Sūrat al-Ḍuḥā
سورۃ الضحیٰ
Sūrat al-Ḍuḥā was revealed in Makkah and contains eleven (11) āyāt.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is told that there are some days when no revelation comes to him — some people say this sūra was revealed because of the fatrah (interruption of revelation). The enemies were very glad about it. They would say: "Muḥammad has been abandoned" — and God Most High sent down this sūra for the consolation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
وَالضُّحَىٰ ○ وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَىٰ
wa-l-ḍuḥā, wa-l-layli idhā sajā.
"By the morning brightness, and by the night when it covers with darkness." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:1–2)
Wa — and. Al-ḍuḥā — the forenoon, the morning; when the sun brightens somewhat. Wa-l-layl — and the night. Idhā sajā — when it descends; sajā, yasjī, sajyan — to descend; when such a night descends — musajjan — the shroud; the veil which is placed over the body of the deceased — when the night comes down to the world like this; night — anjara — to go, to walk, to flow; mansarā — to walk, insirāʾ — to depart. Both the day and the night this is the sense of the thing — as it descends — the testimony of both is this: that sometimes it is bright, sometimes it is dark — sometimes the revelation comes, sometimes it comes abundantly, sometimes it is restricted, sometimes something comes, sometimes nothing comes — some days it is expansive and sometimes it is contracted. The testimony of both day and night is this matter.
Translation: And I present as testimony the bright morning day (day) and the dark night when it comes.
O blessed Messenger! Why do you worry that the enemies may not be pleased?
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ
mā waddaʿaka rabbuka wa-mā qalā.
"Your Lord has not taken leave of you, nor has He detested you." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:3)
Mā — not. Waddaʿaka — has left you; your enemy claims from the coming of revelation not coming a few days that what has happened. Waddaʿak — giving permission to leave, sending off; taking off the heart from someone. Rabbuk — your Lord. Wa-mā qalā — and He is not displeased; mā qalī — and He is not displeased.
Translation: (Your enemies claim this — but) God has not left you (what does it mean that revelation has not come for a few days) and He is not displeased with you.
وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَّكَ مِنَ الْأُولَىٰ
wa-la-l-ākhiratu khayrun laka mina l-ūlā.
"And the Hereafter is better for you than the first (life)." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:4)
Wa-la — and certainly. Al-ākhiratu — the Hereafter, for sure; the state after death, the Day of Resurrection. Khayrun — is better; the original superlative is akhyar. Lak — for you. Min — from. Al-ūlā — the first condition, the earlier state, the worldly condition.
Translation: And your every later state is better than the earlier one.
وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰ
wa-la-sawfa yuʿṭīka rabbuka fa-tarḍā.
"And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:5)
Wa-la — and certainly. Sawf — shortly, soon, certainly. Yuʿṭīka — He will give you. Rabbuka — your Lord, your Sustainer. Fa — then. Tarḍā — you will be content; God will make you content so that you will be pleased.
Translation: And soon your Lord will give you (so much) that you will become content (you will be pleased with God's satisfaction —).
O Dear Prophet! Do not worry about matters of the world — five times a day prayers will be established, congregations will form and your name will be called out — your religion will remain and will be the religion of all the nations of the world — all the prophets' religions will end and no other prophet will come after you — a great sign — that all the prophets came and those religions ended with them but your religion will remain till the Day of Resurrection — the Day of Resurrection will come and all your umma will call out together and I will be in the court of the Divine, and I will give intercession for all of them — everyone from the earth will be brought before Me — I will give them water to drink from the Pool — in short God will make you content so that you will be fully pleased.
Imam Jaʿfar Ṣādiq (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: "Which verse of the Qurʾān gives the most hope?" He said: "The verse that gives the most hope in all the Qurʾān is — wa-lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati llāh — and we from the Ahl al-Bayt in this most hope-giving verse — wa-la-sawfa yuʿṭīka rabbuka fa-tarḍā — we are certain that if even one person of my umma goes to Hell, the beloved ﷺ will not be pleased with God."
أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَىٰ
a-lam yajidka yatīman fa-āwā.
"Did He not find you an orphan and give (you) refuge?" (al-Ḍuḥā 93:6)
A — is it so? Lam yajidka — did He not find you? Yatīmā — an orphan; the fatherless child whose father died in his young age — he became the son without a father — yayyimā — yajidka — fa-āwā — āwā — then given refuge, then sheltered.
Translation: Did He not find you an orphan then gave you shelter (in His grace and mercy)?
You were an orphan and your father ʿAbdullāh's passing came a few months after. Then the shadow of your grandfather was lifted and then your mother also passed away. Who was your helper and supporter at that time? All the world was your enemy, yet the banner of your success was in your hands throughout.
Islam's banner over the world raised up completely — The oneness of Allah in Mount Uḥud elevated completely — (Ḥaḍrat Ṣiddīqī)
وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَىٰ
wa-wajadaka ḍāllan fa-hadā.
"And He found you lost and guided you." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:7)
Wa-wajadaka — and He found you. Ḍāllan — one who is in a state of longing and wandering; ḍallā — to be in a search for a destination with deep yearning; fī ḍalālin muḍallil — to be in a state of deep wandering. According to Yaʿqūb (upon him be peace) who says to his son innaka la-fī ḍalālika l-qadīm — the intended meaning is the ancient affection. By this is
meant the old and ancient yearning — you were in the longing of the past yearning of Ḥaḍrat Yūsuf (upon him be peace) in the level of divine proximity — fa — then — hadā — guidance; then He guided (us) — (we showed you the path) and you became the Prophet ﷺ.
Translation: And He found you lost in old yearning (wandering) so He showed you the way (manifested you as Prophet).
وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَىٰ
wa-wajadaka ʿāʾilan fa-aghnā.
"And He found you poor and made you self-sufficient." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:8)
Wa-wajadaka — and He found you. ʿĀʾilā — poor, a family-dependent; ʿāʾilā — a person with a family and dependents. Fa-aghnā — then made him free of need, then freed him of neediness.
Translation: And He found you having a family and made you free of need.
O dear Prophet! We were also your family, and till the Day of Resurrection we will be your family — and it will remain so. He made all things rich with His divine teachings.
فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ
fa-ammā l-yatīma fa-lā taqhar.
"So as for the orphan, do not oppress him." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:9)
Fa — then; ammā — but. Al-yatīm — the orphan; the small child whose father's shadow has been lifted from his head in his young age. Fa-lā taqhar — then do not oppress; lā — not; fa-lā taqhar — do not humiliate, do not treat harshly.
Translation: Then do not oppress the orphan.
وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ
wa-ammā l-sāʾila fa-lā tanhar.
"And as for the petitioner, do not repel him." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:10)
Wa-ammā — and. Al-sāʾil — the one who asks; who questions and seeks — the one who asks for things. Fa-lā tanhar — then do not rebuke, do not repel, do not scold.
Translation: And the petitioner (the seeker and one asking for things) do not rebuke him.
O Messenger of Allah! God is the giver — He is the one who distributes the divine wealth — We extend our hands toward you — God has freed your hands — you will be given more.
وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ
wa-ammā bi-niʿmati rabbika fa-ḥaddith.
"But as for the favor of your Lord, report it." (al-Ḍuḥā 93:11)
Wa-ammā — and. Bi-niʿmati rabbika — the blessings of your Lord. Fa-ḥaddith — then tell about them.
Translation: And the blessings of your Lord (and His gifts) tell about them.
The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of all the Prophets — your religion will remain till the Day of Resurrection — no one will be saved without your faith. Intercession is your privilege — the dark hearts of people are enlightened by you — God made all the things of the world and the Hereafter an endowment for you:
Ṣallā llāhu ʿalayka yā rasūla llāh Ṣallā llāhu ʿalayka yā ḥabība llāh Ṣallā llāhu ʿalayka yā khayra khalqi llāh