الليل
Surah Al-Layl
The Night · Surah 92 · Meccan · 21 verses
1وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَىٰ ١By the night enshrouding.InsightElmalılı says the oaths of this surah summarise those of the previous one but in reverse order: there the path went from light to darkness, here from darkness to light.2وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ ٢And the day resplendent.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, there is a hint here of the day’s own appearing and of the rise of Islam.3وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰٓ ٣And Him Who hath created male and female.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this points to creation spreading from unity to multiplicity and to the soul, proportioned in the previous surah, diversifying into male and female. The address covers both.4إِنَّ سَعۡيَكُمۡ لَشَتَّىٰ ٤Lo! your effort is dispersed (toward divers ends).InsightElmalılı explains this two ways: your efforts are scattered and disorderly, though success depends on unity and cooperation; or your efforts differ: some work for good, some for bad.5فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أَعۡطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ ٥As for him who giveth and is dutiful (toward Allah).InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is one who gives the due of his wealth and takes the steep path described in the previous surah, such as freeing slaves and feeding the helpless in hard days.6وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ٦And believeth in goodness.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is believing there truly is beauty and a best of all beauties, telling good from bad, and believing that beauty grows the more good one does.7فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡيُسۡرَىٰ ٧Surely We will ease his way unto the state of ease.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is the path of good that leads to comfort and happiness, like entering Paradise with an easy reckoning. Allah grants him ease.8وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ ٨But as for him who hoardeth and deemeth himself independent.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is one who clutches his wealth, avoids giving, and thinks he has reached wealth and needs nothing for the future.9وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ ٩And disbelieveth in goodness.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is not believing in anything better, denying that those who do good will have a better end, and looking at the future in despair, saying “doing good and being mindful are useless”.10فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡعُسۡرَىٰ ١٠Surely We will ease his way unto adversity.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, this is the path to the hardest and heaviest end; he will not overcome that hardship, and it will overwhelm him.11وَمَا يُغۡنِي عَنۡهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ ١١His riches will not save him when he perisheth.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the wealth he could not bring himself to give and wanted to grow rich with will not save him from tumbling into the grave and ruin; rather it will cause his punishment.12إِنَّ عَلَيۡنَا لَلۡهُدَىٰ ١٢Lo! Ours it is (to give) the guidance.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, showing the path to success, sending messengers, revealing books, and placing signs both in the world and within man belong to Allah.13وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلۡأٓخِرَةَ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ ١٣And lo! unto Us belong the latter portion and the former.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the beginning and the end belong to Allah; there is no other owner to oppose or interfere. In neither world is there any authority besides Him.14فَأَنذَرۡتُكُمۡ نَارࣰا تَلَظَّىٰ ١٤Therefor have I warned you of the flaming Fire.InsightElmalılı explains “talazza” as a fire that flares and flares again, raging more and more.15لَا يَصۡلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلۡأَشۡقَى ١٥Which only the most wretched must endure.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, “the most wretched” means the disbeliever; the next verse explains him as one who denies and turns away.16ٱلَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ١٦He who denieth and turneth away.InsightElmalılı draws a fine line: the disbeliever who both denies and turns away is the most wretched; the sinner who turns away without denying is wretched, but not the most wretched.17وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلۡأَتۡقَى ١٧Far removed from it will be the righteous.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, the most mindful, who guards against both disbelief and sin, will be kept far from that fire; he will never enter it, but pass over it easily to Paradise.18ٱلَّذِي يُؤۡتِي مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ ١٨Who giveth his wealth that he may grow (in goodness).InsightAccording to Elmalılı, he gives his wealth to be purified and blessed with Allah; the more he gives, the purer he becomes and the nearer to success.19وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعۡمَةࣲ تُجۡزَىٰٓ ١٩And none hath with him any favour for reward.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, he does not give because he owes anyone or feels indebted, nor does he expect anything in return for what he gives.20إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ ٢٠Except as seeking (to fulfil) the purpose of his Lord Most High.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, his whole aim is to seek the pleasure of his Lord Most High. The next verse answers whether he will find it.21وَلَسَوۡفَ يَرۡضَىٰ ٢١He verily will be content.InsightAccording to Elmalılı, most commentators understood this as the mindful one being pleased with his Lord: when the pleasure of his Lord he sought reaches him, he too will be content.