Surah Al-Layl, The Night

Surah 92 · 21 verses · revealed at Mecca

Al-Layl swears by the night when it covers over, by the day when it appears, and by the creating of the male and the female, and then says that your efforts are indeed diverse.

What follows is two paths described in parallel. As for the one who gives and is conscious of God and believes in goodness, the way will be made easy for him. And as for the one who is miserly and thinks himself beyond need and denies goodness, the way to hardship will be made easy for him. The two are given in the same words with the terms reversed, and the effect in Arabic is of a balance tipping.

Then the surah asks what a person's wealth will do for him when he falls, and says that guidance is God's to give, and that to Him belong the last and the first.

Its closing verses describe the one who will be kept far from the Fire — the one who gives his wealth to purify himself, who is not repaying anybody's favour, but seeks only the face of his Lord, the Most High. Early reports connect the description with a Companion who had been buying and freeing slaves who were being tortured in Mecca.

The surah is short, plainly worded, and almost entirely about money.

Surah Al-Layl on this site

Every link below has been opened and checked to make sure there is something on the other side.

Read

Listen

Download as PDF

← Ash-Shams Ad-Duha →