Surah Ash-Shams uses binary oppositions to establish facts of life, eternity, the Muslim faith, and Allah’s ways. While reading it, you can note opposites like day “brightness”, and darkness “night”, sun, and moon, heaven, and earth. Interestingly, it has an exquisitely easy rhythm and flow to it, as a result of these contrasts.
This is on the aesthetic level, but on the religious level, or tafsir level, the surah-although short and easy-deserves hours of mindful study and contemplation.
Before we begin, let’s state some facts about surah Ash-Shams, before we embark on its benefits:
A few facts about Surah Ash-Shams
- It’s the 91 chapter of the Quran.
- It’s a Meccan surah.
- Begins with an oath “Qassam”
“By the sun and its brightness,” (91:1)
- Consists of 15 verses/ayat.
- Has 1 ruku’.
- located in the 30th part of the Quran.
- The word Shams translates to “sun” in Arabic.
- Contains a total of 11 oaths, the most out of any Surah in the Quran,
- Prophet Muhammad used to recite it in night prayer:
It was narrated from Abdullah bin Buraidah, from his father, that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to recite ‘By the sun and its brightness’ and similar surahs in Isha’.(Susan an-Nasa’i, The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer
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Benefits of reciting surah ash-Shams
It’s a charity for Allah’s sake
In one Hadith about the significance and reward of surah ash-Shams, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said “He who recites Surah ash-Shams is like he who has given charity in the way of Allah to all things that the sun and the moon shine upon.” (Majma’-al-Bayan, vol, 10)
Heals disconnection with nature
The surah derives divine presence through referencing natural and celestial subjects. This directs our attention to things we take for granted. Since the sun shines everyday, not only do we forget to renew our appreciation for it, but sometimes it’s completely ignored! Yet Allah swears “sun and its brightness”, this meditation has the effect of training human intuition, which is the part that’s not empirical but derives divine knowledge through a transcendental relationship with Allah’s universe.
Citing the Lunar cycle
In the verse “By the Moon when it follows it “reflects the sun’s light” (91:2), some scholars have interpreted it as “the full moon”, which takes place on the 14th night of the lunar month.
This matches the verse to a great extent because it’s during that day that the moon appears in the east, while sunsets in the west.
Saves in Day of Judgement
According to Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq, the limbs and the adjacent objects near the one who recites Surah Shams will testify in favor of them on the Day of Judgment, and Allah will accept these testimonies and grant them a place in Heaven. (Saduq, Thawab al-a’mal)
Five benefits and significances of surah ash-shams
1- Verses end in the same rhyme, making it concise, musical, and easy to remember.
2- Establishing scientific facts about natural phenomena, like the oppositional movement of the sun and moon.
“By the sun and its brightness, and the moon as it follows it, and the day as it unveils it, and the night as it conceals it!” (1-4)
3- Offering an analysis of the human psyche. Human nature comprises both good, and evil, and people make their own choices in life. It resolves a topic that has been on the minds of philosophers and theologians for decades.
4- Establishing historical facts and narration, as in the story of Thamud.
“But the messenger of Allah warned them, “Do not disturb˺ Allah’s camel and her turn to drink!”. Still they defied him and slaughtered her. So their Lord crushed them for their crime, leveling all to the ground.” (91: 13-14)
5- By taking an oath on natural phenomenon, the reader is compelled to reflect on them and gain a new outlook of them filled with reverence.
The themes of surah Ash-Shams
We can divide the surah into two main themes or two central ideas, the first is the binary between happiness, and misery, reward, and punishment, the thing and its opposite as necessary to understand the whole
By mentioning celestial bodies like the sun, and the moon, surah Ash-Shams is there to teach us about monotheism. The mentioning of these marvelous creations of Allah is telling of his abilities that surpass any other. Furthermore, The soul needs to be purified of polytheism and of worldly or material desires. It gives the example of Thamud who favored worldly wants instead of rewards in the hereafter.
Other themes include:
- Divine creation of glorious natural and celestial phenomena.
- Sanctification of the human heart, body, and soul.
- The distinction between good and evil.
- Consequences of human actions.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the story of Thamud in surah ash-Shams?
“Thamûd rejected the truth out of arrogance,” (91:11)
Thamud is the name of an Arab tribe that lived in an area called “Wadi ul-Qura” between Syria and Medina. The prophet Saleh was appointed a messenger to this polytheist tribe. Customarily, he urged them only to worship Allah, as the one and only God there is. He asked them to save a certain “she-camel”. Unfortunately, the disbelievers set their minds to disobey this specific commandment and slaughtered the camel.
Consequently, Allah sent destruction to the non-believers and saved his prophet, along with those who made the right choice by believing in him, and not participating in this wretched act.
What’s the purpose of surah ash-Shams
1-Threaten wrongdoers by recalling the fate of Thamud tribe.
2-Necessity of the purification of the carnal soul.
3-Because Allah showed man right from wrong, punishment and reward are valid.
In which verses does Allah swear in Surah Shams?
In Surah Al-Shams (The Sun), Allah swears by various natural phenomena in the opening verses. Specifically, the oaths occur in the first 8 verses of the Surah. Here is a breakdown:
- Verse 1: “By the sun and its brightness,”
- Verse 2: “By the moon when it follows it,”
- Verse 3: “By the day when it displays it,”
- Verse 4: “By the night when it conceals it,”
- Verse 5: “By the sky and He who constructed it,”
- Verse 6: “By the earth and He who spread it,”
- Verse 7: “By the soul and He who proportioned it,”
These oaths serve to draw attention to the majesty and complexity of the natural world, which are signs of God’s existence and attributes. They also set the stage for the moral and ethical lessons that follow in the subsequent verses of the Surah.
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