THE    EXPLANATION     OF





AD-DUHA


KORAN    CHAPTER    93





Copyrighted 2012, by www. Allah.com


 and Khadeijah Abdullah Darwish (Anne Stephens)





The following is an exposition of the chapter Ad-Duha (chapter 93) and has been extracted from the translation of the famous book “Ash Shefa” written by the Judge of Cordoba, Spain, Qadi Eyad.





“Ash-Shefa” was compiled by the Judge over 900 years ago and has been acclaimed by scholars throughout each century as being the best work that concentrates on drawing the attention of the reader to the extra special, superior qualities, and virtues bestowed on the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, coupled to Allah’s unique honoring and raising of His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. 





It has also been said that if one does not know these extra special qualities, then one has only a minute understanding of the greatness of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him.





In the early days of the sending down of the Koran, there had been an interval between the sending down of the chapter “The Pen” and the next sending. That interval caused Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, some concern as he feared he might have done something to earn the displeasure of Allah. However, this was not the case as we learn from the chapter revealed after the interval “The Mid-morning” Ad-Duha (chapter 93).





"By the mid-morning, and by the night when it covers,


your Lord has not forsaken you (Prophet Muhammad),


nor does He hate you. 


The Last shall be better for you than the First.


Your Lord will give you, and you will be satisfied.


Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?


Did He not find you a wanderer so He guided you?


Did He not find you poor and suffice you?


Do not oppress the orphan, nor drive away the one who asks.


But tell of the favors of your Lord!"


Koran, The Mid-morning “Ad-Duha” Chapter 93





Allah opens this chapter with an oath of tremendous proportion. He swore, "By the mid-morning, and by the night when it covers”. The chapter continues with the reassurance of Allah that He has neither abandoned His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, nor does He hate him and thereby allays Prophet Muhammad’s anxiety.





As the chapter progresses our attention is drawn to the ultimate care and high esteem Allah has for His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and this becomes very clear in several ways:





Allah says: "your Lord will give you, and you will be satisfied" from this our attention is drawn to the Prophet’s honor in this world and in the Everlasting Life and the blessings receivable in both.





Lady Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her said concerning ‘your Lord will give you, and you will be satisfied’ “The Koran contains no other verse that has more hope than this one and we know that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, will not be satisfied if any of his nation enters the Fire.”





In the verses that follow:


"Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?


Did He not find you a wanderer so He guided you?


Did He not find you poor and suffice you?"


Our attention is drawn to the blessings bestowed upon Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, by Allah together with His favors. These blessings include our own guidance through the blessings bestowed upon him, or his own guidance. Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, had no property, yet Allah enriched him. This has been explained as being Prophet Muhammad’s contentment with whatever he had and the wealth of knowledge Allah placed in his heart.





When he was orphaned his grandfather and then his uncle took care of him, and it was with them that Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, found shelter. It has also been explained as his finding shelter with Allah, and that the meaning or “orphan” is that there was no other like him, and Allah Himself sheltered him.





As for the verses "Did He not find you a wanderer so He guided you? Did He not find you poor and suffice you? Do not oppress the orphan," Allah reminds His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, of these blessings. Even before Allah called him to the prophethood, He had not neglected him either when he was a young orphan or when he was poor, rather, He honored him by calling him to the prophethood. How could Allah have done so after He had chosen him!





In the next verse, "But tell of the favors of your Lord!" Allah tells His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to announce the blessings he had been given by Allah and to be thankful for the honor He had bestowed upon him. This verse is both special to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and also applicable to the nation of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, in general, and that they too should tell of the favors given to them by Allah.