Al-Layl

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

See ayat 11 for tafseer.

Exegetes have transmitted, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, an account of the occasion of revelation for this entire sūrah. We reproduce this report from the late Ṭabrisī’s Majmaʿ al‑Bayān: Among the Muslims there was a man whose date‑palm tree had a branch extending over the house of a poor man with a large family. Whenever the owner climbed the tree to harvest dates, some of them would occasionally fall into the poor man’s house, and his children would pick them up. The tree’s owner would climb down, snatch the dates away, and—such was his miserliness and hardness of heart—if he saw even a single date in the mouth of one of the children, he would thrust his finger into the child’s mouth and extract it. The poor man complained to the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny. The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny said: Go, I will take care of this matter for you. He then met the date‑palm owner and said: Give me this tree, whose branches extend over that man’s house, and in exchange you will have a tree in Paradise. The man replied: I own many date‑palm trees, but none of their dates are as good as those of this one, and thus he refused the offer. One of the Companions of the Prophet overheard this conversation and said: O Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny, if I were to buy this tree from him and give it to you, would you give me what you offered him? The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny replied: Yes. The man went to the tree’s owner and spoke to him. The owner said: Do you know that Muḥammad PBUH & His Pure Progeny offered me a date‑palm tree in Paradise in exchange for this one, but I refused because I greatly enjoy its dates; although I have many date‑palm trees, none have dates as fine as these. The buyer asked: Will you sell it or not? The owner replied: I will not sell it unless you give me such a price as no one else would give. He asked: How much do you want? The man said: Forty date‑palm trees. The buyer exclaimed in astonishment: You are asking an enormous price for a crooked date‑palm tree—forty trees! After a brief pause he said: Very well, I will give you forty date‑palm trees. The greedy seller demanded: If you are telling the truth, then bring some people to bear witness. Coincidentally, some people were passing by; he called them and had them witness the transaction. The buyer then went to the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny and said: O Messenger of God, the date‑palm tree has become my property, and I now present it to you. The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny went to the poor man’s household and said to him: This date‑palm tree now belongs to you and your children. At this point Sūrat “Wa’l‑Layl” was revealed, remarking upon the miserly and the generous according to their respective states. Some narrations add that the name of the buyer was Abū al‑Daḥdāḥ.

At the beginning of this sūrah we once again encounter three profound oaths, referring to created phenomena and to the Creator of the universe. It declares: “By the night when it envelops all things” (وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى). The expression يَغْشَى may refer to the darkness of night spreading like a veil over half of the globe and covering it, or to the covering of the face of day and the radiant sun when night arrives. In any case, it points to the significance of night and its effects on human life—from the regulation of the sun’s course, to the rest and tranquility of all living beings under its shade, and to the role of night for the vigilant, spiritually awake, and conscious individuals. Then it presents the second oath: “And by the day when it becomes manifest” (وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى). This refers to the moment when the dawn tears through the dark veil of night, dispels the darkness, and dominates the entire horizon, bathing all things in light—the very light that is the symbol of movement and life and the source of nourishment for all living beings. The Qur’an places great emphasis on the system of light and darkness and their impact on human life, for these two enduring blessings are among the major signs of the Lord. Next, it presents the third oath: “And by Him who created the male and the female” (وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَى). The existence of the two sexes in the realms of humanity, animals, and plants; the transformations from conception to birth; the distinct qualities and functions assigned to each; and the many mysteries embedded in the concept of sexuality—all of these are manifestations of the immense system of creation and signs through which knowledge of the Creator is attained. The expression ما here alludes to the transcendent greatness of the Divine Essence, elevating Him beyond the reach of conjecture and imagination. In essence, the first two oaths refer to cosmic signs (āyāt āfāqiyyah), while the third refers to inner signs (āyāt anfusiyyah). After these oaths, the objective is stated: “Indeed, your striving is diverse” (إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّى). The directions and outcomes of human efforts are entirely different, indicating that life is never static; humans inevitably exert effort and expend the God‑given faculties embedded in their being along one path or another. The question is which path, direction, and outcome this striving will embody—lest one sell one’s capacities for a trivial price or squander them entirely. The term شَتَّى denotes dispersion and diversity, highlighting the divergence of human endeavors in purpose and result. People are then divided into two groups. Of the first, it says: “As for him who gives and is mindful of God” (فَأَمَّا مَن أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى), “and affirms the best promise” (وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى), “We shall surely ease him toward ease” (فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى). Giving (أعطى) refers to spending in the way of God and aiding the needy, while تقوى encompasses sincerity of intention, lawful acquisition and spending, and freedom from reproach and harm. الحُسْنَى refers to faith in God’s beautiful reward, as also indicated in وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى (al‑Nisāʾ 4:95). Thus God grants such people success, opening the path for obedience, generosity, and ultimately Paradise. In contrast, it says: “But as for him who is miserly and considers himself self‑sufficient” (وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَى), “and denies the best promise” (وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَى), “We shall surely ease him toward hardship” (فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَى). Miserliness stands opposite to giving, and imagined self‑sufficiency either justifies hoarding or reflects indifference toward divine reward. For such individuals, divine facilitation is withdrawn, making obedience and charity difficult and surrounding their lives with hardship. Finally, the sūrah warns: “And his wealth will not avail him when he falls” (وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّى). Wealth cannot accompany him from this world, nor can it protect him from ruin, whether understood as the grave, Hellfire, or destruction itself. Thus the Qur’an presents two contrasting destinies: one of ease, divine facilitation, and Paradise; the other of hardship, loss, and regret—demonstrating that true success lies not in accumulation, but in faith, generosity, and God‑conscious striving.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

