The Sun (Al-Shams)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
I CALL TO witness the sun and his early morning splendour, 1 And by oath of the moon when it follows the sun 2 The day when it reveals his radiance, 3 and the night as it veils it darkly! 4 by the heavens and that (Power) which established them, 5 And by the earth and Him Who spread it, 6 And by oath of the soul and by oath of Him Who made it proper. 7 and how it is imbued with moral failings as well as with consciousness of God! 8 Truly he succeeds that purifies it, 9 And he who confines it will surely come to grief. 10 Samood gave the lie (to the truth) in their inordinacy, 11 when the most wretched of them uprose, 12 And the messenger of Allah said: It is the she-camel of Allah, so let her drink! 13 In response they belied him, and hamstrung the she camel – so Allah put ruin over them because of their sins and flattened their dwellings. 14 He did not fear the consequences. 15