93. SURAH AD-DUHA (THE BRIGHT DAY)

NAME: In the beginning the oath of ‘Duha’(The Bright Day) is taken, from which the Surah has taken its name.
TIME OF REVELATION: It was revealed in Makka, a little time after the advent of the Prophethood of Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) when he was confronted with extreme difficulties and when he was grieved by the taunts and reproaches of rejecters of prophethood.
CENTRAL THEME: The address is direct to the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.). After giving him the glad tidings of a magnificent future and of great blessings, the Prophet was being fully reassured and comforted. This is the special aspect of the Surah, but there is also a general aspect which is clear from the trend of the discussions, and that is in the battle field of life the trials and tribulations which a man has to face or the difficult times through which a man passes in the cause of Truth are not to be considered as manifestations of Allah’s displeasure. These difficulties are to test a man and are means of his passing through the stages of real progress. This is really the central theme of this Surah.
ORDER OF THE VERSES: By presenting the evidence of the day and night in verses Nos. 1 and 2, the reality pointed is that Allah has created this world only in this way that there is light in it as well as darkness. Similarly there are difficulties as also comforts. Both these conditions are necessary for tests and trials. In view of the reality mentioned in the above verses, in Verse No.3 it is explained that it would not be correct to take the meaning of the difficulties being faced by the Prophet that Allah has become indifferent to him or is displeased with him. Verses Nos. 4 and 5 give glad tidings to the Prophet of great successes. In Verses Nos. 6 to 8 are mentioned those difficulties which the Prophet had to face before he was blessed with prophethood, and there is also a mention of those favours on account of which new vistas were open for him. In Verses. Nos. 9 to 11 are shown what are the demands of these favours, that is in view of these favours your attitude towards the weak and the helpless should be sympathetic and that you should acknowledge and proclaim Allah’s bounty.

SURAH AD-DUHA (THE BRIGHT DAY)

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

1. By the bright day;1

2. And by the night when it is overcome.2

3. (O Prophet!) Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased.3

4. And verily the Hereafter is better for you than this world.4

5. And soon your Lord will give you that with which you will be pleased.5

6. Did he not find you an orphan and gave you shelter?6

7. And He found you unacquainted with the path 7 and gave you guidance.8

8. And He found you in need, and made you rich. 9

9. Therefore, do not treat the orphan with harshness.10

10. And do not refuse the beggar rudely.11

11. And proclaim the bounty of your Lord.12

1. For the explanation of the swearing, see Surah Takveer, Note No. 14.

2. From the things which are sworn by here the purpose is to bring home to the people the basic reality that Allah has created this world in such a way that anyone condition is not constant here; here there is brightness of the day as also the darkness of the night:
“And the night however long it may be, the morning always appears,”
Therefore, it is not proper for any person to lose hope about the appearance of light merely by seeing the darkness of the night, similarly it is not proper for any person who is confronted with difficulties and hardships to think that these clouds of adversity will not disperse in future. Nor is it correct to conclude from the worldly trials and tribulations that they are the results of Allah’s displeasure. As for the test, the night and the day both are required, in the same way hardships and states of comfort are necessary for trial too. Besides, hardships train a person and are the means of developing a man’s latent capabilities.

3. When the Prophet began preaching his Message of Truth great hardships and difficulties confronted him. On his claim that he receives Allah’s revelation from the heaven, a storm of opposition broke loose against him. The rejecters of Truth began making fun of him and taunted and reproached him. Seeing a Prophet surrounded by such unfriendly conditions, some sort of misgiving raise its head that if this prophet is really the favourite of his God then why such hardships for him? And when there was some temporary delay in getting the revelation the opponent then used to taunt him that Allah had forsaken him, and was displeased with him. Removing these misgivings of the opponents, the Prophet is being comforted and is being reassured that the circumstances in which he is finding himself are according to the demands of the duties of the prophethood and the great wisdom of Allah which conducts the affairs of the world requires that man should be put to test, and which does not even exempt the prophets. This demands that man may experience hardships and comfort, the opposing condition. When a prophet passes through the harrowing experience in the cause of Truth, it offers great advantages, e.g. the finer points of the moral character of the Prophet come out prominently before the people, and the height of his excellence of character touches the sky; in the hearts in which the flame of humanity is kept alive a feeling of love and respect for the prophet is generated, such people become ready to lay down their lives for him; seeing the determination and the courage of the prophet, his followers also develop in themselves the qualities of steadfastness and valour. As regards the delay in sending down revelation, this is not on account of Allah’s being displeased with the Prophet, but because the entire matter of revelation is dependent on Allah’s will and wisdom. Whatever and whenever His wisdom will He sends down his revelation.

