Surah Ad-Dhuha (الضُّحَىٰ) is the 93rd chapter of the Quran, named after the morning brightness, a term referenced in its opening verse: "By the morning brightness." This surah is situated in the 30th Juz (Para) and consists of 11 verses (ayat) divided into 1 Ruku (section). It follows Surah Al-Lail and precedes Surah Ash-Sharh. It is categorized as a Makki Surah, which means it was revealed during the early stages of Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) mission in Mecca.
The historical context of Surah Ad-Dhuha is closely linked to a period of emotional distress experienced by the Prophet (ﷺ). After Surah Al-Lail, Allah did not send a revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) for 6 months. When the revelations stopped temporarily, the Prophet (ﷺ) was greatly worried and sad, leading to whispers and jeering from the opponents that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) had left or forsaken him. Surah Ad-Dhuha was a message of reassurance and solace for the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ); Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) invoked an oath by the morning light that He has not left or forsaken His beloved Prophet. The comforting words and assurances of delivering divine assistance that the surah presented consoled and reassured the Prophet (ﷺ) and strengthened his belief in the plan and will of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
The surah is about divine care, gratitude, and long-term benefits, encouraging those who believe that after every hardship, there is ease. Another important feature of Surah Ad-Dhuha is the message of consolation as well as the fact that it addresses the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) directly, so the message appears here rather personal and tender from the side of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). It is regularly recited by Muslims when they are in need of comfort and support, and therefore, it is mostly favoured as a message of comfort and hope.
٩٣ - ٱلضُّحَىٰ
93 - Ad-Dhuha
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Surah Ad-Duha is a Makki surah. The subject matter of this surah clearly indicates that it was revealed in the earlier stages of the Prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ when revelations were discontinued for a certain period. The Prophet was worried about the suspension of revelations. The verses of this Surah are a sort of consolation for him. It is clear evidence that this Surah was revealed during that early phase of his Prophethood. Hence, it is a consensus of the scholars that it is a Makki Surah.
During the earlier stages of the Prophethood, revelations used to come with a little gap in between. However, at a particular stage, revelations almost stopped coming down for quite some time. The Prophet was worried and felt distressed. At this crucial stage, Surah Ad-Duha was revealed, wherein Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ commanded that the suspension or delay in revelation was not due to His displeasure; rather, it was necessary to bring peace and tranquility, as is triggered by the quietness of the night, after the brilliant day, as mentioned in the first four verses of the Surah:
Translation
Here, Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ has assured the Prophet that He has neither left him alone nor He is displeased with him. By giving the example of darkness and stillness of the night, followed by a bright day, it is also Commanded that the Prophet should never be worried about the current day’s difficulties or uncertainties, as the coming days are destined by Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ for you to be even better than the past and the present.
Hence, this Surah reminds us to hope and be patient in Allah's سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ unwavering support and blessings. It encourages us to have unconditional faith and trust in Allah’s سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ plans and always express gratitude through charity and kindness, especially during difficult times. So, the recitation of this Surah helps us come out of a phase of distress by keeping full trust and faith in Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ.
Even though Surah Ad-Dhuha is a short surah, it deals with themes of immense magnitude, i.e., belief in Allah in the toughest circumstances and Allah's (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) benevolence. Below is a brief explanation of the main themes of the surah:
The main theme of the surah is to console and give hope to the Prophet (ﷺ) at a time when he was undergoing spiritual turmoil. It also focuses on the continuous support and concern of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) in the face of adversities. The surah, in this way, comforts the Prophet (ﷺ) that his endeavour and all his sacrifices are worthy and visible to Almighty Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Although Allah Azzawajal is speaking directly to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), all Muslims take heart from these ayahs. Here, Allah's reassurances can be taken to mean all believers – that they should not grieve and be anxious during times of difficulty as their Lord and Creator will not forsake them even when all have. Allah is with us and has preordained a greater reward for us with which we will be well pleased.
This surah brings hope and positivity with the promise of better things to come and blessings in the times ahead. It assures the Prophet (ﷺ) that all the difficulties that he had to go through would make way for prosperity and success. This theme fosters the spirit of hard work and endurance in the midst of challenges for all Muslims.
The surah teaches patience and perseverance in difficult situations. It showcases how the Prophet (ﷺ) himself suffered from temporary suspension of revelations and how he patiently persevered through faith in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Thus, all Muslims should behave in difficult circumstances. Trials and tribulations are a part of life, and Muslims should persevere with grace and with Tawakul Allalah.
Everything in Surah Ad-Dhuha is full of hope, and it is one of the most comforting surahs of the Quran. It gives the believers confidence that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has better plans and that every difficulty is succeeded by ease and blessings. It is a comforting theme when things get tough.
