Surah 91
The Sun
Al-Shams ☀️
Using pairs of natural opposites—like light and darkness, day and night—this deeply poetic surah asserts that true success comes from keeping the soul pure, while corruption leads to ruin. The title is taken from the first verse, which opens by swearing an oath by the sun and its bright radiance.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
1By the sun in its morning brightness
2And by the moon as it follows it,
3By the day as it displays the sun’s glory
4And by the night as it conceals it,
5By the sky and how He built it
6And by the earth and how He spread it,
7By the soul and how He formed it
8And inspired it [to know] its own rebellion and piety!
9The one who purifies his soul succeeds
10And the one who corrupts it fails.
11In their arrogant cruelty, the people of Thamud called [their messenger] a liar,
12When the most wicked man among them rose [against him].
13The messenger of God said to them, “[Leave] God’s camel to drink,”
14But they called him a liar and hamstrung her. Their Lord destroyed them for their crime and levelled them.
15He did not hesitate to punish them.