The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 487
Introduction CHAPTER 91 ASH-SHAMS (Revealed before Hijrah) This Surah admittedly belongs to the very early Meccan period. Some scholars regard it as having been revealed in the first year of the Call; others assign it to the second or third year. It takes its title from the first word of the opening verse. The five Surahs (89-93) possess a striking similarity in subject matter. In all of them great stress has been laid on the development of good morals, specially those good qualities that intimately concern and affect the progress and prosperity of a community. Muslims have been exhorted to create an atmosphere and an environment which should help to raise the standing and stature of the poor, depressed and suppressed section of their Community and should enable them to take their proper share in its activities. The preceding chapter contained a hint about the supreme object for which Abraham and his son, Ishmael, had built the Ka'bah. That supreme object is explained in the prayer-"Our Lord raise up among them a Messenger from among themselves, who may recite to them Thy signs and teach them the Book and Wisdom and may purify them; surely Thou art the Mighty, the Wise (2:130). It is to the Holy Prophet, Muḥammad, and his great moral qualities that this Surah refers. Towards its close the Surah points out that moral greatness can be achieved by anyone who eschews evil and walks in the path of righteousness. The Surah ends on the note that those who choose to defy Divine laws and adopt evil ways work out their own ruin. 3383