Surah Ad-Dhuha also briefly discusses the treatment of orphans in Islam. Allah says:
فَاَمَّا الْيَتِيْمَ فَلَا تَقْہَرْ۹ۭ
Faamma alyateema fala taqhar
Therefore, treat not the orphan with harshness (Ad-Duha, verse 9)
It teaches Muslims that they must always treat orphans with kindness. This is related to verse 6 of the surah in which Allah said to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ):
اَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيْمًـا فَاٰوٰى۶۠
Alam yajidka yateeman faawa
Did He not find thee an orphan and give thee shelter (and care)?
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was an orphan. Allah provided sustenance and care to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) through his grandfather, uncle, and family, despite being an orphan. In antiquity, orphans were mistreated, and families usurped their rights to property and even harmed them physically. Allah states in clear terms that in Islam, orphans are to be treated with kindness, and their rights should not be violated. In unravelling these themes, Surah Ad-Dhuha provides lessons on the state of human beings and the need to have faith and give thanks in the face of adversity.
There are countless blessings and spiritual gains associated with Surah Ad-Dhuha when one recites it or reflects on the meanings behind its verses. The themes of hope, consolation and God's mercy reflected in the surah transform it into a source of comfort and strength for the believers.
Reciting Surah Ad-Dhuha is believed to bring about immense confidence in Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and His decisions. Praising Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for the ability to liberate His servants from the difficulties of life is further strengthened by the following verse of the surah, which goes to explain that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) never leaves His servants in the lurch. This message of divine support and being there when one is alone and discouraged helps to consolidate the experience of being spiritually connected to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
Studying the themes of Surah Ad-Dhuha assures people to be patient and persevere during hardships as they will be replaced with ease and sustenance in life. It also plays a role in building up personal character and strength to overcome life's adversities in hope and confidence. Conclusively, Surah Ad-Dhuha provides valuable spiritual lessons of hope, gratitude and compassion for the community. Thus, reciting it helps to reinforce the faith and move to the higher spiritual level of accepting the divine guidance and mercy of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and also as a reminder of organizational obligation and the importance of the welfare of citizens.
Reciting the Quran correctly with appropriate pronunciation is a critical and sensitive matter. Even a slight deviation from the actual pronunciation of any of the words or letters of the Quran may entirely change their meanings. Arabic is a very versatile language; every word, expression, or letter has to be pronounced exactly to keep its meaning in accordance with the context. Mispronouncing a word may result in entirely different connotations, which would be a glaring mistake. While reciting the Quran, this even becomes more crucial, as it is a matter of reciting the words of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. Reading the Quran with Tajweed is, therefore, crucial. Moreover, correct recitation of the Quranic verses might be somewhat more difficult for non-Arabic-speaking people.
Listening to the recitation of an authentic Qari might be helpful in understanding the correct pronunciation of the phrases of the Quran. Sometimes, you may also like to just listen to the Quran instead of reading it yourself. Hence, at MuslimandQuran, we have uploaded recitations of the entire Quran, including Surah Ad-Duha, by renowned and authentic reciters (Qaris). You can navigate and select the Qari; you may prefer to listen. You just need to download the Mobile Application of Muslim and Quran to listen to the Qaris of your preference.
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Although reading the Quran is very easy on the website and mobile application of MuslimandQuran, online, sometimes you may like to download and print a certain part of it, such as Surah Ad-Duha, for reading it later on. For this purpose, you may like to download any of the Surahs of the Quran, including Surah Ad-Duha so that you may read it anytime, as convenient to you. You can download it in PDF for reading offline or taking a print of the desired Surah.
Surah Ad-Duha can be downloaded in PDF by following these steps:
Duha is an Arabic word that means “the morning sunlight.” Sometimes, it is also translated as “the early hours of the morning.” The phrase Ad-Duha in this Surah refers to the rising of the sun in the earlier hours of the day.
There are 11 verses in Surah Ad-Duha.
It can be recited anytime during the day or night. No specific time is associated with its recitation. However, it might be more beneficial if one recites it during difficult times.
Yes, the event of revelation of Surah Ad-Duha is mentioned in Hadith 4983 of Sahih Al-Bukhari.
Translation - Once the Prophet (ﷺ) fell ill and did not offer the night prayer (Tahajjud prayer) for a night or two. A woman (the wife of Abu Lahab) came to him and said, "O Muhammad! I do not see but that your Satan has left you." Then Allah revealed (Surat-Ad-Duha): 'By the fore-noon, and by the night when it darkens (or is still); Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor hated you.
Yes, you can listen to it online on the Mobile Application of MuslimandQuran.
Yes, like any other verse of the Quran, the recitation of Surah Ad-Duha brings huge rewards for its reciter. It is particularly beneficial to strengthen one’s faith and trust in Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ to bring us good days after a phase of difficult times.
Anyone can get the benefits of reciting Surah Ad-Duha or any other part of the Quran, as it is not language specific. Even if you are non-Arabic speaking, you can get the same benefits as an Arabic-speaking person may get. However, it would be even more beneficial if you could understand the meanings of the Surah.