Islamic prayer
Surah Layl
Surah al-Layl from the Qur'an, in Arabic, in English letters and with its meaning.
- 21 verses
- Under a minute to recite
- From the Qur'an
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰوَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰوَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓإِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰفَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰوَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰفَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰوَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰوَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰفَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰوَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓإِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰوَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْـَٔاخِرَةَ وَٱلْأُولَىٰفَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰلَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَىٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰوَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَتْقَىٱلَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰوَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰٓإِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰوَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismi Allahi ar‑Rahmani ar‑Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
- 1
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
Wa al‑layli idha yaghsha
By the night enshrouding
- 2
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ
Wa an‑nahari idha tajalla
And the day resplendent
- 3
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ
Wa ma khalaqa adh‑dhakara wa al‑untha
And Him Who hath created male and female,
- 4
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ
Inna sa'yakum lashatta
Lo! your effort is dispersed (toward divers ends).
- 5
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ
Fa'amma man a'ta wa attaqa
As for him who giveth and is dutiful (toward Allah)
- 6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa saddaqa bi al‑husna
And believeth in goodness;
- 7
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
Fasanuyassiruhu lil‑yusra
Surely We will ease his way unto the state of ease.
- 8
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ
Wa amma man bakhila wa istaghna
But as for him who hoardeth and deemeth himself independent,
- 9
وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Wa kadhdhaba bi al‑husna
And disbelieveth in goodness;
- 10
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ
Fasanuyassiruhu lil-'usra
Surely We will ease his way unto adversity.
- 11
وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ
Wa ma yughni 'anhu maluhu idha taradda
His riches will not save him when he perisheth.
- 12
إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ
Inna 'alayna lal‑huda
Lo! Ours it is (to give) the guidance
- 13
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْـَٔاخِرَةَ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ
Wa inna lana lal‑akhirata wa al‑ula
And lo! unto Us belong the latter portion and the former.
- 14
فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰ
Fa'andhartukum naran talazza
Therefor have I warned you of the flaming Fire
- 15
لَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَى
La yaslaha illa al‑ashqa
Which only the most wretched must endure,
- 16
ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
Alladhi kadhdhaba wa tawalla
He who denieth and turneth away.
- 17
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَتْقَى
Wa sayujannabuha al‑atqa
Far removed from it will be the righteous
- 18
ٱلَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ
Alladhi yu'ti malahu yatazakka
Who giveth his wealth that he may grow (in goodness).
- 19
وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰٓ
Wa ma li'ahadin 'indahu min ni'matin tujza
And none hath with him any favour for reward,
- 20
إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
Illa ibtigha'a wajhi Rabbihi al‑a'la
Except as seeking (to fulfil) the purpose of his Lord Most High.
- 21
وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
Wa lasawfa yarda
He verily will be content.
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When it is recited
Many Sunni Muslims recite Surah al-Layl during daily prayers or as part of personal Qur'an reading. It can be recited at any time; its name, meaning “The Night,” does not restrict it to nighttime. Its themes invite reflection on generosity, sincerity and accountability before Allah.
Where it comes from
Surah al-Layl comes from the Qur'an and is generally classified as a Meccan surah. Its title means “The Night” and comes from its opening oath by the night as it covers the world. In Islamic tradition, the Qur'an was revealed by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad.
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Questions about Surah Layl
What does al-Layl mean?
Al-Layl means “The Night” in Arabic. The title refers to the surah's opening oath by the night.
How many verses does Surah al-Layl have?
Surah al-Layl has 21 verses.
What is Surah al-Layl about?
It contrasts giving, mindfulness of Allah and belief with miserliness and denial. It emphasizes the different paths people choose and the value of giving sincerely for Allah's sake.
Must Surah al-Layl be recited at night?
No. Although its title means “The Night,” it may be recited during the day or at night.
Can I use the English letters to learn the recitation?
The English letters can help you follow the Arabic pronunciation, but they cannot represent every Arabic sound exactly. Listening to a reliable reciter or learning with a teacher can help with pronunciation.
