The Sun (Al-Shams)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
I CALL TO witness the sun and his early morning splendour, 1 And [by] the moon when it follows it 2 The day when it reveals his radiance, 3 And by the night as it conceals it (the sun); 4 And by the heaven and Him Who built it; 5 By the Earth and its (wide) expanse: 6 by the soul and how He formed it, 7 Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it; 8 prosperous is he who purified it, 9 And he will indeed fail who corrupts it. 10 Thamood belied in their pride 11 What time the greatest wretch of them rose up. 12 And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink." 13 Then they denied him and they killed it. So their Lord destroyed them because of their sin, and made them equal in destruction (i.e. all grades of people, rich and poor, strong and weak, etc.)! 14 and He fears not the issue thereof. 15