Surah 93. Ad-Duhaa

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Verses [Section]: 1-11[1]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1193. Ad-Duhaaبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِوَ الضُّحٰیۙBy the morning brightness وَ الَّیْلِAnd the nightاِذَاwhenسَجٰیۙit covers with darkness مَاNotوَدَّعَكَhas forsaken youرَبُّكَyour Lordوَ مَاand notقَلٰیؕHe is displeased وَ لَلْاٰخِرَةُAnd surely the Hereafterخَیْرٌ(is) betterلَّكَfor youمِنَthanالْاُوْلٰیؕthe first وَ لَسَوْفَAnd soonیُعْطِیْكَwill give youرَبُّكَyour Lordفَتَرْضٰیؕthen you will be satisfied اَلَمْDid notیَجِدْكَHe find youیَتِیْمًاan orphanفَاٰوٰی۪and gave shelter وَ وَجَدَكَAnd He found youضَآلًّاlostفَهَدٰی۪so He guided وَ وَجَدَكَAnd He found youعَآىِٕلًاin needفَاَغْنٰیؕso He made self-sufficient فَاَمَّاSo as forالْیَتِیْمَthe orphanفَلَاthen (do) notتَقْهَرْؕoppress وَ اَمَّاAnd as forالسَّآىِٕلَhim who asksفَلَاthen (do) notتَنْهَرْؕrepel وَ اَمَّاBut as forبِنِعْمَةِ(the) Favorرَبِّكَ(of) your Lordفَحَدِّثْ۠narrate

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Translation of Verse 1-11In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(93:1) By the bright forenoon,¹

(93:2) and by the night when it covers the world with peace:²

(93:3) (O Prophet), your Lord has neither forsaken you, nor is He displeased.³

(93:4) Indeed what is to come will be better for you than what has gone by.⁴

(93:5) Verily your Lord will soon give you so amply that you will be well-pleased.⁵

(93:6) Did He not find you an orphan and then gave you shelter?⁶

(93:7) Did He not find you unaware of the Right Way, and then directed you to it?⁷

(93:8) And did He not find you in want, and then enriched you?⁸

(93:9) Therefore, be not harsh with the orphan;⁹

(93:10) and chide not him who asks,¹⁰

(93:11) and proclaim the bounty of your Lord.¹¹

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Commentary

1. In this verse the word al-Duhd (the forenoon) is used as the counterpart of night. The other Quranic instance of similar usage is as follows:

Do the people of these towns feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them at night while they are asleep? Or, _do the people of these towns feel secure that Our punishment will not come upon them by day while they are at play? (al-A‘raf 7: 97-98).

2. The word saja, used of night, underscores the peace and tranquility of night. This night time feature closely relates with the Surah's theme as broached in later verses.

3. Reports of the day indicate that there was an interregnum for some time in divine revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon j him). The duration of this break is variously stated in the following reports. Ibn Jurayj puts it at 12 days; Kalbi at 15 days, Ibn ‘Abbas at 25 days, and Suddi and Muqatil at 40 days. Regardless of which correct, the period was long enough to perturb the Prophet (peace be upon him). Even his opponents had started taunting him on this count, for he used to recite every new revelation as it was received by him. As time elapsed, his detractors sensed trouble, and as Jundub ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Bajali reports, even took to saying that Muhammad had been forsaken by his Lord. (ibn Jarir, Tabarani, ‘Abd ibn Humayd, Sa‘id ibn Mansur and Ibn Marduwayh.) Another report informs that Abu Lahab’s wife, Umm Jamil, the Prophet’s aunt and next door neighbor, told him: “It appears your devil has abandoned you”. ‘Awfi and Ibn Jarir report on Ibn ‘Abbas’s authority that the Prophet (peace be upon him) - felt disturbed as Gabriel had not visited him for some time. This gave the polytheists the opportunity to taunt him, saying that his Lord was displeased with him and had even abandoned him. (Ibn Jarir, Tafsir Surah al-Duha). The mursal reports cited by Qatadah and Dahhak describe the same, and make a pointed reference to the Prophet's agony. Such concern was only natural, for revelation was the Prophet's only source of strength and inspiration in his critical confrontation with his detractors. Any displeasure or indifference on the part of Allah could be devastating for him. Then, there was the unbelievers’ taunting. All this may have hurt him very much. He may even have thought that some lapse on his part might have displeased Allah, leading to His forsaking him.

