضوئه في الليل ضوءَ الشمس ، أي إذا ظهر بعد مغيبها فكأنه يتبعها في مكانها ، وهذا تلو مجازي . والقمر يتبع الشمس في أحوال كثيرة منها استهلاله ، فالهلال يظهر للناظرين عقب غروب الشمس ثم يبقى كذلك ثلاث ليال ، وهو أيضاً يَتلو الشمس حين يقارب الابتدارَ وحين يصير بدراً فإذا صار بدراً صار تُلوّه الشمسَ حقيقة لأنه يظهر عندما تغرب الشمس ، وقريباً من غروبها قبله أو بعده ، وهو أيضاً يضيء في أكثر ليالي الشهر جعله الله عوضاً عن الشمس في عدة ليال في الإِنارة ، ولذلك قُيّد القسم بحين تلوه لأن تلوه للشمس حينئذ تظهر منه مظاهر التلوّ للناظرين ، فهذا الزمان مثل زمان الضحى في القسم به ، فكان بمنزلة قَسَم بوقت تُلوه الشمس
أقسم تعالى بهذه الآيات العظيمة، على النفس المفلحة، وغيرها من النفوس الفاجرة، فقال:{ وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا } أي: نورها، ونفعها الصادر منها.
سورة الشمسمكية باتفاق ، وهي خمس عشرة آيةبسم الله الرحمن الرحيموالشمس وضحاهاقال مجاهد : وضحاها أي ضوءها وإشراقها . وهو قسم ثان . وأضاف الضحى إلى الشمس ; لأنه إنما يكون بارتفاع الشمس . وقال قتادة : بهاؤها . السدي : حرها . وروى الضحاك عن ابن عباس : وضحاها قال : جعل فيها الضوء وجعلها حارة . وقال اليزيدي : هو انبساطها . وقيل : ما ظهر بها من كل مخلوق فيكون القسم بها وبمخلوقات الأرض كلها . حكاه الماوردي والضحا : مؤنثة . يقال : ارتفعت الضحا ، وهي فوق الضحو . وقد تذكر . فمن أنث ذهب إلى أنها جمع ضحوة . ومن ذكر ذهب إلى أنه اسم على فعل ، نحو صرد ونغر . وهو ظرف غير متمكن مثل سحر . تقول : لقيته ضحا وضحا إذا أردت به ضحا يومك لم تنونه . وقال الفراء : الضحا هو النهار كقول قتادة . والمعروف عند العرب أن الضحا : النهار كله ، فذلك لدوام نور الشمس ، ومن قال : إنه نور الشمس أو حرها ، فنور الشمس لا يكون إلا مع حر الشمس . وقد استدل من قال : إن الضحى حر الشمس بقوله تعالى : ولا تضحى أي لا يؤذيك الحر . وقال المبرد : أصل الضحا من الضح ، وهو نور الشمس ، والألف مقلوبة من الحاء الثانية . تقول : " ضحوة وضحوات ، وضحوات وضحا ، فالواو من ( ضحوة ) مقلوبة عن الحاء الثانية ، والألف في ( ضحا ) مقلوبة عن الواو . وقال أبو الهيثم : الضح : نقيض [ ص: 66 ] الظل ، وهو نور الشمس على وجه الأرض ، وأصله الضحا فاستثقلوا الياء مع سكون الحاء ، فقلبوها ألفا .
Almighty God has made threefold arrangements for the guidance of man. On the one hand, the universe has been so constructed that it has become the practical manifestation of God’s will. On the other hand, the human psyche has been infused with an intuitive consciousness of good and bad. Thereafter, it was arranged that Truth and falsehood, justice and injustice be revealed clearly through the prophets in a language understandable to the people. Even after this, if people do not adopt the right path, they are undoubtedly transgressors.
Commentary
Allah swears by the objects and phenomena mentioned in verses [ 1-7], which gives these creations an added significance and draws man's attention to them. Man ought to reflect on these phenomena and try to appreciate their value and the purpose of their creation. The first oath is taken by:
وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا (I swear by the sun and his broad light,...91:1). The phrase and his broad light' is, though conjoined to 'by the sun' by means of the conjunctive particle 'and', the context indicates that 'broad light' is in adjectival position qualifying shams 'the sun', that is to say, 'I swear by the sun when it is in the time of forenoon. The word duha is that part of the day when the sun rises [ early in the morning ] and goes up slightly higher [ on the sky ], and its light spreads on the earth. Man observes it to be near to himself and observes it fully on account of lack of heat.
