๏ By the brightness, (1) and the night, when it becomes still. (2) Your lord did not abandon you and He did not detest. (3) And surely the end is better for you than the start. (4) And soon your lord will give to you, then you will be pleased. (5)
Did He not find you an orphan and give shelter? (6) And He found you lost so He guided. (7) And He found you in need then He availed you. (8) So as for the orphan, do not oppress. (9) And as for the one who asks, do not go past. (10) As for being in your lord’s grace – narrate! (11) ๏
— al-ḍuḥā, 93/11
The chapter begins with imagery of two ends of a spectrum, brightness and the still of darkness. Whatever end we find ourselves in, we are assured that God is always with us. The reader is reminded that the end of our efforts will be better than what they produce at the start; success is not achieved straight away.
The next passage reminds us that we went through vulnerable states, and God sheltered and guided us. tanhar of verse 10 shares the same root as the word nahār, meaning day, and is related to the verb nahara, meaning to flow or run along. By reflecting on how God helped us through hard times, the reader is reminded not to oppress the vulnerable or go past those who ask for help.
The chapter ends by emphasising the need to spread happiness and positivity. When we receive God’s grace, we should narrate it.
◆
Tagged: #chapter-093 #annotations #nun-ha-ra