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Surah Al-Layl (The Night) — Full Text in Clear Arabic Script

21 ayahs · Meccan· Hafs ‘an ‘Asim · reading time ~2 minutes · the fifteenth surah of Juz ‘Amma

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By Saad Al-Ghamdi

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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ﴿١﴾وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ﴿٢﴾وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ﴿٣﴾إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ﴿٤﴾فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ﴿٥﴾وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ﴿٦﴾فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ﴿٧﴾وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ﴿٨﴾وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ﴿٩﴾فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ﴿١٠﴾وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ﴿١١﴾إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ﴿١٢﴾وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْءَاخِرَةَ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ﴿١٣﴾فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًۭا تَلَظَّىٰ﴿١٤﴾لَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَى﴿١٥﴾ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ﴿١٦﴾وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَتْقَى﴿١٧﴾ٱلَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ﴿١٨﴾وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعْمَةٍۢ تُجْزَىٰٓ﴿١٩﴾إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ﴿٢٠﴾وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ﴿٢١﴾
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About Surah Al-Layl

Surah Al-Layl is the 92nd surah in the order of the mushaf, and one of the Meccan surahs — revealed to the Prophet ﷺ before the migration to Madinah. It contains 21 ayahs, and it is the fifteenth surah of Juz ‘Amma, the final part of the Quran that most Muslims begin their memorisation with.

The surah takes its name from its opening oath — «wal-layli idha yaghsha» (“By the night when it covers”). Allah swears by the night when it covers, the day when it appears, and by He who created male and female, and then states the truth these oaths affirm: «inna sa‘yakum la-shatta» — “indeed, your efforts are diverse.” People strive in profoundly different directions, and the surah lays out the two paths: the one who gives, fears Allah, and believes in the best is eased toward ease, while the one who withholds and denies is eased toward hardship. Guidance belongs to Allah, who warns of a blazing Fire — and promises that the most righteous, who gives his wealth seeking only the Face of his Lord, “is going to be satisfied.”

The text shown on this page is the narration of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, the reading used in most of the Muslim world, in the Uthmani script that follows the Madinah mushaf. The audio recitation is by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi.

Virtues and place of Surah Al-Layl

1. Recommended by the Prophet ﷺ for prayer

When the Prophet ﷺ counselled Mu‘adh about leading people in prayer without overburdening them, he said: “Why did you not pray with «sabbih isma rabbika al-a‘la», «wash-shamsi wa duhaha» and «wal-layli idha yaghsha»?” — recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. It is a surah the Prophet ﷺ himself named as fitting for congregational prayer: short, clear, and easy on those praying behind the imam.

2. The answer to the deepest question about destiny

Ali related that the Prophet ﷺ said every soul’s place in Paradise or Hell is already written; the companions asked, “should we not then rely on what is written?” He replied: “Work, for each is eased to that for which he was created,” then recited: “As for he who gives and fears Allah and believes in the best...” (ayahs 5–10) — recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. This surah is thus the Quranic answer to the question of destiny and deeds: what is written does not excuse us from working, for our deeds are the very path we are eased along.

3. The example of Abu Bakr — giving purely for Allah

The commentators relate that the closing verses (17–21) were revealed concerning Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who spent his wealth freeing enslaved believers — among them Bilal — seeking only the Face of his Lord. This occasion, widely reported in the books of tafsir, makes the surah a lasting portrait of the purest kind of giving: not to repay any favour owed to anyone, but only «ibtigha’a wajhi rabbihi al-a‘la» — seeking the Face of his Lord, Most High.

Themes of the Surah

1. The oaths — your striving is diverse (ayahs 1–4)

Allah swears by the night when it covers, the day when it appears, and by He who created male and female — and then states the truth the oaths affirm: “indeed, your efforts are diverse.” People strive in profoundly different directions.

Read from ayah 1 →

2. The two paths (ayahs 5–11)

As for he who gives, fears Allah, and believes in the best («al-husna») — We will ease him toward ease. But as for he who withholds, considers himself free of need, and denies the best — We will ease him toward hardship, and his wealth will not avail him when he falls.

Read from ayah 5 →

3. Guidance belongs to Allah (ayahs 12–16)

Upon Allah is guidance, and to Him belong the last (life) and the first. So He has warned of a blazing Fire, which none but the most wretched will enter — he who denied and turned away.

Read from ayah 12 →

4. The most righteous (ayahs 17–21)

But the most righteous («al-atqa») will be far removed from it — he who gives his wealth to purify himself, not repaying any favour owed to anyone, seeking only the Face of his Lord, Most High — “and he is going to be satisfied.”

Read from ayah 17 →

Tips for reading and memorising

  • It is a short surah of 21 short ayahs — ideal for the early stages of your Quran memorisation.
  • A simple plan is one section a day over four days, following the sections listed above.
  • Listen to the recitation above by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi and repeat after him.
  • Notice the mirrored structure of the two paths (ayahs 5–7 and 8–11) — the parallel wording makes both halves easier to hold in memory.
  • Use the “font size” buttons at the top of the page for a comfortable read.
  • You can print the surah from your browser (Ctrl+P) for a clean paper copy.

Frequently asked questions

How many ayahs are in Surah Al-Layl?

Surah Al-Layl has 21 ayahs. It is the 92nd surah in the order of the mushaf, and it is a Meccan surah.

Why is it called Surah Al-Layl?

It is called Surah Al-Layl (“The Night”) after the oath in its opening verse — «wal-layli idha yaghsha» — “By the night when it covers.”

Where does Surah Al-Layl sit in Juz ‘Amma?

It is the fifteenth surah of Juz ‘Amma — the final part of the Quran, which most Muslims begin their memorisation with.

What does “indeed, your efforts are diverse” mean?

After swearing by the night, the day, and the creation of male and female, Allah declares «inna sa‘yakum la-shatta» — “indeed, your efforts are diverse.” People strive in profoundly different directions: some give, fear Allah, and believe; others withhold, consider themselves free of need, and deny.

What does “We will ease him toward ease” mean?

Whoever gives, fears Allah, and believes in the best, Allah eases him toward ease — and whoever withholds and denies, He eases toward hardship. Ali related that the Prophet ﷺ said every soul’s place in Paradise or Hell is already written; the companions asked, “should we not then rely on what is written?” He replied: “Work, for each is eased to that for which he was created,” then recited these very ayahs (5–10) — recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

What is “the best” (al-husna) in this surah?

Believing in «al-husna» — “the best” — is, per the commentators, believing in the statement of tawhid, or in the best reward: Paradise. The one who affirms it is eased toward ease; the one who denies it is eased toward hardship.

Which companion do the closing verses describe?

The commentators relate that the closing verses (17–21) were revealed concerning Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, who spent his wealth freeing enslaved believers — among them Bilal — seeking only the Face of his Lord. This occasion is widely reported in the books of tafsir.

How long does it take to read the full surah?

A complete recitation of Surah Al-Layl takes about 2 minutes at a moderate pace. Its verses are short, which makes it well suited to daily reading and memorisation.

Which recitation is the text on this page based on?

The text shown on this page is the narration of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim — the most widely used reading in the Muslim world — written in the Uthmani script that follows the Madinah mushaf. The audio recitation on this page is by Sheikh Saad Al-Ghamdi.

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