The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
Mecca.
b
Hillun bi can mean ‘fair game’ for the disbelievers, even in this inviolable city,
‘resident’, ‘free to live’; some see that it means the Prophet is a temporary resident,
others that it prophesies his return after emigration to Medina.
(
422)

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91. THE SUN
A Meccan sura, the central theme of which is purifying or corrupting the soul,
with the tribe of Thamud given as an example of corruption.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
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
a
called [their messenger] a liar,
12when the most wicked man among them rose [against him].
b
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
c
to
punish
d
them.
a
See e.g. 
7: 73–9 (on the tribe of Thamud).
b
Cf. 
54: 29.
c
Literally ‘he does not fear’.
d
One of the lexical meanings of 
 uqba is jaza, here ‘to punish’; or ‘does not fear the
consequences’.
(
423)

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92. THE NIGHT
A Meccan sura showing the consequences of the paths people choose and
emphasizing God’s guidance and warning.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1By the enshrouding night, 2by the radiant day, 3by His creation
a
of
male and female! 
4The ways you take differ greatly. 5There is the one
who gives, who is mindful of God, 
6who testifies to goodness––7We
shall smooth his way towards ease. 
8There is the one who is miserly,
who is self-satis
fied, 9who denies goodness––10We shall smooth his
way towards hardship 
11and his wealth will not help him as he falls.
b
12Our part is to provide guidance––13this world and the next
belong to Us ––
14so I warn you about the raging Fire, 15in which
none but the most wicked one will burn, 
16who denied [the truth],
and turned away. 
17The most pious one will be spared this––18who
gives his wealth away as self-puri
fication, 19not to return a favour to
anyone 
20but for the sake of his Lord the Most High
c
––
21and he will
be well pleased.
a
Or ‘by Him who created . . .’.
b
Or ‘what use will his wealth be to him when he falls?’.
c
Literally ‘for the sake of the Face of his Lord’.
(
424)

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93. THE MORNING BRIGHTNESS
An early Meccan sura addressed to the Prophet, to reassure him, when he had
not received revelation for some time, that his Lord had not forsaken him.
In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy
1By the morning brightness 2and by the night when it grows still,
3your Lord has not forsaken you [Prophet], nor does He hate
you, 
4and the future will be better for you than the past; 5your
Lord is sure to give you so much that you will be well satis
fied.
6Did He not find you an orphan and shelter you? 7Did He not find
you lost and guide you? 
8Did He not find you in need and make you
self-su
fficient?
9So do not be harsh with the orphan 10and do not chide the one
who asks for help; 
11talk about the blessings of your Lord.
(
425)

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94. RELIEF