Surah Al-Layl
الليل
Surah Al-Layl is a 21-verse Meccan surah that contrasts the person who gives and the person who hoards, and says Allah eases each of them toward the path they choose.
- Meaning
- The Night
- Surah
- 92 of 114
- Verses
- 21
- Revealed in
- Mecca
- Found in
- Juz 30
What Surah Al-Layl is about
Surah Al-Layl, "The Night", opens with oaths by the night as it covers, the day as it shines, and the One who created male and female (verses 1 to 3). Verse 4 states the point of these contrasts: people's efforts go in very different directions.
Verses 5 to 10 describe two kinds of people. The one who gives, is mindful of Allah and affirms what is good will be eased toward ease. The one who is stingy, thinks himself self-sufficient and denies what is good will be eased toward hardship. Verse 11 adds that his wealth will not help him when he falls.
Verses 12 and 13 state that guidance belongs to Allah, as do the Hereafter and this life. Verses 14 to 16 warn of a blazing fire reserved for the most wretched, who deny and turn away. Verses 17 to 21 describe the one who will be kept far from it: the devout person who gives his wealth to purify himself, not to repay a favor anyone did for him, seeking only the face of his Lord, the Most High. The surah ends with the promise that he will be satisfied.
Many commentators connect verses 17 to 21 with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who spent his wealth freeing enslaved believers in Mecca.
Main themes
Different efforts, different ends
The opening pairs of night and day, male and female, lead to verse 4: human striving is diverse. The rest of the surah shows where those different efforts lead.
Verses 1–4Eased toward what you choose
Verses 5 to 10 describe giving and withholding as paths that Allah makes easier for whoever chooses them. Generosity grows easier with practice, and so does stinginess.
Verses 5–11Giving with no strings attached
The closing verses describe the best kind of giving: done to purify oneself, not to repay a favor, seeking only Allah's pleasure. Its reward is contentment.
Verses 17–21
Verses to know
فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أَعۡطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ ﴿٥﴾ وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ﴿٦﴾ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ ﴿٧﴾
5As for him who gives and is righteous. 6And confirms goodness. 7We will ease his way towards ease.
A short description of the generous believer and the promise that their way will be eased toward ease. It is often read alongside the theme of ease in Surah Ash-Sharh.
وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعۡمَةٖ تُجۡزَىٰٓ ﴿١٩﴾ إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ ﴿٢٠﴾ وَلَسَوۡفَ يَرۡضَىٰ ﴿٢١﴾
19Seeking no favor in return. 20Only seeking the acceptance of his Lord, the Most High. 21And he will be satisfied.
Describes charity given with no expectation of anything in return, only seeking Allah. The final verse, a promise of satisfaction, closely resembles the wording of 93:5.
When Surah Al-Layl is recited
Al-Layl is one of the surahs the Prophet ﷺ suggested to Mu'adh ibn Jabal for the Isha prayer, according to Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, so it is a common choice in congregational night prayers.
Surah Al-Layl in Arabic and English
All 21 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
- 1
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰ
Waallayli itha yaghsha
By the night as it covers.
- 2
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ
Waalnnahari itha tajalla
And the day as it reveals.
- 3
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰٓ
Wama khalaqa alththakara waalontha
And He who created the male and the female.
- 4
إِنَّ سَعۡيَكُمۡ لَشَتَّىٰ
Inna saAAyakum lashatta
Your endeavors are indeed diverse.
- 5
فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أَعۡطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ
Faamma man aAAta waittaqa
As for him who gives and is righteous.
- 6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ
Wasaddaqa bialhusna
And confirms goodness.
- 7
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ
Fasanuyassiruhu lilyusra
We will ease his way towards ease.
- 8
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ
Waamma man bakhila waistaghna
But as for him who is stingy and complacent.
- 9
وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ
Wakaththaba bialhusna
And denies goodness.
- 10
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡعُسۡرَىٰ
Fasanuyassiruhu lilAAusra
We will ease his way towards difficulty.
- 11
وَمَا يُغۡنِي عَنۡهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ
Wama yughnee AAanhu maluhu itha taradda
And his money will not avail him when he plummets.
- 12
إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا لَلۡهُدَىٰ
Inna AAalayna lalhuda
It is upon Us to guide.
- 13
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ
Wainna lana lalakhirata waaloola
And to Us belong the Last and the First.
- 14
فَأَنذَرۡتُكُمۡ نَارٗا تَلَظَّىٰ
Faanthartukum naran talaththa
I have warned you of a Fierce Blaze.
- 15
لَا يَصۡلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلۡأَشۡقَى
La yaslaha illa alashqa
None will burn in it except the very wicked.
- 16
ٱلَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
Allathee kaththaba watawalla
He who denies and turns away.
- 17
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلۡأَتۡقَى
Wasayujannabuha alatqa
But the devout will avoid it.
- 18
ٱلَّذِي يُؤۡتِي مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ
Allathee yutee malahu yatazakka
He who gives his money to become pure.
- 19
وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعۡمَةٖ تُجۡزَىٰٓ
Wama liahadin AAindahu min niAAmatin tujza
Seeking no favor in return.
- 20
إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ
Illa ibtighaa wajhi rabbihi alaAAla
Only seeking the acceptance of his Lord, the Most High.
- 21
وَلَسَوۡفَ يَرۡضَىٰ
Walasawfa yarda
And he will be satisfied.
Surah Al-Layl PDF
The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.
Questions about Surah Al-Layl
Who is Surah Al-Layl about?
It describes two types of people, the generous and the stingy, rather than naming anyone. Many commentators say verses 17 to 21 refer especially to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who spent his wealth freeing enslaved Muslims such as Bilal.
How many verses are in Surah Al-Layl?
Surah Al-Layl has 21 verses. It is the 92nd surah and a Meccan surah.
What does Allah easing someone toward ease mean in Surah Al-Layl?
Verse 7 promises that the person who gives and is mindful of Allah will find the path of good made easy for them. Verse 10 says the opposite path also becomes easier for the one who chooses it.