See ayat 21 for tafseer.

After the preceding verses divided people into two groups—the generous believer and the faithless miser—and described the fate of each, the verses under discussion now first clarify that guidance is Our responsibility, not compulsion, and that it is now your responsibility to set forth manfully upon the path through your own free will. Moreover, traversing this path is for your own benefit, and We have no need of it whatsoever. It states: “Indeed, upon Us rests guidance.” (إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَى) — whether guidance through creation (innate disposition and reason) or through legislation (the Book and the Sunnah). Whatever was necessary in this regard has been fully conveyed and duly completed. And it declares: “And indeed, to Us belongs the Hereafter and the former life.” (وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْآخِرَةَ وَالْأُولَى). We have no need of your faith or obedience; neither does your obedience benefit Us nor does your disobedience harm Us. This entire program is for your own sake and for your own benefit. According to this interpretation, guidance here means showing the path. It is also possible that these two verses aim to encourage the generous believers by emphasizing that We shall further guide them, make the path easy for them in this world and the next, and that since both the world and the Hereafter belong solely to Us, We possess complete power to do so. Although the world precedes the Hereafter temporally, the Hereafter is the ultimate objective in terms of value and purpose, and for this reason it is mentioned first. Since one of the methods of guidance is warning and caution, the next verse adds: “So I have warned you of a blazing Fire.” (فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّى). The verb تلظّى derives from لظى, meaning a pure, blazing flame, free of smoke and therefore possessing intense heat. It then identifies those who shall enter this blazing fire: “None shall enter it except the most wretched one.” (لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى), and describes him as “the one who denies and turns away.” (الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى). Thus, the true criterion of felicity and wretchedness is faith and disbelief—or the practical consequences arising from them. Whoever ignores the signs of guidance and the opportunities for faith and piety truly becomes the embodiment of ashqā, the most wretched. The phrase الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى may mean that takdhīb refers to disbelief, and tawallā to abandoning righteous deeds, which is a natural consequence of disbelief; or it may indicate first rejecting the Messenger and then permanently turning away from him. Some exegetes have raised the objection that these verses appear to restrict Hell to disbelievers alone, whereas other Qur’anic verses and the corpus of Islamic traditions indicate that sinful believers may also enter Hell. On this basis, certain deviant sects (known as Murjiʾah) argued that sins cause no harm as long as faith exists. The response is twofold: first, entering Hell here refers to eternal abiding, which is exclusive to disbelievers; second, these verses describe only two extreme groups—the miserly unbelievers and the most pious, generous believers—without addressing sinful believers at all. In this sense, the restriction is relative, not absolute. The discourse then turns to the second group, stating: “And the most God‑fearing shall be kept far from it.” (وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى). He is the one “who gives of his wealth to purify himself.” (الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى). The expression يتزكّى points to sincerity of intention and purity of purpose—whether understood as spiritual growth or purification of wealth, for تزكية carries both meanings of growth and purification, as in خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا (التوبة: 103). It then emphasizes the sincerity of this giving: “No person has any favor over him for which recompense is sought.” (وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى). Rather, his sole aim is “seeking the pleasure of his Lord, the Most High.” (إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَى). In other words, unlike many forms of generosity that are motivated by reciprocation or social indebtedness, the giving of the God‑fearing believer is motivated solely by the pursuit of divine pleasure, free from ostentation, reputation‑seeking, or worldly gain. The term وجه here signifies the Divine Essence, that is, God’s pleasure and approval. Finally, the sūrah concludes with a concise yet magnificent promise: “And indeed, he shall soon be satisfied.” (وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَى). Just as he worked purely for God’s pleasure, God shall, in turn, grant him a satisfaction that is absolute, boundless, and beyond all limitation—a satisfaction whose true nature is beyond present human comprehension. Some exegetes have held that the satisfaction here refers to God’s pleasure with this servant, which itself is the greatest possible reward; in either case, divine pleasure and the servant’s satisfaction are inseparable, as stated elsewhere: رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ (البينة: 8) and رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً (الفجر: 28).

