Tafsir of Ad-Dhuha 93:2

{وَاللَّيْلِ} That is, the genus of the night. {إِذَا سَجَى} That is, when its inhabitants become still. This is derived from al-sajw, which means absolute stillness, as stated by more than one scholar; the attribution here is metaphorical. Alternatively, it is on the presumption of an omitted word, as has been said. Similar to this is what is narrated from Qatadah: that the people and the sounds are still within it. This typically occurs between its two ends, or after a portion of its beginning has passed, or when its darkness becomes stationary. "The sea became sajin (still)" means its waves calmed. Al-A‘sha said: What is our fault if your cousin’s sea surges, While your sea is still (sajin), not concealing the larvae?

Thus, according to this, al-sajw originally meant the stillness of waves, then it became generalized. The intended meaning of the stillness of its darkness is its lack of change through intensification or decline—that is, in terms of what is sensed and apparent. This occurs when the calculation of the sun reaching its nadir (the point directly beneath) is complete, or near or around that time. Ibn al-A‘rabi explicitly considered intensification, stating: "The night saja means its darkness intensified." Ibn al-Mundhir and others narrated from Ibn Jubayr that he said: "It means when it approaches and covers everything." Ibn Jarir and Ibn Marduyah narrated from the path of al-‘Awfi from Ibn Abbas an interpretation of saja without mentioning covering. They, along with Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Abi Hatim, also narrated from him that he said: "Saja means when it departs." Both of these interpretations are contrary to the well-known view.

It is common to say "a still (sakin or sajin) night" for a night that has no wind. Describing it with this—namely, stillness—is said by some to be literal, as when one says "a night with no wind." It cannot be argued that the one who is truly still is the wind, because stillness predicated upon the wind itself is impossible as it is a moving air. Furthermore, they say this for what has no wind, not for when its wind has ceased. The investigation requires us to say: Stillness, according to its interpretations—meaning the absence of motion from that which is its nature to move, or the existence of two things in one space—is not correct for the night because it is a specific time. However, since the stillness of the air is, in common parlance, equivalent to the absence of the air itself (due to the lack of sensation) or because it entails the absence of the wind (not the air itself), it is said "a sajin and sakin night." Describing the night [with these terms] is literal, meaning there is no attribution to something inappropriate, as it is possible to consider stillness in this sense to be a conventional reality. It is permissible to interpret what is in the verse based on this common usage. Perhaps it is restricted to this because the night that has no wind is furthest from perils; some jurists have mentioned that a severe wind at night is an excuse for [missing] the congregational prayer.

It is reported from Qatadah and Muqatil that the "Duha" (Forenoon) refers to the forenoon in which Allah spoke to Moses (peace be upon him), and "the Night" refers to the night of the Ascension (Mi'raj). Some people have interpreted "Duha" as the face of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and "the Night" as his hair (peace and blessings be upon him), as the Imam mentioned, saying there is nothing far-fetched in this—and it is as you see. Similar to this is what is said: the "Duha" are the males of his family (peace and blessings be upon him) and [the night] refers to the females. The Imam said: It is possible to say that "Duha" is his mission (peace be upon him) and "the Night" is the time when revelation was withheld, because during the descent there was comfort, and during the withholding there was estrangement. Or, "Duha" is the light of His knowledge (Exalted be He) by which hidden mysteries are known, and "the Night" is His pardon (Exalted be He) by which He conceals all faults. Or, "Duha" is the advancement of Islam after it had been a stranger, and "the Night" is an indication that it will return to being a stranger. Or, "Duha" is the perfection of the intellect, and "the Night" is the state of death. Or, "Duha" is his public life (peace and blessings be upon him) upon which the creation sees no fault, and "the Night" is his secret (peace and blessings be upon him) upon which the Knower of the Unseen finds no fault. End quote. It is hidden that this is not interpretation in any sense, and the door of allegorical interpretation and allusion admits more than this.

The precedence of "Duha" over "the Night" is based on what we said first: the honor of the former because of the appearance of increasing light within it. Light has an inherent honor over darkness because it is existential, or because of its many benefits, or because of its suitability to the world of angels, for they are luminous. The precedence of the night in the previous Surah [al-Layl] is because of the darkness within it, which, due to its non-existence, is the root of the light that emerges alongside it due to emergent causes. It is said that its precedence there is because the Surah is about Abu Bakr, and disbelief preceded him; the precedence of "Duha" here is because the Surah is about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and that did not precede him.

His specialization (Exalted be He) of the two times with oaths is said to be to point, by their states, to the state of what befell him (peace be upon him). He (Mighty and Majestic) confirms the negation of what was imagined regarding him; as if He (Exalted be He) is saying: "Time is hour by hour; an hour of night and an hour of day. Then, sometimes the hours of the night increase and the hours of the day decrease, and other times it is the reverse. Thus, the increase is not due to desire, nor is the decrease due to hatred; rather, everything is for a wisdom." Likewise, the matter of revelation: sometimes it is sent down and other times it is withheld; so the descent was not due to desire, nor was the withholding due to hatred, but everything is for a wisdom.

It is also said: To console His beloved (peace be upon him) with their state, as if He (Exalted be He) were saying: "Look at these two neighbors, neither is safe from the other; rather, the night overcomes at times and the day at others. So how can you expect to be safe from the creation?" Both views are based on the meaning of "Duha" being the entire day and "the Night" being the entire night. The specification of "Duha," according to what you heard first, is for what you heard, and the specification of the night is based on the meaning being the time of intense darkness—it is said because it is the time of the lover’s seclusion with the beloved, and security from every slanderer and watcher.

Al-Tayyibi (may Allah have mercy on his soul) said regarding this: He (Exalted be He) swore to him (peace and blessings be upon him) by two times in which his prayer (peace be upon him) took place, which was made the coolness of his eyes and the cause of his increased proximity and intimacy. As for "Duha," it is because of what al-Daraqutni narrated in al-Mujtaba from Ibn Abbas, raised to the Prophet: "It was prescribed for the sacrifice, and it was not prescribed for you, and I was commanded to pray the Duha, and you were not commanded to do so." As for "the Night," it is due to His saying (Exalted be He): “And from the night, perform tahajjud with it, as an additional [prayer] for you,” to enrage his enemies and falsify their claim of his hatred and estrangement. It is as if it were said: "By the right of your proximity to Us and your status near Us, We have chosen you and have not abandoned you nor hated you." It is like his saying: And your front teeth are like... [a metaphor of beauty and proximity].

This is something that people of taste find delightful. It is possible that the oath by the night, according to what is narrated from Qatadah, is from the category of "your front teeth" [i.e., a source of beauty and honor] as well, and likewise the oath by both of them according to some of the aforementioned perspectives, as is not hidden. On the basis that "Duha" means the well-known time of the day and "the Night" means the entirety of it, it is said that the differentiation is to point out that one hour of the day is equivalent to the entire night, just as the Prophet (peace be upon him) is equivalent to all the prophets (peace be upon them). It also points to the fact that since the day is a time of joy and the night a time of loneliness and grief, the sorrows and griefs of the world are more lasting than its joys. It has been narrated that when Allah (Exalted be He) created the Throne, a cloud shaded its left side; it called out: "What shall I rain down?" It was commanded to rain down sorrows and griefs, so it rained for a hundred years, then cleared. It was commanded once more to do so, and so on until three hundred years were complete. Then a white cloud shaded the right of the Throne; it called out: "What shall I rain down?" It was commanded to rain down joy for an hour. Therefore, you see that sorrows and griefs are more lasting than joys in this world. And Allah (Exalted be He) knows best the authenticity of the report. Others have said otherwise.