Surat al-Duha

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الضحى Aḍ-Ḍuḥā The Morning Hours
Arabic text · English translation
Classification	Meccan
Other names	Morning Bright, The Early Hours, The Forenoon, The Bright Morning Hours, Daylight
Position	Juzʼ 30
No. of verses	11
No. of words	40
No. of letters	165

Arabic text · English translation

Sūrat aḍ-Ḍuḥā (Arabic: الضحى‎‎, “The Morning Hours”, “Morning Bright”) is the ninety-third sura of the Qur'an with 11 ayat. The Surah takes its name Aḍ-Ḍuḥā from the very first word.

Although there is some debate amongst scholars, this sura is often considered to be the second revealed to Muhammad. After the first sura (al-Alaq) was received, there was a period of silence in which no further messages were revealed. During this time, the new Prophet wondered if he had somehow displeased God, who it seemed for a while was no longer sending down His message. This sura broke that silence, and reassured Muhammad that all will be understood in time. The image of the morning (ad-Dhuha) is the first word of the sura, and can be understood as symbolizing Muhammad's "new day" as the Messenger of God, as well as the "dawn" of the new way of life that would become Islam. After this sura, the visitations of Gabriel with the words of the Qur'an would come to Muhammad regularly until his death.

Because of subject matter, length, style, and placement in the Qur'an, this sura is often coupled with Sura Al-Inshirah. They are generally considered to have been revealed around the same time.

This sura begins by invoking the Morning and the Night, meaning that God's will acts both during the day (when the Light of God is obvious), and the night (when it seems to man that God is absent). The Qur'an comforts the new Prophet with the message that God is not angered with him, nor has God abandoned him; indeed, God says He is pleased with him. It goes on saying that "The Last will be better for thee than the First" - things will end better as they are now, meaning either (or both) in Muhammad's victories on Earth, or in the Afterlife. To prove the point, the Qur'an asks Muhammad if God has ever failed him:

[93:6] Did He not find you an orphan, so provided you shelter?

[93:7] And He found you wandering, so gave you guidance?

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