And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (By the sun and his brightness): '(By the sun and his brightness) Allah swears by the sun and its light,
Which was revealed in Makkah
Recitation of Surah Ash-Shams wa Duhaha in the `Isha' Prayer The Hadith of Jabir which was recorded in the Two Sahihs has already been mentioned. In it the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Mu`adh,
«هَلَّا صَلَّيْتَ بِــ
سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى
وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَـهَا
وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى »
(Why didn't you pray with (the recitation of) (Glorify the Name of your Lord the Most High) (87), (By the sun and Duhaha) (91), and (By the night as it envelops) (92))
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Allah swears by His Creation that the Person Who purifies Himself will be Successful and the Person Who corrupts Himself will fail
Mujahid said,
وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَـهَا
(By the sun and Duhaha.) "This means, by its light." Qatadah said,
وَضُحَـهَا
(wa Duhaha.) "The whole day." Ibn Jarir said, "The correct view is what has been said, `Allah swears by the sun and its daytime, because the clear light of the sun is daytime."'
وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلـهَا
(By the moon as it Talaha.) Mujahid said, "It follows it (the sun)." Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,
وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلـهَا
(By the moon as it Talaha.) "It follows the day." Qatadah said, "`as it Talaha (follows it)' is referring to the night of the Hilal (the new crescent moon). When the sun goes down, the Hilal is visible." Concerning Allah's statement,
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّـهَا
(By the day as it Jallaha.) Mujahid said, "When it illuminates." Thus, Mujahid said,
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّـهَا
(By the day as it Jallaha.) "This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى
(By the day as it Tajalla.) (92:2)" And they have said concerning Allah's statement,
وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَـهَا
(By the night as it Yaghshaha.) meaning, when it covers the sun, which takes place when sun disappears and the horizons become dark. Concerning Allah's statement,
وَالسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَـهَا
(By the heaven and Ma Banaha.) The meaning here could be for descriptive purposes, meaning "By the heaven and its construction." This was said by Qatadah. It could also mean "By the heaven and its Constructor." This was stated by Mujahid. Both views are interrelated, and construction means raising. This is as Allah says,
وَالسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـهَا بِأَيْدٍ
(With Hands did We construct the heaven.) (51:47) meaning, with strength.
وَالسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَـهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ - وَالاٌّرْضَ فَرَشْنَـهَا فَنِعْمَ الْمَـهِدُونَ
(Verily, We are able to extend the vastness of space thereof. And We have spread out the earth: how excellent a spreader are We!) (51:47-48) This is also similar to Allah's statement,
وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا طَحَـهَا
(By the earth and Ma Tahaha.) Mujahid said, "Tahaha means He spread it out." Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,
وَمَا طَحَـهَا
(and Ma Tahaha.) "This means what He created in it." `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Tahaha means that He proportioned it." Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Ath-Thawri, Abu Salih and Ibn Zayd all said that
طَحَـهَا
(Tahaha) means, He spread it out. Allah then says,
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا
(By Nafs, and Ma Sawwaha (Who apportioned it).) meaning, He created it sound and well-proportioned upon the correct nature (Al-Fitrah). This is as Allah says,
فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا لاَ تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ
(So set you your face towards the religion, Hanif. Allah's Fitrah with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in the Khalqillah.) (30:30) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ، كَمَا تُولَدُ الْبَهِيمَةُ بَهِيمَةً جَمْعَاءَ، هَلْ تُحِسُّونَ فِيهَا مِنْ جَدْعَاءَ؟»
(Every child that is born, is born upon the Fitrah, but his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Zoroastrian. This is just as the animal is born, complete with all of its parts. Do you notice any mutilation in it) Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this Hadith from Abu Hurayrah. In Sahih Muslim, it has been narrated from `Iyad bin Himar Al-Mujashi`i that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«يَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِنِّي خَلَقْتُ عِبَادِي حُنَفَاءَ فَجَاءَتْهُمُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فَاجْتَالَتْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِم»
(Allah the Mighty and Majestic says, "Verily I created My servants Hunafa' (as monotheists), but then the devils came to them and distracted them from their religion.)" Then Allah says,
فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