Fakhr al‑Rāzī states that Sunni exegetes generally hold the view that the expression سَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى refers to Abū Bakr, whereas Shiʿi scholars usually reject this claim and maintain that the verse was revealed concerning ʿAlī عليه السلام (cited in Tafsīr Fakhr al‑Rāzī, vol. 31, p. 204). He then proceeds, in his characteristic analytical style, to argue as follows: the Muslim community—whether Sunni or Shiʿi—agrees that after the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny the most virtuous person is either Abū Bakr or ʿAlī. According to him, this verse cannot apply to ʿAlī because the Qur’an describes the atqā as one concerning whom it says وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى, meaning that no one possesses any favor over him for which recompense is sought. Fakhr al‑Rāzī claims that this description does not fit ʿAlī, because the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny had conferred material benefits upon him, whereas, according to his argument, the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny not only did not have any material claim over Abū Bakr, but rather Abū Bakr had expended wealth upon the Messenger PBUH & His Pure Progeny and thus possessed a claim of favor over him. He infers from this that the atqā must be Abū Bakr, and since atqā is taken to mean the most God‑fearing person, his superiority is thereby established (as also cited in Tafsīr al‑Qurṭubī, vol. 10, p. 7180). Although, in the context of this tafsīr, there is little inclination to engage deeply in such polemical issues, the insistence of some exegetes on proving preconceived conclusions through Qur’anic verses has reached a point where they resort to interpretations unbefitting the lofty rank and dignity of the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny. For this reason alone, several points must be noted here. First, Fakhr al‑Rāzī’s claim that the Sunnis are unanimously agreed that this verse concerns Abū Bakr contradicts explicit reports transmitted by prominent Sunni exegetes. For example, al‑Qurṭubī narrates from Ibn ʿAbbās that the entire sūrah (Sūrat al‑Layl) was revealed concerning Abū al‑Daḥdāḥ—whose story has already been mentioned at the beginning of the sūrah. Indeed, al‑Qurṭubī explicitly reiterates, when commenting on وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى, that this refers to Abū al‑Daḥdāḥ, even though he also reports that many exegetes considered it to refer to Abū Bakr; nevertheless, he himself does not adopt that view. Second, Fakhr al‑Rāzī’s assertion that the Shiʿa unanimously hold that the verse was revealed regarding ʿAlī عليه السلام is also incorrect. Many Shiʿi exegetes likewise cite the story of Abū al‑Daḥdāḥ and accept it. Although some narrations from Imam Jaʿfar al‑Ṣādiq عليه السلام interpret atqā as his followers and Shiʿa, and interpret الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى as referring to Amīr al‑Muʾminīn ʿAlī عليه السلام, these statements do not constitute accounts of the occasion of revelation, but rather applications to clear and evident exemplars. Third, there is no doubt that the word atqā in the verse does not mean “the most God‑fearing among all people,” but rather simply “one who is God‑fearing.” A clear indication of this is that its opposite term, ashqā, does not mean “the most wretched of all people,” but rather refers to the disbelievers who were miserly in their refusal to give charity. Moreover, the verse was revealed during the lifetime of the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny—can Abū Bakr be preferred over the Prophet himself? Why should pre‑existing assumptions be imposed upon the Qur’an in a manner that even undermines the exalted status of the Messenger PBUH & His Pure Progeny? If it is argued that the Prophet’s case is exceptional, then one must ask why his case was not similarly excepted in the verse وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى, and why ʿAlī عليه السلام was excluded from the scope of the verse on the basis that he benefited materially from the Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny. Fourth, who is the person in this world who has never received kindness from anyone—neither gifts, nor hospitality, nor any other form of material assistance? Is it believable that Abū Bakr, throughout his entire life, never accepted hospitality, never received gifts, and never benefited from any material service? Clearly, this interpretation is untenable. The verse وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى does not mean that no one ever showed him any kindness; rather, it means that his acts of spending were not motivated by repayment of favors, but were undertaken purely for the sake of God. Fifth, the verses of this sūrah indicate that they were revealed concerning a narrative with two opposing poles: one represented by the atqā, and the other by the ashqā. If the story of Abū al‑Daḥdāḥ is accepted as the occasion of revelation, the matter is resolved. But if Abū Bakr is taken as the referent, the question remains: who, then, is the ashqā? The Shiʿa do not insist that this verse refers exclusively to ʿAlī عليه السلام—many verses extol his virtues—but if the verse is applied to him, then the problem of ashqā is resolved, since numerous Sunni‑transmitted narrations identify the ashqā mentioned in إِذِ انبَعَثَ أَشْقَاهَا (Sūrat al‑Shams, v. 12) as the killer of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib عليه السلام; these narrations have been collected by Ḥākim al‑Ḥaskānī in Shawāhid al‑Tanzīl. In summary, Fakhr al‑Rāzī’s analysis of this verse is extremely weak and fraught with numerous difficulties and inconsistencies. For this reason, even some prominent Sunni exegetes, such as Ālūsī, rejected this line of reasoning in Rūḥ al‑Maʿānī, explicitly criticizing it. He writes that Fakhr al‑Rāzī attempted to prove the superiority of Abū Bakr through this verse and claimed that the textual indicators oppose the Shiʿi view that it concerns ʿAlī, but that he prolonged the discussion and produced arguments that are not free from dispute and objection (Rūḥ al‑Maʿānī, vol. 30, p. 153).

