092
Muhammad Asad
AL-LAYL (THE NIGHT)
THE NINETY-SECOND
SURAH
Total Verses: 21
Introduction
UNANIMOUSLY regarded
as one of the very early revelations - most probably the ninth in the chronological
order - the surah derives its name from the
mention of "the night" in the first verse.
IN THE NAME OF
GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE:
1) CONSIDER the night as it veils [the earth] in darkness,
(2) and the day as it rises bright!
(3) Consider the creation of the male and the female! *
*Lit., "Consider that which
has created [or "creates"] the male and the female", i.e., the
elements which are responsible for the differentiation between male and
female. This, together with the symbolism of night and day, darkness and light,
is an allusion - similar to the first ten verses of the preceding surah - to the polarity evident in all nature
and, hence, to the dichotomy (spoken of in the next verse) which characterizes
man’s aims and motives.
(4) Verily, [O men,] you aim at most divergent ends! *
* I.e., at good and bad ends (cf.
note 6 on 91:8) - sc., "and so the consequences of your doings are,
of necessity, divergent".
(5) Thus, as for him who gives [to others] and is conscious
of God,
(6) and believes in the truth of the ultimate good* -
*I.e., in moral values independent
of time and social circumstance and, hence, in the absolute validity of what
may be described as "the moral imperative".
(7) for him shall We make easy the path towards [ultimate] ease.*
* See note 6 on 87:8.
(8) But as for him who is niggardly, and thinks that he is self-sufficient,*
* Cf. 96:6-7.
(9) and calls the ultimate good a
lie –
(10) for him shall We make easy the
path towards hardship:
(11) and what will his wealth avail him when he goes down [to his grave]?*
* Or (as a statement): "of no
avail will be to him his wealth when he. . .",
etc.
(12) BEHOLD, it is indeed for Us to
grace [you] with guidance;
(13) and, behold, Ours is [the dominion over] the life to come as well as [over] this earlier part [of your life]:*
* This statement is meant to
stress the fact that man's life in this world and in the hereafter are but two
stages of one continuous entity.
(14) and so I warn you of the
raging fire -
(15) [the fire] which none shall
have to endure but that most hapless wretch
(16) who gives the lie to the truth
and turns away [from it].
(17) For, distant from it shall remain he who is truly
conscious of God:
(18) he that spends his possessions
[on others] so that he might grow in purity –
(19) not as payment for favours received, *
* Lit., "no one having with
him any favour to be repaid". In its widest
sense, projected towards the future, the phrase implies also the expectation
of a reward.
(20) but only out of a longing for
the countenance of his Sustainer, the All-Highest:
(21) and such, indeed, shall in time be well-pleased.