Sūrah 93 · Meccan

How Sūrah Ad-Dhuhaa was revealed.

Where and when it came down, what it teaches, and the hadith about it — all on one calm page.

Read Ad-Dhuhaa → The revelation story
Where revealed Meccan

Revealed in the Meccan period, before the migration to Madīnah.

Order of revelation #11

Its place in the traditional order in which the sūrahs were revealed.

Length 11 ayahs

1 reading sections in the Muṣḥaf.

The revelation story

How and when it came down.

This Makkan surah is entirely dedicated to consoling and assuring the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah’s unwavering care during the pause in revelation. It refutes the polytheists’ claims that Allah had abandoned him. The surah promises a greater reward in the Hereafter and commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to show gratitude by treating the orphan and the beggar with compassion.

Themes and purpose:

This Makkan surah is entirely dedicated to consoling and assuring the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah’s unwavering care during the pause in revelation. It refutes the polytheists’ claims that Allah had abandoned him. The surah promises a greater reward in the Hereafter and commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to show gratitude by treating the orphan and the beggar with compassion.

Context of Revelation:

Era: Makkan by unanimous agreement.

Context: The surah was revealed following a period when the revelation paused. The Prophet's finger was injured, causing him to miss his night prayer, which prompted his enemies (specifically Umm Jamīl, Abū Lahab’s wife) to mock him, claiming “his devil” had left him.

Chronology: It is counted as the eleventh surah in the order of revelation, revealed after Sūrat al-Fajr and before al-Inshirāḥ.

Name and Ayah Count:

Name: The surah is known as "Sūrat al-Ḍuḥā" (The Morning Brightness) or "Sūrat wa-l-Ḍuḥā" for the dramatic oath that signals the end of the darkness of night and the end of the period of the pause in revelation.

Ayah Count: 11 ayahs.

Surah Overview:

  • Consolation and Assurance: Swearing that Allah has neither abandoned the Prophet (ﷺ) nor despised him. [3]
  • The Promise: Assuring the Prophet (ﷺ) that the Hereafter will be better for him than the worldly life. [4]
  • Recalling Blessings: Reminding the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah's continuous care during his lifetime, specifically His protection as an orphan, being guided to know his Lord, and his enrichment from poverty. [6-8]
  • Command to Gratitude: Ordering the Prophet (ﷺ) to show gratitude for these blessings by treating the orphan with honor, not repelling the beggar, and proclaiming the bounty of his Lord. [9-11]

Sūrah background — via the Quran Foundation Content API. Shown as supplied by the provider. We do not edit, summarise or generate it.

Hadith about this sūrah

What the hadith say.

These 4 narrations in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī are connected to specific āyāt of this sūrah — a linkage reviewed by the Quran Foundation. Open any one to read it in full, in Arabic and English.

  1. Relates to āyah1–3
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1125

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ جُنْدَبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ احْتَبَسَ جِبْرِيلُ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ أَبْطَأَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْطَانُهُ‏.‏ فَنَزَلَتْ ‏﴿‏وَالضُّحَى * وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى * مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى‏﴾‏

    Narrated Jundab bin `Abdullah: Gabriel did not come to the Prophet (for some time) and so one of the Quraish women said, "His Satan has deserted him." So came the Divine Revelation: "By the forenoon And by the night When it is still! Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither Forsaken you Nor hated you." (93.1-3)

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4950

    حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَسْوَدُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جُنْدُبَ بْنَ سُفْيَانَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ يَقُمْ لَيْلَتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا، فَجَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَتْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ يَكُونَ شَيْطَانُكَ قَدْ تَرَكَكَ، لَمْ أَرَهُ قَرِبَكَ مُنْذُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا‏.‏ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏﴿‏وَالضُّحَى * وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى * مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى‏﴾‏

    Narrated Jundub bin Sufyan: Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) became sick and could not offer his night prayer (Tahajjud) for two or three nights. Then a lady (the wife of Abu Lahab) came and said, "O Muhammad! I think that your Satan has forsaken you, for I have not seen him with you for two or three nights!" On that Allah revealed: 'By the fore-noon, and by the night when it darkens, your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you, nor hated you.' (93.1-3)

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    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4983

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جُنْدَبًا، يَقُولُ اشْتَكَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ يَقُمْ لَيْلَةً أَوْ لَيْلَتَيْنِ فَأَتَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَتْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ مَا أُرَى شَيْطَانَكَ إِلاَّ قَدْ تَرَكَكَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏﴿‏وَالضُّحَى * وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى * مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى‏﴾‏

    Narrated Jundub: 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.' (93)

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  2. Relates to āyah3
    Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4951

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، غُنْدَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جُنْدَبًا الْبَجَلِيَّ، قَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أُرَى صَاحِبَكَ إِلاَّ أَبْطَأَكَ‏.‏ فَنَزَلَتْ ‏﴿‏مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى‏﴾‏

    Narrated Jundub Al-Bajali: A lady said, "O Allah's Messenger! I see that your friend has delayed. (in conveying Qur'an) to you." So there was revealed: 'Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you, not hated you.' (93.1-3)

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The link between each āyah and these narrations is the Quran Foundation's reviewed reference map. The wording is reproduced verbatim from a public-domain edition of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and is not edited, summarised or generated; every narration also opens at Sunnah.com so it can be checked against another copy.

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