Spending and giving in the path of God, and providing financial assistance to the deprived—especially to those who are dignified yet needy—when done with sincere intention, is among the matters repeatedly emphasized in the verses of the Noble Qur’an, and it is counted among the signs of true faith. Islamic narrations also stress this subject with great emphasis, to the extent that they indicate that financial giving within an Islamic society and civilization—provided that its sole motive is the pleasure of God, and that it is free from any form of ostentation, reproach, or harm—constitutes one of the best of deeds. We conclude this discussion by citing a number of meaningful traditions. 1. In a narration from Imam Muḥammad al‑Bāqir عليه السلام, he is reported to have said: “إِنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ إِدْخَالُ السُّرُورِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ، شِبْعَةُ مُسْلِمٍ أَوْ قَضَاءُ دَيْنِهِ.” “The most beloved of deeds in the sight of God is bringing joy to the heart of a needy believer—such as satisfying his hunger or paying off his debt.” 2. In a ḥadīth from the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny, it is reported: “مِنَ الإِيمَانِ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ، وَإِطْعَامُ الطَّعَامِ، وَإِرَاقَةُ الدِّمَاءِ.” “Good character, feeding others, and sacrificing blood (in the path of God) are among the components of faith.” 3. In another narration from Imam Jaʿfar al‑Ṣādiq عليه السلام, he reports that the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny said: “مَا أَرَى شَيْئًا يَعْدِلُ زِيَارَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِلَّا إِطْعَامَهُ، وَحَقٌّ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُطْعِمَ مَنْ أَطْعَمَ مُؤْمِنًا مِنْ طَعَامِ الْجَنَّةِ.” “I see nothing equal to visiting a believer except feeding him; and it is incumbent upon God to feed, from the food of Paradise, the one who feeds a believer.” 3. It is narrated that a man once grasped the reins of the Prophet’s PBUH & His Pure Progeny mount and asked: O Messenger of God, which deed is the most excellent of all deeds? The Prophet PBUH & His Pure Progeny replied: “إِطْعَامُ الطَّعَامِ، وَإِطَابَةُ الْكَلَامِ.” “Feeding others and speaking kindly.” 4. Finally, it is reported from the Messenger of God PBUH & His Pure Progeny: “مَنْ عَالَ أَهْلَ بَيْتٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَوْمَهُمْ وَلَيْلَتَهُمْ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ ذُنُوبَهُ.” “Whoever provides for a Muslim household for a day and a night, God forgives his sins.” O God, grant us all the opportunity to take part in this great work of charity. Our Lord, increase the sincerity of our intentions in all our deeds. O God, we implore You to envelop us in Your bounty and mercy in such a way that You are pleased with us, and we are content and satisfied. Āmīn, O Lord of all the worlds.