by Umme Adil Nawaz

Created on: November 07, 2010

Surah Ash-Shams

As young student of science, we come to know that people once thought that the sun is revolving around the earth. Later it was discovered that the earth rotates on its axis and the side of the earth that faces the sun has daylight and as we go towards the other side, we enter darkness. This concept teaches us a very important lesson that if we want to reach the truth then we have to do research because our eyes do not always see the real picture.

Similarly, if we want to find out the “real truth” about our religion Islam, then we have to study the Quran and Hadith. It is such a pleasure to seek absolute truth in the Quran, a book in which there is no doubt at all… Because who could tell us the truth about life better than the one who created this life? Who could be more knowledgeable than Allah, more truthful than Him? And when He, the Almighty, takes oath of something, it sort of scares me… have we become so obstinate in our denial that we need an oath from Him? And even then we don’t listen to Him?

This Surah too starts with a lot of oaths as if to awaken us from our heedlessness:

"By the sun and its brightness; and by the moon, as it follows the sun." (91: 1, 2)

Who can say that they have never observed the sun or the moon? But how many of us remember Allah through these miraculous signs of His creation? How enormous is this great ball of fire which continues to give us heat and light day after day… can we even imagine any life without it? And the moon so beautiful and mesmerizing; reflecting the same light but in an entirely different tone… How great must be the creator of these great objects?

"By the heaven and Him Who made it; and by the earth and Him Who spread it." (91: 5, 6)

If Allah had wished so, He could have given intellect to all His creatures but He selected only the human beings for this great honor…

"By the soul and Him Who perfected it and inspired it with evil and good characteristics." (91: 7, 8)

But this honor is also the biggest test for us, because on one hand we have been given a natural tendency towards goodness; but on the other hand there is an evil instinct present in all of us. So if we want to be successful then we have to purify our inner self because we cannot be really good without a good heart…

"Indeed successful will be the one who purifies it and indeed destroyed is he who corrupts." it! (91: 9, 10)

It makes me feel like Allah has given each one of

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