Against this backdrop the present Surah was sent down in order to comfort and console him. While swearing by the bright forenoon and the peaceful night it is asserted that Allah has not forsaken him. Nor is He displeased with him. The oaths are taken with reference to these two specific objects in order to clarify that the alternation of day and night does not reflect Allah’s pleasure with people at daytime and His displeasure at night. Rather, their alternation is part of a grand plan and in view of numerous considerations. By the same token, the sending down of or withholding revelation is not indicative of His pleasure or wrath. Further logic behind using these oaths is that constant exposure to bright daylight might enervate one; everyone needs some break or rest. Likewise, the Prophet (peace be upon him) might not have been able physically, mentally and emotionally to deal with the constant receiving of revelation. Allah therefore devised such intervals so that he might be better prepared to receive it, after some rest. In sum, revelation stands for the bright day and the rest period for a peaceful night.

4. Allah gave the Prophet (peace be upon him) this glad tiding at a time when he had only a handful of followers. The entire Makkan community was opposed to him and there was no chance of victory over them. Indeed, the Makkans were bent upon eliminating the ~ nascent Islam. Allah, however, reassures the Prophet (peace be upon him), asking him not to feel perturbed. He is promised a bright future, markedly better than his present condition. He will grow in power, glory and esteem. His influence will reach every nook and corner. Not only in this world, but in the Hereafter too, he will enjoy an exalted status. Ibn ‘Abbas’s following report features in Tabarani’s Awsat and Bayhaqi’s Dala’il.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told: “All the victories were presented before me, which were to be attained by my community after my death. This mightily pleased me. At that point Allah told me: “The Hereafter will be better for _ you than this world.”

5. It might take some time but the day is not far away when his — Lord will shower upon him His bounties. This promise came true in the Prophet's lifetime as the whole of Arabia, from the southern coast to the Syrian border of the Byzantine Empire and the Iraqi border of the Persian Empire in the north, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Red Sea in the west fell under his control. For the first time in Arab history, the entire peninsula paid allegiance to a single ruler and a single code of law. Whoever opposed Islam was routed. The creedal statement of Islam: “There is no god save Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” resounded across the region where the polytheists and the People of the Book had tried their utmost to defend their false beliefs. Not only did people verbally testify to Islam, their hearts and minds were also transformed. Their outlook on articles of faith, morals and way of life altogether changed. Such transformation of a community — immersed in Jahiliyah in only twenty-three years is unprecedented in history. The Prophet's mission later overwhelmed major parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, with Islam’s impact reaching almost every part of the world. To sum up, Allah gave the Prophet (peace be upon him) some rewards in this world while no one can even imagine the tremendous bounties He will shower upon him in the Next Life. (For details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. V, 1a Ha 20: n. 112, pp. 242-243.)

6. Allah rules out His displeasure against and His forsaking the Prophet (peace be upon him). He had been kind to him since his birth as an orphan. His father had died a few months before his birth. However, Allah took care of him. Until he was six years old, his mother looked after him. Then his grandfather brought him up with overflowing affection. He took great pride in his young grandson, declaring that he would rise to great heights. When he died, his uncle, Abu Talib took him under his care and loved and helped him as much as his deceased father would have done. After the Prophet (peace be upon him) was blessed with Messenger ship, Abu Talib extended him all help and support for ten years even in the face of stiff opposition from his own community.