(Then He showed it its Fujur and its Taqwa.) meaning, He showed him to his transgression and his Taqwa. This means that He clarified that for it and He guided it to what has been ordained for him. Ibn `Abbas said,
فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
(Then He showed it its Fujur and its Taqwa.) "He explained the good and the evil to it (the soul)." Mujahid, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ath-Thawri all said the same. Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "He gave him inspiration (to see what was) good and evil." Ibn Zayd said, "He made its Fujur and its Taqwa inside of it." Ibn Jarir recorded from Abul-Aswad Ad-Dili that he said, "`Imran bin Husayn said to me, `Do you think that what the people do, and what they strive for is a thing that is pre-ordained and predestined for them, or is it a thing which is only written after the Message comes to them from the Prophet , when there will be an evidence against them' I said, `Rather it is something preordained upon them.' Then he said, `Is that an injustice' Then I became extremely frightened of him (due to what he was saying), and I said to him, `There is nothing except that He (Allah) created it and possesses it in His Hand. He is not asked about what He does, while they (His creation) will be asked.' He (`Imran) then said, `May Allah guide you! I only asked you about that in order to inform you that a man from Muzaynah or Juhaynah tribe came to the Allah's Messenger ﷺ and asked him: "O Messenger of Allah! Do you consider the actions of mankind and their struggles to be preordained for them and written for them from Qadr, or something written for them only after the Message came to them from their Prophet, when there will be an evidence against them" He (the Prophet ) replied:
«بَلْ شَيْءٌ قَدْ قُضِيَ عَلَيْهِم»
(Rather it is something preordained for them.) So the man said, "Then what is the point of our actions" The Prophet replied,
«مَنْ كَانَ اللهُ خَلَقَهُ لإِحْدَى الْمَنْزِلَتَيْنِ يُهَيِّئُهُ لَهَا، وَتَصْدِيقُ ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ تَعَالَى:
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا - فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا »
(Whoever Allah created for one of the two positions (Paradise or Hell), He makes it easy for him (to attain). The proof of that is in the Book of Allah (By Nafs, and Ma Sawwaha (Who apportioned it). Then He showed it its Fujur and its Taqwa).)" Ahmad and Muslim both recorded this Hadith. Allah then says,
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّـهَا - وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّـهَا
(Indeed he succeeds who purifies it. And indeed he fails who Dassaha.) This could mean that whoever purifies himself by obedience to Allah, then he will be successful. This is as Qatadah said, "He cleanses it from the lowly and despicable characteristics." Similar to this has been reported from Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Sa`id bin Jubayr.
وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّـهَا
(And indeed he fails who Dassaha.) meaning, to conceal it. This means that he makes it dull, and he disregards it by neglecting to allow it to receive guidance. He treats it in this manner until he performs acts of disobedience and he abandons obedience of Allah. It also could mean that he is indeed successful whose soul Allah purifies, and he has failed whose soul Allah corrupts. This is like what was reported by Al-`Awfi and `Ali bin Abi Talhah from Ibn `Abbas. At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to stop whenever he recited this Ayah,
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا - فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
(By Nafs, and Ma Sawwaha (Who apportioned it). Then He showed it its Fujur and its Taqwa.) Then he would say,
«اللْهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا، أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلَاهَا، وَخَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا»
(O Allah! Give my soul its good. You are its Guardian and Master, and the best to purify it.)" Another Hadith Imam Ahmad recorded that Zayd bin Arqam said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْز وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْهَرَمِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ. اللْهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا، وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا، أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَمَوْلَاهَا. اللْهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ، وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ، وَعِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ، وَدَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا»
(O Allah! Verily, I seek refuge with You from weakness, laziness, senility (of old age), cowardliness, stinginess and the torment of the grave. O Allah! Give my soul its good and purify it, for You are the best to purify it. You are its Guardian and Master. O Allah! Verily, I seek refuge with You from a heart that is not humble, a soul that is not satisfied, knowledge that does not benefit and a supplication that is not answered.) Zayd then said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us these (words) and we now teach them to you." Muslim also recorded this Hadith.