بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الشمس
Ash-Shams
The Sun • 15 Ayahs
Meccanوَٱلشَّمۡسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا
سورج اور اس کی روشنی کی قسم،
وَٱلۡقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا
اور چاند کی جب اس کے پیچھے آئے
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا
اور دن کی جب اسے چمکائے
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰهَا
اور رات کی جب اسے چھپائے
وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا
اور آسمان اور اس کے بنانے والے کی قسم،
وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا
اور زمین اور اس کے پھیلانے والے کی قسم،
وَنَفۡسٖ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا
اور جان کی اور اس کی جس نے اسے ٹھیک بنایا
فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَىٰهَا
پھر اس کی بدکاری اور اس کی پرہیزگاری دل میں ڈالی
قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا
بیشک مراد کو پہنچایا جس نے اسے ستھرا کیا
وَقَدۡ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا
اور نامراد ہوا جس نے اسے معصیت میں چھپایا،
كَذَّبَتۡ ثَمُودُ بِطَغۡوَىٰهَآ
ثمود نے اپنی سرکشی سے جھٹلایا
إِذِ ٱنۢبَعَثَ أَشۡقَىٰهَا
جبکہ اس کا سب سے بدبخت اٹھ کھڑا ہوا،
فَقَالَ لَهُمۡ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقۡيَٰهَا
تو ان سے اللہ کے رسول نے فرمایا اللہ کے ناقہ اور اس کی پینے کی باری سے بچو
فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَعَقَرُوهَا فَدَمۡدَمَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّهُم بِذَنۢبِهِمۡ فَسَوَّىٰهَا
تو انہوں نے اسے جھٹلایا پھر ناقہ کی کوچیں کاٹ دیں تو ان پر ان کے رب نے ان کے گناہ کے سبب تباہی ڈال کر وہ بستی برابر کردی
وَلَا يَخَافُ عُقۡبَٰهَا
اور اس کے پیچھا کرنے والے کا اسے خوف نہیں
About Surah Ash-Shams
Surah Ash-Shams (الشمس) is the 91st chapter of the Holy Quran. It contains 15 verses and is a Meccan Surah.
Read with Urdu translation (Kanz ul Iman) and English translation (Sahih International). Listen to audio recitation by multiple world-renowned reciters including Mishary Alafasy, Sudais, Shuraim, Husary, and more.
About Surah Ash-Shams
Ash-Shams is a Meccan surah of 15 verses opening with a sequence of oaths (the sun, moon, day, night) before turning to the human soul's capacity for both corruption and purification, closing with the story of Thamud and the she-camel of Salih.
Number
91st surah
Verses
15
Revelation
Meccan
Meaning
The Sun
Why read it
Its verses on the soul's purification are among the most quoted in discussions of self-accountability and spiritual growth.
Key point
91:9-10 — "He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption]."
Historical Context
A Meccan surah built around an opening sequence of oaths — the sun, the moon, the day, the night, the sky, the earth, and the soul itself — a structure common in early Meccan revelation, building toward a central claim about the human soul's dual capacity before turning to the historical account of Thamud and the she-camel of Prophet Salih.
Main Themes
A sequence of oaths building to one claim
Seven pairs of oaths across the natural world and the soul itself, all building toward verses 7-10 on the soul's inherent capacity for both corruption and purification.
Purification as success, corruption as failure
States directly that success belongs to whoever purifies the soul, and failure to whoever corrupts it — framing spiritual outcome as a matter of genuine effort, not predetermined fate.
Thamud and the she-camel
Closes with the account of Prophet Salih's people, who were given a she-camel as a sign and told not to harm her — they killed her anyway, and the surah describes their subsequent destruction.
Important Verses
91:7-8
The soul and its inspiration
"And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it, and inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness" — stating the soul is given awareness of both paths, not ignorance of one.
91:9-10
Success and failure defined
"He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption]" — among the most quoted verses in the Quran on personal spiritual responsibility.
91:11-14
Thamud's crime
Describes Thamud's "most wretched" member hamstringing the she-camel despite Salih's direct warning, bringing destruction on the whole community for the act.
Hadith & Popular Descriptions
We include authenticity grading for each narration below — not every widely-repeated description of a surah comes from an equally strong source.
Frequently Asked Questions about Surah Ash-Shams
What is Surah Ash-Shams about?
Ash-Shams is a Meccan surah of 15 verses opening with a sequence of oaths (the sun, moon, day, night) before turning to the human soul's capacity for both corruption and purification, closing with the story of Thamud and the she-camel of Salih.
How many verses are in Surah Ash-Shams?
Surah Ash-Shams contains 15 verses (The Sun). It is the 91st surah of the Holy Quran.
Is Surah Ash-Shams Makki or Madani?
Surah Ash-Shams is a Makki surah — it was revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah.
What are the benefits of reading Surah Ash-Shams?
Its verses on the soul's purification are among the most quoted in discussions of self-accountability and spiritual growth.
Where can I read Surah Ash-Shams with Urdu translation?
You can read Surah Ash-Shams above with the full Arabic text, Urdu translation (Kanz ul Iman), and English translation (Sahih International), plus audio recitation.
What is the significance of the opening oaths?
The sequence of oaths — sun, moon, day, night, sky, earth, and the soul — is a structural feature common in early Meccan surahs, building emphasis toward the central claim that follows: that the human soul has real, given capacity for both purification and corruption.
What happened to Thamud and the she-camel?
Prophet Salih's people were given a she-camel as a divine sign and warned not to harm her. One man among them killed her despite the warning, and the surah describes the community facing destruction as a consequence — a recurring Quranic account also told in more detail in other surahs.