7. The expression dalla may be interpreted variously. Error is no doubt one of its meanings. However, it is used also of one who does not know the way, one who stands stranded at the crossroads, confused as to which way to go. It is also employed for one who is lost. Likewise, a lone tree in a desert is also called dalla. For loss and wastage in adverse circumstances the same expression is used. The Qur’an employs it in this sense, thus: “My Lord does not err, nor does He forget,” (Ta Ha 20: 52). That the Prophet (peace be upon him) was ever in error is out of the question. Even in his pre-Prophetic days he never indulged in idolatry, polytheism or atheism or any Jahiliyah practice. So in his beliefs and actions he never committed any error. Other meanings of dalla may nonetheless apply to him in varying degrees. In his pre-Prophetic days, he believed in both the existence and oneness of Allah and his life was free from sin. Rather, he stood out above others for his excellent morals and manners. Yet he had no knowledge of the true faith and its principles and commands, as is stated in the Qur’an itself: “O Prophet, We revealed to you. Before that you knew neither what the Book nor what the faith was,” (al-Shira 42:52). In the light of this verse the meaning could be that he was lost in Jahiliyah society, and his role as a guide was not established. Alternatively, it may mean he was like a lone noble soul in the desert of Jahiliyah, but with immense potential to bring about the desired changes. However, without being appointed to the If office of Messenger ship, he could not accomplish anything. His talents were, thus, wasted in Jahiliyah society. Or it could refer to his ignorance of the knowledge and truth which dawned on him after Allah elevated him.as His Messenger. This point figures in the Qur’an itself: “(O Muhammad), by revealing the Qur’an to you, We narrate to you in the best manner the stories of the past although before this narration you were utterly unaware of them,” (Yusuf 12: 3). Other instances in point are Verses 282 of al-Baqarah and 20 of al-Shu‘ara’.

8. The Prophet's father had left behind in inheritance for him only a she-camel and a female slave. He, thus, started his life as a resource less person. Ata later stage, however, Khadijah, the richest woman of the Quraysh, first took him as her business partner, and then married him. He was in charge of her business transactions. Thus he became a rich person, not as the husband of an affluent wife, but in his own capacity as a business partner by dint of his commercial acumen.

9. As an orphan he enjoyed Allah’s grace in that He arranged | for his best care and protection. As thanksgiving for this favor he should never wrong any orphan.

10. This has two possible meanings: (i) If “the person who asks” is taken as a beggar, the directive is that one should help g him, if one can. Otherwise, he should gently excuse himself. He should not be chided in any case. This is how the Prophet (peace be upon him) may return the divine favor of being enriched, & though he was initially in want. (ii) If “the person who asks” stands for a seeker of truth, with some query about faith, he should be ' received affectionately, no matter how rude or uncouth he may be. He should not be dismissed arrogantly, as is the wont of some ill-tempered people who boast of their knowledge. Taken in this sense, it will repay, on the Prophet's part, the divine favor of guiding while he was unaware of the right way. Abu al-Darda’, Hasan Bastri, Sufyan Thawri and some other Qur’anic scholars prefer the latter meaning, as it corresponds to the import of Verse 7.

11. The expression “bounty” is used in its generic sense. Included in this are all those blessings that Allah granted the Prophet (peace be upon him) until the revelation of this Surah and the later ones as also promised in this Surah. He is directed to proclaim all of these, which may take on various forms and modes. Each bounty may be thanked for in its own way. For expressing gratitude in general for all bounties, Allah should be thanked verbally. Likewise, it should be acknowledged that all the favors are from Allah alone. On his own, the Prophet (peace be upon Thus he became a rich person, not as the husband of an affluent him) could not achieve anything. As a Messenger of Allah, he may repay these favors by carrying out his mission energetically and effectively. As to the blessing of the Qur’an conferred upon him, he may express thanks for the same by preaching it on the widest scale possible and by persuading people of its teachings. For the blessing of his own guidance, he may direct mankind to the right way while bearing with all the hardships involved in this task. For acknowledging divine favors to him while he was an orphan, he should treat orphans well. As for enriching him, he should thank Allah by way of helping fellow human beings. In sum, this is a wide ranging directive to the Prophet (peace be upon him) given by Allah regarding His bounties and favors to him.