Surah 92. Al-Layl

---

Verses [Section]: 1-21[1]

---

Quran Text of Verse 1-2192. Al-Laylبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِوَ الَّیْلِBy the nightاِذَاwhenیَغْشٰیۙit covers وَ النَّهَارِAnd the dayاِذَاwhenتَجَلّٰیۙit shines in brightness وَ مَاAnd He Whoخَلَقَcreatedالذَّكَرَthe maleوَ الْاُنْثٰۤیۙand the female اِنَّIndeedسَعْیَكُمْyour effortsلَشَتّٰیؕ(are) surely diverse فَاَمَّاThen as forمَنْ(him) whoاَعْطٰیgivesوَ اتَّقٰیۙand fears وَ صَدَّقَAnd believesبِالْحُسْنٰیۙin the best فَسَنُیَسِّرُهٗThen We will ease himلِلْیُسْرٰیؕtowards [the] ease وَ اَمَّاBut as forمَنْۢ(him) whoبَخِلَwithholdsوَ اسْتَغْنٰیۙand considers himself free from need وَ كَذَّبَAnd deniesبِالْحُسْنٰیۙthe best فَسَنُیَسِّرُهٗThen We will ease himلِلْعُسْرٰیؕtowards [the] difficulty وَ مَاAnd notیُغْنِیْwill availعَنْهُhimمَالُهٗۤhis wealthاِذَاwhenتَرَدّٰیؕhe falls اِنَّIndeedعَلَیْنَاupon Usلَلْهُدٰیؗۖ(is) the guidance وَ اِنَّAnd indeedلَنَاfor Usلَلْاٰخِرَةَ(is) the Hereafterوَ الْاُوْلٰی and the first (life) فَاَنْذَرْتُكُمْSo I warn youنَارًا(of) a Fireتَلَظّٰیۚblazing 92. Al-Layl Page 596لَاNotیَصْلٰىهَاۤwill burn (in) itاِلَّاexceptالْاَشْقَیۙthe most wretched الَّذِیْThe one whoكَذَّبَdeniedوَ تَوَلّٰیؕand turned away وَ سَیُجَنَّبُهَاBut will be removed from itالْاَتْقَیۙthe righteous الَّذِیْThe one whoیُؤْتِیْgivesمَالَهٗhis wealthیَتَزَكّٰیۚpurifying himself وَ مَاAnd notلِاَحَدٍfor anyoneعِنْدَهٗwith himمِنْanyنِّعْمَةٍfavorتُجْزٰۤیۙto be recompensed اِلَّاExceptابْتِغَآءَseekingوَجْهِ(the) Countenanceرَبِّهِ(of) his Lordالْاَعْلٰیۚthe Most High وَ لَسَوْفَAnd soon surelyیَرْضٰی۠he will be pleased

---

Translation of Verse 1-21In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(92:1) By the night when it enshrouds,

(92:2) and by the day when it breaks in its glory,

(92:3) and by Him Who created the male and the female:

(92:4) surely your strivings are divergent.¹

(92:5) As for him who gave out his wealth (for Allah's sake) and abstained (from disobeying Him),

(92:6) and affirmed the Truth of goodness:²

(92:7) We shall facilitate for him the Way to Bliss.³

(92:8) As for him who was a miser and behaved with aversion (to Allah),

(92:9) and denied the Truth of goodness:⁴

(92:10) We shall facilitate for him the way to Hardship,⁵

(92:11) and his wealth shall be of no avail to him when he perishes.⁶

(92:12) Surely it is for Us to show the Right Way,⁷

(92:13) and to Us belong the Next Life and the present.⁸

(92:14) I have now warned you of a Blazing Fire,

(92:15) where none shall burn except the most wicked,

(92:16) who rejected the Truth, calling it falsehood and turned his back on it.

(92:17) But the God-fearing shall be kept away from it,

(92:18) the Godfearing who spends his wealth to purify himself;⁹

(92:19) not as payment for any favours that he received,

(92:20) but only to seek the good pleasure of his Lord Most High.¹⁰

(92:21) He will surely be well-pleased (with him).¹¹

---

Commentary

1. This truth is highlighted with reference to the oaths taken in the name of day and night and male and female. As day and night and male and female represent opposites, man’s strivings in different ways will lead to divergent results. There are, in the main, two ways of life open to man.