4. These glad tidings were sent down to the Prophet at a time when he was passing through considerable hardships and great difficulties confronted him at every stage. In these circumstances the glad tidings about the final glory was not only a piece of comforting news for him but also a means of encouragement.
It shows that keeping in view the success in the Hereafter provides an impetus and courage to man, and his hardships in the path of Truth are relieved.
It may be noted that in the text the words used are “ Al-Akhira” and “Al-Oola” which are the technical terms used by Quran for the Hereafter and this world, respectively. In Quran wherever these words have occurred independently, they have been used to convey this meaning only, e.g. in the previous Surah Al-Lail, in Verse No. 13 it is stated: “Verily the Hereafter and this world, both are ours” Here also the words “Al-Akhira” and “ Al-Oola “ have been used in the same sense.

5. It points to those everlasting bounties of the Hereafter with which the Prophet will be blessed An idea of the respect and the dignity that will be his, and the bounties and the blessings of Allah which will be showered on him can be had from the verses and Ahadith (Sunnah) in which the favours of his lord which are to be bestowed on him are mentioned.
Otherwise we cannot even imagine the vastness and the grandeur of Allah’s favours which He has promised for His Messenger.

6. The Prophet was born an orphan. He was still unborn when his father Abdullah died. When he was six years old, his mother, Amina, bade farewell to this world. His grandfather, Abdul Muttalib looked after him. His grandfather died when he was barely eight years old. Thereafter his uncle, Abu Talib, took care of him, and treated him very generously. His patronage was available to him even after the advent of the prophethood. (Seeratun Nabi by Ibn Hisham, Vol. l, pages 171, 179, 180 and 193).
Such an excellent arrangement for his upbringing and that too in such a society where orphans were treated very harshly was on account of Allah’s favours only.
Here one aspect is worth considering. An orphan has to undergo great hardships, but being deprived of the protection of a father a sense of self confidence is generated in the mind of the orphan, and more than that man feels to have confidence in Allah. It is really worthy of note that how Allah had helped to train a person by making him orphan.

7.In the text the word “Dha-al-lan” has been used, which is derived from “Dhlalat”. This word is used in the opposite meaning of “Hidayat” (guidance) and also has different meanings. Some of its meanings are unacquainted and unaware. Accordingly in the best and the most reliable Arabic dictionary Lisanul Arab it is stated: “If you are unaware of the situation of the mosque and the house, then, will say I am in ‘Dhalalat’ of the mosque and the house. (See Lisanul Arab word Dhalala). Here this word is used in this meaning only.
Before the bestowal of Prophethood on him, the Prophet was following the rightful nature all the prophets followed the rightful nature of before prophethood and the rightful nature of man recognises its Lord and considers Him only as worthy of worship. It also distinguishes between good and evil, and both these qualities were found in the Prophet. Accordingly before the prophethood the Prophet’s being busy in worshipping Allah in the Cave of Hira is a proof that he believed in the Oneness of Allah. Similarly his leading a purified life and being called ‘Ameen’ (trustworthy) and gaining great honour an respectability in the community is a clear proof of his moral superiority. Besides, he was also following the remnants of the religion of Ibrahim, like respecting the House of Allah, Hajj, etc. These facts are borne out by history. (Seeratun Nabi by Ibn Hisham, VoI. I, page 197 and 221). In other words in the light of nature and the religion of Ibrahim to whatever extent it was available, he followed them, but at that time the path of guidance was not fully revealed to him. Therefore, he did not know the reality about faith nor the details of the Shariah. Accordingly the holy Quran has explained it:
You did not know what is the book and what is faith.” (Surah Ash-Shura-52). This state has been described here as “dhal” (who is unaware of the path). In other words this was the state of searching for the Truth and finding out the path, and this cannot be termed as ‘dhalalat’ meaning waywardness or being astray, and particularly when it was known about him that he never denied the existence of God, nor did he ever adopt idolatry. He avoided evil things and wicked acts. He never invited anyone to follow any false beliefs. In the Book of Traditions, Bukhari, an incident of pre-prophethood days is mentioned: once he was offered a meal which included flesh of an animal which was slaughtered in the name of an idol; he refused to eat it, and seeing this Zaid bin Amar bin Nufail also refused to eat. (Bukhari Kitabul Manaqib Bab Hadith Zaid bin Amar bin Nufail). So far as the remnants of the religion of Ibrahim are concerned, Allama Ibn Hajar” writes in his explanation of Bukhari:
“With the people of jahiliyah only a few parts (practices) of the religion of Ibrahim had.“ remained extant.” -(Fathul Bari Vol. VII Page. 113).

