Al-Layl — English Translation

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ ﴿1﴾

CONSIDER the night as it veils [the earth] in darkness,

وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ ﴿2﴾

and the day as it rises bright!

وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ ﴿3﴾

Consider the creation of the male and the female!

إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ ﴿4﴾

Verily, [O men,] you aim at most divergent ends!

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ ﴿5﴾

Thus, as for him who gives [to others] and is conscious of God,

وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ﴿6﴾

and believes in the truth of the ultimate good

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ ﴿7﴾

for him shall We make easy the path towards [ultimate] ease.

وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ ﴿8﴾

But as for him who is niggardly, and thinks that he is self-sufficient,

وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ﴿9﴾

and calls the ultimate good a lie –

فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ ﴿10﴾

for him shall We make easy the path towards hardship:

وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ ﴿11﴾

and what will his wealth avail him when he goes down [to his grave]?

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ ﴿12﴾

BEHOLD, it is indeed for Us to grace [you] with guidance;

وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْءَاخِرَةَ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ ﴿13﴾

and, behold, Ours is [the dominion over] the life to come as well as [over] this earlier part [of your life]:

فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًۭا تَلَظَّىٰ ﴿14﴾

and so I warn you of the raging fire -

لَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَى ﴿15﴾

[the fire] which none shall have to endure but that most hapless wretch

ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ﴿16﴾

who gives the lie to the truth and turns away [from it].

وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَتْقَى ﴿17﴾

For, distant from it shall remain he who is truly conscious of God:

ٱلَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ ﴿18﴾

he that spends his possessions [on others] so that he might grow in purity –

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعْمَةٍۢ تُجْزَىٰٓ ﴿19﴾

not as payment for favours received,

إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ ﴿20﴾

but only out of a longing for the countenance of his Sustainer, the All-Highest:

وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ ﴿21﴾

and such, indeed, shall in time be well-pleased.