The Quran

سورة الشّمس

Surah Al-Shams 91:8

The Sun · Verse 8 of 15

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا

Abdul Mannan Omar

Then He revealed to it (- the soul, the ways of) its evil and its righteousness,

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right;-

Ahmed Ali

And given the faculty of knowing what is disruptive and what is intrinsic to it.

12 more translations

Ali Unal

And Who has inspired it with the conscience of what is wrong and bad for it and what is right and good for it:

Daryabadi

And inspired it with the wickedness thereof and the piety thereof,

Faridul Haque

And inspired in it the knowledge of its sins and its piety.

Maulana Muhammad Ali

So He reveals to it its way of evil and its way of good;

Maulvi Sher Ali

And HE revealed to it the ways of evil and the ways of righteousness -

Muhammad Asad

and how it is imbued with moral failings as well as with consciousness of God!

Muhammad Musin Khan

Then He showed him what is wrong for him and what is right for him;

Muhammad Pickthall

And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it.

Muhammad Sarwar

and inspired it with knowledge of evil and piety,.

Muhammed ali Shakir

Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it;

Rashad Khalifa

Then showed it what is evil and what is good.

Shabbir Ahmed

And how it is inspired with the capacity to disintegrate or become protected against detriment.

Commentary 91:8-10 Ilhâmإلهام – refers to Divine inspiration. It is different from the Divine Revelation given to the Messengers and Prophets. Revelations to the Prophets…

On 91:8–10

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا﴿٨﴾قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا﴿٩﴾وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا

91:8-10 Ilhâmإلهام – refers to Divine inspiration. It is different from the Divine Revelation given to the Messengers and Prophets. Revelations to the Prophets of Allâh and His servants are called wahî - وحي. Their ranks are much higher. Many people are unaware of the significance of ilhâm. When, during supplication a person feels inclined to follow or adopt a certain course of rectitude, it is the first phase of ilhâm. It can be compared with the inspiration of an inventor whose mind focuses with concentration on a certain topic while inventing. Sometimes a person’s natural inclination also serves as an inspiration for him. ilhâm is the way to righteousness that is revealed and is to be followed. There is thus a good deal of difference between ilhâm– inspirations, and Divine Revelations. Râzî says, ilhâm is the intimation and inspiration that allows a person to distinguish between good and evil. This happens by virtue of the clarity of a human mind and his inner light.

Despite this internal voice, a human being may still choose the wrong way. In contrast, Prophets of Allâh always receive Revelation to perform what is good and are never incited by them to commit sinful deeds. It is through ilhâm - Divine inspiration that Allâh has brought into us the qualities He wants in us so that we may know Him.

Allâh’s free Will has given rise to our free will. His Commands, rewards and punishments all acknowledge our free will. He does not compel obedience, but invites us to the abode of salvation, which is “Fallâh”فلاٌح . The earth revolves involuntarily under His Command and its movements deserve neither reward nor punishment. Only actions taken by free choice shall be weighed on the Day of Judgment. Our power of free will, our power of choosing good or evil, is increased by the inspiration of Rûh al-Quds, or the Iblîs, presenting opposing choices to us.