Quran: Surah Ash-Shams (Quran Chapter 91) – SS1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Surah Ash-Shams is the 91st chapter of the Holy Quran, a Makki surah of 15 verses whose name means “The Sun.”

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State basic facts about Surah Ash-Shams (number of verses, place of revelation and position in the Quran).
2. Explain the meaning of verses 1 to 10, including the oaths and the idea of success through purifying the soul.
3. Narrate the story of the people of Thamud as told in verses 11 to 15.
4. List the main lessons of the surah.
5. Describe ways of applying the teachings of the surah in daily life.

What are the key terms in this lesson?

Key terms are the words a student must know before studying the surah.

• Surah: a chapter of the Quran.
• Ayah (plural ayat): a verse of the Quran.
• Makki surah: a surah revealed in Makkah, before the Hijrah to Madinah.
• Juz’: one of the 30 equal parts into which the Quran is divided.
• Oath (qasam): a solemn promise or declaration made by swearing by something.
• Nafs (soul): the inner self of a person, which can be purified or corrupted.
• Conscience: the inner feeling that helps a person know right from wrong.
• Thamud: an ancient people to whom Prophet Salih was sent.

What are the background facts about Surah Ash-Shams?

Surah Ash-Shams is the 91st chapter of the Quran and has 15 verses.

• Opening: the surah begins with Allah swearing by the sun, moon, day, night, sky and earth.

What are the main themes of the surah?

The surah has four main themes.

1. Allah’s creation: the sun, moon, day, night, sky and earth are signs of His power.
2. Human choice: Allah has given humans the ability to choose between right and wrong.
3. Thamud: the story of a people who rejected their Prophet and were destroyed.
4. Purifying the soul: success depends on keeping the soul clean.

What does each verse of Surah Ash-Shams mean?

The surah has two parts: verses 1 to 10 deal with Allah’s oaths and human choice, and verses 11 to 15 tell the story of Thamud.

What do verses 1 to 10 mean?

Verses 1 to 4: Oaths by natural phenomena

“By the sun and its brightness,
And by the moon when it follows it,
And by the day when it shows its brightness,
And by the night when it covers it.”

• Sun: gives light and heat to the earth.
• Moon: follows the sun and gives a softer light.
• Day: shows the world around us.
• Night: covers everything in darkness.
• Lesson: these changes happen in order every day and show Allah’s perfect planning.

Verses 5 and 6: Oaths by the sky and earth

“And by the sky and He who built it,
And by the earth and He who spread it.”

• Sky: Allah built it above us.
• Earth: Allah spread it out as a place for us to live.
• Lesson: both are further signs of Allah’s greatness.

Verses 7 and 8: The human soul

“And by the soul and He who made it perfect,
Then He showed it what is wrong and what is right.”

• Soul: Allah created every person’s soul and made it well formed.
• Conscience: He placed in it the ability to know good from bad.
• Lesson: every person has a sense of right and wrong from Allah.

Verses 9 and 10: Success and failure

“Indeed he succeeds who purifies it (his soul),
And indeed he fails who corrupts it.”

• Success: comes to the person who purifies the soul by good deeds and by avoiding sin.
• Failure: comes to the person who corrupts the soul by bad deeds.
• Lesson: success here depends on a pure heart, not on money or fame.

What do verses 11 to 15 mean?

Verse 11: The people of Thamud

“Thamud denied (the truth) through their transgression.”

• Who they were: an ancient people who came after the people of ‘Ad.
• Their Prophet: Allah sent Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) to them.
• Their sin: they rejected his message because of their transgression (going beyond the limits set by Allah).

Verses 12 and 13: The most wicked man and the warning

“When the most wicked man among them went forth (to kill the she-camel).
And the Messenger of Allah said to them: ‘Be careful of Allah’s she-camel and her drinking turn.'”

• The she-camel: a miracle and sign sent by Allah to Thamud.
• The wicked man: the worst person in the tribe set out to kill her.
• The warning: Prophet Salih told them not to harm her and to let her drink on her day.

Verse 14: The crime and punishment

“But they denied him and they killed it. So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin, and made them equal in destruction!”

• The crime: they ignored the warning and killed the camel.
• The punishment: Allah destroyed them for their sin.
• Lesson: people who deliberately disobey Allah’s clear commands may face punishment.

Verse 15: Allah does not fear the outcome

“And He (Allah) feared not the consequences.”

• Meaning: Allah is the Most Powerful and does not fear any result of His judgement.
• Lesson: no one can question or challenge Allah’s decisions.

What are the important lessons from Surah Ash-Shams?

The surah teaches five main lessons.

1. Signs of Allah in nature: the oaths remind us to look at creation and see Allah’s power and wisdom.
2. Freedom to choose: every person can tell right from wrong and must choose a path, which is a great responsibility.
3. Success comes from purifying the soul: true success comes from a pure heart, good deeds and avoiding sin.
4. The danger of disobedience: the fate of Thamud is a warning to later generations.
5. Collective responsibility: Thamud suffered together because they supported or did not stop the wrongdoer, so we must encourage good and forbid evil.

What are the virtues of reciting Surah Ash-Shams?

Reciting Surah Ash-Shams reminds a Muslim to purify the soul and to recognise Allah’s signs in the universe.

• In prayer: the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised Mu’adh ibn Jabal to recite this surah in the ‘Isha prayer.
• Reminder: it recalls the need to purify the soul.
• Reflection: think about the meaning while reciting and apply it in daily life.

How can we apply Surah Ash-Shams in our lives?

We apply the surah by turning its lessons into daily habits.

1. Reflect on Allah’s creation: look at the sun, moon, day and night and think about Allah’s power and wisdom.
2. Listen to your conscience: use your inner sense of right and wrong when making decisions.
3. Purify your soul daily: do good deeds, avoid sins, seek forgiveness and remember Allah.
4. Stand against wrong: do not stay silent when wrong is done in your community.
5. Learn from history: remember the lesson of Thamud and other nations that disobeyed Allah.

How can students memorise Surah Ash-Shams?

Surah Ash-Shams is short, so a student can memorise it step by step.

1. Break it down: learn two or three verses each day.
2. Understand the meaning: knowing what the verses mean makes them easier to remember.
3. Look for patterns: the first seven verses each begin with “Wa” (meaning “By”).
4. Listen to recitations: hearing skilled reciters helps with pronunciation and memory.
5. Recite in prayers: use the verses you have learnt in your daily prayers.

How does Surah Ash-Shams connect to other surahs?

Surah Ash-Shams belongs to a group of short surahs near the end of the Quran with related themes.

Evaluation

1. How many verses does Surah Ash-Shams have, and where was it revealed?
2. Name the surah that comes before it and the surah that comes after it.
3. According to verses 9 and 10, who succeeds and who fails?
4. Which Prophet was sent to the people of Thamud, and what did the people do to the she-camel?
5. State two lessons from Surah Ash-Shams.

Assignment

Write five short points on how a student can purify his or her soul daily, using the teachings of Surah Ash-Shams, and add two ways to reflect on Allah’s creation.