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Welcome Friends: Ahlan wa sahlan!
Yusuf Ali’s explanation of this Chapter.
Muhammad Asad’s explanation of this Chapter.
Laleh Bakhtiar’s explanation of this Chapter.
سورة الشمس
'The Sun’
From Introduction of Yusuf Ali:
"This is one of the early Makkan revelations. Beginning with a fine nature passage, and leading up to man's need of realising his spiritual responsibility, it ends with a warning of the terrible consequences for those who fear not the Hereafter."
From Introduction of Muhammad Asad:
"THE KEY-WORD by which this surah has always been identified occurs in its first verse. It is generally assumed that it was revealed shortly after surah 97 (Al-Qadr)."
COMMENTS:
This important Chapter is literally 'self-revealing!'
WHO is responsible for our path in life, but our own Self, after having MADE that choice?
Each of us has two 'self-made' options:
Break-down OR Enhancement.
What do you choose?
It is all as clear as day and night... Just as brightly as the sun does shine, so is Right and Wrong defined.
1. This Chapter begins with SEVEN vows/ oaths. As Regular Readers know, Qur'anic 'oaths' usually call out momentous phenomena, to draw attention to a matter of paramount importance:
'By the Sun and its rising (towards noon/ DhuHaa/ضحى i).
And by the Moon as it follows it.
And by the Daytime as it makes it apparent.
And by the Nighttime as it conceals it.
And by the Exalted Expanse and what built it.
And by the Earth and what extended it.
And by the Self and what what developed/ matured it (sawwaa/ duly proportioned it in a process)
Then inspired it (to both) its Breakdown and its Awareness.'
Powerful verses, mentioning various aspects of Creation, then the development/ maturing of the Human Self (put 'sawwaa' in 'Search'). Here we note that we are inspired to BOTH routes, the destructive and the constructive. It seems that they are equally part of our nature, and it is up to us which of these two we choose to nurture.
I found it interesting to read up on what is termed 'The Will to Power,' similar to what Bertrand Russel spoke about when he said:
"Construction and destruction alike satisfy the will to power, but construction is more difficult as a rule, and therefore gives more satisfaction to the person who can achieve it. … We construct when we increase the potential energy of the system in which we are interested, and we destroy when we diminish the potential energy. … Whatever may be thought of these definitions, we all know in practice whether an activity is to be regarded as constructive or destructive, except in a few cases where a man professes to be destroying with a view to rebuilding and are not sure whether he is sincere."
2. After the seven vows, the last of which was by the Self and what what developed/ matured it (sawwaa/ duly proportioned it in a process) Then inspired it (to both) its Breakdown and its Awarenes... Verses 9-10 give us the all-important OBJECT of the oath, which is that:
'Succeessful indeed is the one who promoted it.
And a Failure is the one who suppressed it.'
This, dear Reader, is a very important statement of fact!
This is how success 'happens,' and it all starts from within.
3. Verses 11- 15 speak of the rock-carving tribe of Thamood, who had 'belied' in their Transgression and defied the Messenger of God Saleh (Salih) who was calling upon them to worship God and forsake their evil ways. Their most wretched person then killed the she-camel which they had recieved as a Sign from God, even after their Messenger had warned them against harming her. Their Lord overwhelmed and ruined themدمدم (ii), fearing no consequence.
The story appears in greater detail in other Chapters (see pics of what is called Madain Saleh here/ مدائن صالح ).
Peace unto all!
____________
iضحي: يدلُّ على بُروز الشيء. فالضَّحَاء: امتداد النَّهار، وذلك هو الوقت البارز المنكشف. ثمَّ يقال للطعام الذي يُؤكل في ذلك الوقت ضَحاء.
ويقال ضحِي الرَّجلُ يَضْحَى، إذا تعرَّضَ للشَّمْس، وضَحَى مثلُهُ. ويقال اضْحَ يا زيد، أي ابرُزْ للشَّمْس. والضَّحِيَّة معروفة، وهي الأُضْحِيَّة.
قال الأصمعي: فيها أربع لغات: أُضْحِيَّة وإضْحيَّة، والجمع أضَاحِيّ؛ وضَحِيَّة، والجمع ضحايا؛ وأَضْحاةٌ، وجمعها أُضْحىً. :
وإِنما سُمِّيت بذلك لأنَّ الذّبيحة في ذلك اليوم لا تكون إلاَّ في وقت إشراق الشَّمس. ويقال ليلَةٌ إِضحيَانةٌ وضَحْيَاءُ، أي مضيئةٌ لا غيمَ فيها. ويقال: هم يتضحَّوْنَ، أي يتغدَّوْن. والغَداء: الضَّحاء. ومن ذلك حديث سلمة بن الأكوع: "بينا نحن مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلّم نتضَحَّى"، يريد نتغدَّى. وضاحية كلِّ بلدةٍ: ناحيتُها البارزة. يقال هم ينزلون الضَّوَاحيَ. ويقال: فعل ذلك ضاحيةً، إِذا فعله ظاهراً بيّناً.
قال أبو زيد: ضَحَا الطريق يَضْحُو ضَحْواً وضُحُوّاً إِذا بدا وظَهَر. فقد دَلَّت هذه الفروعُ كلُّها على صحة ما أصّلناه في بروزِ الشَّيء ووُضوح
(دم: غِشْيان الشَّيء، مِن ناحيةِ أنْ يُطْلَى به. تقول دَممْتُ الثَّوبَ، إذا طليتَه أيَّ صِبْغ، وكلُّ شيءٍ طُلِي على شيءٍ فهو دِمام. فأمّا الدّمدمة فالإهلاك. قال الله تعالى: {فَدَمْدَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِذَنْبِهمْ} [الشمس 14]. وذلك لِمَا غَشّاهم به من العذاب والإهلاك.وقِدْرٌ دميمٌ: مطلِيَّة بالطِّحال. والدَّامَّاء: جُحْر اليربوع، لأنّه يدُمُّه دمّاً، أي يُسَوِّيه تسويةً.
فأمَّا قولهم رجلٌ دميمُ الوجه فهو من الباب، كأنّ وجهَه قد طلِيَ بسوادٍ أو قُبْحٍ. يقال دَمَّ وجههُ يَدُِمّ دَمامةً، فهو دميم.
وأمَّا الدَّيْمُومَة، وهي المَفَازة لا ماءَ بها، فمن الباب؛ لأنّها كأنَّها في استوائها قد دُمَّت، أي سُوِّيت تسويةً، كالشَّيء الذي يُطلى بالشيء. والدَّمادِم من الأرض: رَوَابٍ سَهْلَةٌ.
