الليل
Surah Al-Layl (الليل) - Transliteration, Translation and Audio
Chapter 92 of the Quran, 21 verses, "The Night"
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Surah Al-Layl Transliteration and English Translation
- 1
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
Wallaili izaa yaghshaa
By the night when it covers
- 2
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ
Wannahaari izaa tajalla
And [by] the day when it appears
- 3
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ
Wa maa khalaqaz zakara wal unthaa
And [by] He who created the male and female,
- 4
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ
Inna sa'yakum lashattaa
Indeed, your efforts are diverse.
- 5
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ
Fa ammaa man a'taa wattaqaa
As for he who gives and fears Allah
- 6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa saddaqa bil husnaa
And believes in the best [reward],
- 7
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
Fasanu yassiruhoo lilyusraa
We will ease him toward ease.
- 8
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ
Wa ammaa mam bakhila wastaghnaa
But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need
- 9
وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa kazzaba bil husnaa
And denies the best [reward],
- 10
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ
Fasanu yassiruhoo lil'usraa
We will ease him toward difficulty.
- 11
وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ
Wa maa yughnee 'anhu maaluhooo izaa taraddaa
And what will his wealth avail him when he falls?
- 12
إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ
Inna 'alainaa lal hudaa
Indeed, [incumbent] upon Us is guidance.
- 13
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْءَاخِرَةَ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ
Wa inna lanaa lal Aakhirata wal oolaa
And indeed, to Us belongs the Hereafter and the first [life].
- 14
فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًۭا تَلَظَّىٰ
Fa anzartukum naaran talazzaa
So I have warned you of a Fire which is blazing.
- 15
لَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَى
Laa yaslaahaaa illal ashqaa
None will [enter to] burn therein except the most wretched one.
- 16
ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
Allazee kazzaba wa tawallaa
Who had denied and turned away.
- 17
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَتْقَى
Wa sa yujannnabuhal atqaa
But the righteous one will avoid it -
- 18
ٱلَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ
Allazee yu'tee maalahoo yatazakkaa
[He] who gives [from] his wealth to purify himself
- 19
وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعْمَةٍۢ تُجْزَىٰٓ
Wa maa li ahadin 'indahoo min ni'matin tujzaaa
And not [giving] for anyone who has [done him] a favor to be rewarded
- 20
إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
Illab tighaaa'a wajhi rabbihil a 'laa
But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, Most High.
- 21
وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
Wa lasawfa yardaa
And he is going to be satisfied.
About Surah Al-Layl
Surah Al-Layl (Arabic: الليل), meaning "The Night", is the 92nd chapter of the Quran and has 21 verses. It was revealed in Makkah in the early years of the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It contrasts two kinds of striving: giving for Allah's sake leads to ease, while greed and denial lead to hardship.
Allah swears by the night when it covers, by the day when it shines, and by the One who created male and female, that human striving takes very different directions. Whoever gives, is mindful of Allah and affirms the best reward, Allah will ease toward ease. Whoever withholds, thinks himself without need and denies the best reward, Allah will ease toward hardship, and his wealth will not help him when he falls. The surah warns of a blazing Fire that only the most wretched will enter, and describes the one who will be kept far from it: the one who gives his wealth to purify himself, not to repay a favor, seeking only the face of his Lord, the Most High, and who will surely be pleased. Many commentators connect these closing verses with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who spent his wealth freeing believers enslaved for their faith, such as Bilal.
Main Themes of Surah Al-Layl
- People's efforts in life take different directions
- Giving and mindfulness of Allah lead to ease
- Greed and false self-sufficiency lead to hardship
- Giving sincerely, seeking only the face of Allah
- Wealth cannot save a person when he falls
Listen to Surah Al-Layl with Audio-Synced Transliteration
Play Surah Al-Layl and follow the Arabic text and Latin transliteration as each verse is recited. You can adjust the speed or loop a verse range for practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Surah Al-Layl
- How does Allah "ease him toward ease" in Surah Al-Layl?
- Verses 5 to 7 promise that the one who gives, is mindful of Allah and affirms the best reward will have the path of good made easy for him. Verses 8 to 10 give the mirror image: for the stingy denier, the path toward hardship becomes easy, which is a warning rather than a blessing.
- Who is Surah Al-Layl about?
- Its message is general and applies to everyone who gives or withholds. Many commentators, however, connect verses 17 to 21 with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who freed believers such as Bilal who were being tortured for their faith, seeking nothing in return but the pleasure of Allah.
- What kind of charity does Surah Al-Layl praise?
- The final verses praise giving that purifies the giver and is not repayment for a favor received, done only to seek the face of Allah, the Most High. Such a person, the surah says, will surely be satisfied.