Surah Ad-Duha — Verse 2

Word Meanings:

• Sajā (سَجَىٰ): This means the night when it covers everything with darkness, becomes still, and people settle down and cease their movement and activity. It conveys both the idea of darkness spreading and tranquility prevailing.

Tafsir (Explanation):

After swearing by the forenoon (ḍuḥā), Allah continues with a second oath: "And by the night when it grows still and dark." This refers to the night when its darkness deepens, covering the earth, and all creatures find rest and stillness—voices quieten, movements cease, and a profound calm settles over the world. Some scholars also interpret "sajā" as the night when it "approaches with its darkness," while others emphasize the sense of peace and stillness that accompanies it.

Allah swears by these two contrasting times—the bright, active forenoon and the dark, still night—to draw attention to His perfect power and wisdom in creation. The alternation of light and darkness, activity and rest, is a sign of His mercy and design. Just as the forenoon brings energy and brightness, the night brings calm and restoration. These natural phenomena point to the greatness of the Creator, who controls all things.

It is important to note that Allah may swear by whatever He wills of His creation, as a way of honoring those times and drawing attention to their significance. However, a created being is not permitted to swear by anything other than Allah, for swearing by other than Him constitutes shirk (associating partners with Allah). The believer's oath should always be by Allah alone, or by His attributes.

The context of this oath is deeply comforting. This surah was revealed at a time when the revelation had paused for a period, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was distressed, with his enemies mocking him, saying that his Lord had abandoned him. In response, Allah swears these solemn oaths to reassure His beloved Prophet: "Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor does He hate you." The very act of swearing by the forenoon and the night emphasizes the certainty of this promise—just as these times are real and observable, so too is Allah's love and care for His Prophet. The night, despite its darkness, is always followed by the light of morning; likewise, any pause in revelation was not abandonment but a mercy, and what was to come would be far greater and better for him.