Al-Lail

Verse 1

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ

Allāh, far exalted is He above any imperfection, swore by the night, when its darkness covers the Earth and whatever is on it;

Verse 2

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ

and by the day, when it becomes clear of night’s darkness with its light;

Verse 3

وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَىٰ

and by the creation of the two in a pair–the male and female.

Verse 4

إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ

Indeed, your deeds are certainly disparate, those working for the present life of this world versus those working for the Hereafter.

Verse 5

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ

As for one who gladly spends of his wealth, acting upon fear of Allāh while [doing] so…

Verse 6

وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ

…believing in Lā ilāha illā Allāh [No one deserves to be worshipped but Allāh] and all that it entails…

Verse 7

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

…We will guide him and set him upon the means to goodness and righteousness [that please Us] and make his affairs easy for him.

Verse 8

وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ

As to one who stingily keep his wealth to himself, not spending of it, considers himself not in need of reward from his Lord…

Verse 9

وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ

…and disbelieves in Lā ilāha illā Allāh, all that it entails, and everything that comes with it of reward….

Verse 10

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ

…We will make the means to misery easy for him…

Verse 11

وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰ

…and the wealth he kept stingily to himself will not benefit him when he falls into the Fire.

Verse 12

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ

Indeed, it is upon Us, through Our grace and wisdom, to make the path of guidance that leads to Allāh and His Paradise clear and distinct from the path of misguidance.

Verse 13

وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْآخِرَةَ وَالْأُولَىٰ

And indeed, to Us belong the complete possession and control over life in the Hereafter and the present life in this world.

Verse 14

فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰ

And I have warned you, O Mankind, and given you cause to be in fear, of a Fire that blazes–the Fire of Jahannam.

Verse 15

لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى

No one will enter it but the most wretched…

Verse 16

الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ

…he who disbelieved in the Prophet of Allāh, Muḥammad ﷺ, and turned away from faith in Allāh and His Messenger and obedience to them both.

Verse 17

وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى

And the greatest in piety will be kept far away from it…

Verse 18

الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ

…he who gladly spends his wealth seeking more of goodness;

Verse 19

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ

that spending of his is not to repay those who have done him good;

Verse 20

إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ

rather, he is seeking thereby the Face of his Lord, the All-High, and His pleasure.

Verse 21

وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ

And Allāh will certainly give him in Paradise that with which he will be pleased.

Source:

Al-Tafsīr Al-Muyassar. King Fahd Qurʾān Printing Complex. Madīnah: 1434 H.