2. The reference is to one type of human striving, which is the quintessence of all goodness. The outstanding features of this type are: (i) Man should not have love of wealth. Rather, he should generously spend what Allah has given him in His way, in discharging his obligations to Allah and to his fellow human beings and in helping other creatures. (ii) His heart should overflow with fear of Allah. In his morals, actions, social relations, economic pursuits. In sum, in all of his activities, he should avoid what might displease Allah. (iii) He should affirm the truth of goodness. This is a broad term encompassing articles of faith, morals and actions. As to the articles of faith, one’s affirmation of the truth consists in abandoning polytheism and atheism, and in professing belief in monotheism, the Hereafter and Messenger ship. In so far as the domains of morals and actions are concerned, one should not do good unconsciously and without following a moral code. Rather, one should accept the divine code of goodness, which covers all forms of good deeds in an elaborate system known as Shari‘ah, as prescribed by Allah.

3. This represents the fruit of man’s striving. The natural way corresponding to human nature is the easy way, leading to bliss. It is in accordance with Allah’s will that accounts for the creation of both man and the whole universe. While following this way one does not have to act against one’s conscience. Nor does one have to abuse one’s mental and physical faculties and abilities, as a result, man does not have to face the crisis with which a sinner is constantly confronted. At every step he enjoys peace and tranquility. One who spends his money on public welfare, # acts kindly towards everyone, is forthright and transparent in his transactions and is free from sin, error and immorality wins’ public confidence and respect. For, he does not cheat, does not break his promise and does not oppress anyone. Such a righteous person is held in high esteem even in a morally degenerate society. He enjoys peace of heart and mind. The same point is made in the Qur’an at other places thus:

Whoever acts righteously whether a man or a woman and embraces belief, We will surely grant him a good life (al-Nahl 16:97).

Indeed, the Most Compassionate Lord will soon create enduring love for those who believe and do righteous works. (Maryam 19: 96).

Those following this blissful way are assured of happiness in both worlds. It will give them eternal reward. The Qur’an says that Allah shall facilitate the way to bliss. What is meant is that if one consciously chooses the right way, abandoning the evil one, and sacrifices one’s wealth and base desires, it will demonstrate one’s genuine commitment to the truth. Once this attitude is there, Allah facilitates the way to bliss for this person. He will then find it hard to indulge in any sin and will be naturally inclined towards doing good. He will avoid taking any unlawful gain, treating it as hazardous as fire. Likewise, he will flee from any act of immorality, taking it as a pitfall of Hell. He will not rest content until he offers Prayers. Nor will he be hurt in any way on paying zakah. Rather, he will consider his wealth as impure until he pays zakah on it. In other words, he will be guided at every step by divine teachings. This is how Allah will facilitate for him the way to bliss.

One may well ask why it is that in Surah al-Balad this is termed as a difficult steep while it is described in this Surah as an easy way. The answer is that initially one encounters difficulties and obstacles in following the right way. For one has to fight against one’s own base desires, one’s worldly-minded kith and kin and friends and, above all, Satan. Satan obstructs man at every step in the initial stage, and tries to overwhelm him. Once one resolves to pursue the way to bliss and demonstrates one’s commitment by spending in Allah’s way and by practicing piety, it becomes easier to scale the difficult steep. Such a person shudders at the thought of descending into the abyss of immorality.

4. This is the description of the second type of striving by men. ~ Such a person is not an ordinary miser who refuses to spend money on himself or his family. Rather, the reference is to his avoidance of giving any money in Allah’s way and in any charitable cause. gg Such a person is also a miser who squanders money on his personal needs, on his comforts, entertainments and luxuries yet he does not part with a penny for a noble cause. Even when he gives money for a public cause, he does so only for earning name and fame or for building contacts with the ruling elite. His aversion to Allah consists in disregarding altogether Allah’s pleasure. His rejection of truth stands for his denial of the truth of goodness. This point has already been explained above.

5. Itis called the way to hardship in the sense that one is driven by only worldly interests ih following it and all along one battles with one’s own nature, his conscience, divine laws and society. As such a person transgresses the moral bounds of truthfulness, & honesty, nobility, chastity and integrity in order to gratify his base self, he harms his fellow human beings. When he usurps others’ due, he incurs disgrace and reproach. He has to fight constantly for his gains. If he is weak, he suffers all the more. Even if he is wealthy and influential, he does not earn anyone’s respect or good wishes. His close associates too, regard him as a wicked person. This is true not only of individuals, it is applicable to powerful nations of the world as well. When they act arrogantly, they are hated not only by their victims but their own society suffers from crimes, suicide, venereal disease, the breakdown of family life, juvenile delinquency, class war and even civil war. Ultimately, they fall from grace and are reproached by everyone.

