The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary
Seyyed Hossein Nasr (Ed.)
A landmark scholarly edition with verse-by-verse commentary drawn from classical sources — the most comprehensive single-volume study Quran in English.
اللَّيۡلِ
The Night
Two paths: generous God-consciousness versus greed.
Al-Layl, “The Night,” contrasts the one who gives and is mindful of Allah, for whom the path is eased, with the one who is miserly and self-satisfied.
Listen to Surah Al-Lail
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
Wallaili izaa yaghshaa
By the night when it covers
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ
Wannahaari izaa tajalla
And [by] the day when it appears
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ
Wa maa khalaqaz zakara wal unthaa
And [by] He who created the male and female,
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ
Inna sa'yakum lashattaa
Indeed, your efforts are diverse.
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ
Fa ammaa man a'taa wattaqaa
As for he who gives and fears Allah
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa saddaqa bil husnaa
And believes in the best [reward],
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
Fasanu yassiruhoo lilyusraa
We will ease him toward ease.
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ
Wa ammaa mam bakhila wastaghnaa
But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need
وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa kazzaba bil husnaa
And denies the best [reward],
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ
Fasanu yassiruhoo lil'usraa
We will ease him toward difficulty.
وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ
Wa maa yughnee 'anhu maaluhooo izaa taraddaa
And what will his wealth avail him when he falls?
إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ
Inna 'alainaa lal hudaa
Indeed, [incumbent] upon Us is guidance.
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْءَاخِرَةَ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ
Wa inna lanaa lal Aakhirata wal oolaa
And indeed, to Us belongs the Hereafter and the first [life].
فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًۭا تَلَظَّىٰ
Fa anzartukum naaran talazzaa
So I have warned you of a Fire which is blazing.
لَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَى
Laa yaslaahaaa illal ashqaa
None will [enter to] burn therein except the most wretched one.
ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
Allazee kazzaba wa tawallaa
Who had denied and turned away.
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَتْقَى
Wa sa yujannnabuhal atqaa
But the righteous one will avoid it -
ٱلَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ
Allazee yu'tee maalahoo yatazakkaa
[He] who gives [from] his wealth to purify himself
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
إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
Illab tighaaa'a wajhi rabbihil a 'laa
But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, Most High.
وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
Wa lasawfa yardaa
And he is going to be satisfied.
“Al-Lail” translates to “The Night.” It is the 92nd surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran.
Surah Al-Lail has 21 verses (ayahs).
It is a Makkah (Meccan) surah — revealed before the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) to Madinah.
Yes. You can read Surah Al-Lail free on this page in Arabic with a clear English translation and transliteration, so you can both understand the meaning and learn to recite it.
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