8. Guidance means revelation from Allah, which showed the right path to the Prophet very clearly and fully.

9. The Prophet passed his childhood as an orphan: When he came of age, he was a. poor man, till the richest woman of the tribe of Quraish offered to have partnership with him in her trade. He made a considerable profit when he went on business to Syria. His trade partner, Hazrat Khadija, was immensely impressed by his honesty, decency and moral character, and offered herself in marriage to him. After this Nikah, his financial condition improved considerably.
—(Seeratun Nabi by Ibn Hisham Vol. I, P. 202 to 206).
These were the outward causes for the improvement in his financial condition, but in reality this was due to the favour which Allah bestowed on him.

10. In the foregoing verses Allah had mentioned the favours bestowed by him. Now are being mentioned briefly the demands of those favours.
In this connection the Prophet is being instructed that as Allah gave him shelter when he was an orphan, so he should also become a guardian of the rights of the orphans and should not treat any orphan harshly.
Although this instruction is directly addressed to the Prophet, but through him it is meant for every reader of Quran, and there is this condemnation of the attitude of the wealth loving people which they adopt in dealing with the orphans and the weak persons, that is they consider them mean and do not treat them respectfully; they repress them and usurp their rights.

11. This is the demand of that favour which was mentioned in Verse No.8. that is “found in need, and made rich. “The due repayment of this favour is that the people in need should be treated kindly, and if a beggar or a person who asks for something cannot be helped then he should be requested in a nice way to excuse and the method of those persons should never be followed, who in their pride of being rich, look down upon the poor and refuse the beggars rudely.
This Instruction was followed by the Prophet so strictly and scrupulously that he not only did behave rudely with any beggar but he did not also say no to any one who asked for anything from him. Hazrat Jabir says:
“It never happened that something was asked of the Prophet and he said ‘no’ to that.” (Bukhari Kitabul Adab). This direction is also found in one of the Ahadith of the Prophet:
“Save yourselves from Hell if you can do so by giving in charity even a piece of date, and if this is not available, then say a kind word.” -( Muslim Kitabuz Zakat). That is: instead of refusing rudely, say a kind word to him and ask to be excused.

12. Bounties mean general bounties and special bounty i.e. Guidance. In the foregoing Verse No.7 a mention of being blessed with guidance has been made. Here the manner of due re-payment of that bounty is being stated. According to order of the verses, the place of this verse was one verse ahead, but to emphasise the point it has been stated in the last, so that its importance may be clearly understood and due attention may be paid to it. Of the favours which Allah bestowed on his Prophet the greatest is His Guidance. He received this guidance in the form of Quran, and he was, honoured by being appointed as a Prophet. Here the emphasis is to proclaim this bounty, and this favour. It means that the favour of Allah that He made him a Prophet and revealed to him the great book Quran which is full of wisdom should be effectively conveyed to the people; the message should be before the people; they should be invited to follow that path which Allah had shown him through this holy book. This direction is given to him through this holy book. This direction is given to the Prophet, but through him it is meant for all the followers of Islam. The great blessing which they have received in the form of the holy Quran through the Prophet is not for concealment or for keeping it to themselves but for proclamation and conveying it to others so that its benefits are derived by all.