That Allah facilitates for the evil ones the way to hardship means that they are denied any opportunity to do good. Rather, they are prompted to do only evil, as ways and means for the same are provided to them. They regard doing good as an arduous task while indulging in sins poses no difficulty for them. The Qur’an throws more light on this issue thus:

So whoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast for Islam, and whoever He wills to let go astray, He causes his breast to become strait and constricted, as if he were climbing towards the sky. (al-An‘im 6: 125)

Truly Prayer is burdensome for all, except the devout. (al-Bagarah 2: 45).

Whenever [the hypocrites] come to Prayer, they do so lazily, " and whenever they spend, they do so grudgingly. (al-Tawbah 9: 54)

And among the Bedouin Arabs there are such as regard whatever they spend in the way of Allah as a fine. (al-Tawbah 9: 98)

6. In other words, he has to die one day, leaving behind all that he has amassed for his comfort. If he does not make any preparation for the Hereafter, his wealth shall be of no avail. He cannot of course take his money, palaces, or any belongings to his grave.

7. Since Allah is man’s Creator, out of His wisdom, justice and mercy He has arranged for man’s guidance in the world, showing him both the right and wrong paths. He has clearly spelled out for man the lawful and the unlawful. Guidance is provided to him as to what will win Allah’s pleasure and what constitutes disobeying Allah. This is reinforced further by this verse: “It rests with Allah alone to show you the right way even when there are many crooked ways,” (al-Nahl 16: 9). (For a detailed discussion see: Towards Understanding the Qur'an, Vol. IV, al-Nahl 16: n. 9, pp.314-315.)

8. This is open to several meanings, all of which are equally plausible: (i) Man cannot escape Allah’s grip in this world or in the Hereafter, for He is the Lord of both worlds. (ii) Allah’s power extends over both worlds, regardless of whether man follows the straightway or not. If man chooses the path of error, it does not harm Allah in the least. So doing, man courts his own disaster. Likewise, his following the right way does not benefit Allah in any way; it is in man’s own interest. Man’s obedience or disobedience does not have any bearing on His dominion. (iii) Allah being the Lord of both worlds may give man his share of this world or of the Hereafter. Other relevant Qur’anic verses are:

He who desires his reward in this world, We shall grant him the reward of this world; and he who desires the reward of the Other World, We shall grant him the reward of the Other World. ‘(Al ‘Imran 3: 145)

Whoever seeks the harvest of the Hereafter, We shall increase for him his harvest, and whoever seeks the harvest of this world, We shall give him thereof; but he will have no share in the Hereafter. (al-Shura 42: 20)

(For further details see: Towards Understanding the Qur’an, Vol. I Al ‘Imran 3: n. 105, p. 290 and al-Shura 42: n. 37.)

9. This does not mean that only the most wicked will be hurled into Hellfire or that no one other than the most pious will escape it.

The objective here is to portray two opposite characters and their divergent ends. At one end of the scale is the person who rejects Allah and the teachings of His Messengers; he refuses to obey» Allah. At the other is he who embraces faith, spends his money in Allah’s way without any hypocrisy and for the sake of gaining only His pleasure. Both these types of characters were evident in Makkah. Without specifying their names, the Qur’an declares that the former will be in the blazing fire while the latter will be saved from it.

10. The utmost sincerity of the righteous person consists in his spending his money on those who have not done him any favor. Nor does he help them with an eye on securing some favor from them in future. Rather, he only helps them for the sake of winning Allah’s pleasure. The role model on this count was set by Abu Bakr Siddiq. He used to buy the believing slaves persecuted by the Makkan unbelievers, which helped them escape torture. Ibn Jarir and Ibn ‘Asakir report on the authority of ‘Amir ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Zubayr that on observing this, Abu Bakr’s father told him: “I see you freeing these poor male and female slaves. Had you spent the same amount on freeing the strong ones, they would have assisted you later.” Upon hearing this Abu Bakr told him: “O father, I seek only Allah’s reward for this.”

11. This verse admits both of the following meanings: (i) Allah will certainly be pleased with him. (ii) Soon Allah will give him so much that will please him.