Surah 92. Al-Lail

and believes in the truth of the ultimate good³ -

  - Mohammad Asad

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".

and testifies to goodness,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and 'firmly' believes in the finest reward,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And believeth in goodness;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And (in all sincerity) testifies to the Best ⁶¹⁶³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The good are distinguished here by three signs: (1) large-hearted sacrifices for Allah and men: (2) fear of Allah, which shows itself in righteous conduct for Taqwa, (see n. 26 to ii. 2) includes just action as well as a mental state: and (3) truth and sincerity in recognising and supporting all that is morally beautiful, for Husn is the good as well as the beautiful.

for him shall We make easy the path towards [ultimate] ease.⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [6] on 87:8 .

We shall facilitate for him the easy way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We will facilitate for them the Way of Ease.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Surely We will ease his way unto the state of ease.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss. ⁶¹⁶⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So far from there being any hardship in a good life, the righteous will enjoy their life more and more, and Allah will make their path smoother and smoother until they reach eventual Bliss.

But as for him who is niggardly, and thinks that he is self-sufficient,⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf.{96:6-7}.

As for him who is a stingy and considers himself independent of Allah

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And as for the one who is stingy, indifferent 'to Allah',

  - Mustafa Khattab

But as for him who hoardeth and deemeth himself independent,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and calls the ultimate good a lie -

  - Mohammad Asad

and rejects the goodness,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

and 'staunchly' denies the finest reward,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And disbelieveth in goodness;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And gives the lie to the Best ⁶¹⁶⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The evil are distinguished here by three signs: (1) selfish greed and denial of other people's rights; (2) arrogance and self-sufficiency (xcvi. 6-7); and (3) knowingly dishonouring Truth out of spite, or seeing ugliness where there is beauty. Such men's downward progress gathers momentum as they go, and their end can be nothing but Misery. Where will be their boasted wealth and possessions, or their self-confidence?

for him shall We make easy the path towards hardship:

  - Mohammad Asad

We shall facilitate for him the hard way.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We will facilitate for them the path of hardship.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Surely We will ease his way unto adversity.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We will indeed make smooth for him the Path to Misery;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and what will his wealth avail him when he goes down [to his grave]?⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Or (as a statement): "of no avail will be to him his wealth when he...", etc.

Just think! What benefit will he get from his wealth, if he himself is doomed.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And their wealth will be of no benefit to them when they tumble 'into Hell'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

His riches will not save him when he perisheth.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the Pit). ⁶¹⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Wealth amassed in this world will be of no use at the Day of Final Judgment, nor will any material advantages of this life bring profit by themselves in the Hereafter. What will count will be a life of truth and righteousness, and of goodness to all the creatures of Allah.

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

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely it is for Us to give guidance,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is certainly upon Us 'alone' to show 'the way to' guidance.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! Ours it is (to give) the guidance

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Verily We take upon Ourselves to guide. ⁶¹⁶⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah in His infinite mercy has provided full guidance to His creatures. All through His creation there are sign-posts indicating the right way. To man He has given the five senses of perception, with mental and spiritual faculties for coordinating his physical perceptions and leading him higher and higher in thought and feeling. He has besides sent inspired men as prophets for further teaching and guidance.

and, behold, Ours is [the dominion over] the life to come as well as [over] this earlier part [of your life]:⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

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.

and surely to Us belong the end and the beginning.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And surely to Us 'alone' belong this life and the next.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And lo! unto Us belong the latter portion and the former.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And verily unto Us (belong) the End and the Beginning. ⁶¹⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the End man will return to Allah, and even from the beginning of man's life Allah's mercies and loving care surround him. In the probationary period of man's life, he has a measure of free-will, and he is expected to use it in such a way as to bring his whole being into harmony with the universal Will and Law. For he will have to answer for the right use of his talents and opportunities. If man's will has any meaning, he has the choice of accepting Allah's guidance or rejecting it, and in the latter case he must take the consequences. Hence the warning of the future "Fire" in the next verse.

and so I warn you of the raging fire -

  - Mohammad Asad

Therefore, I warn you of the blazing fire,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And so I have warned you of a raging Fire,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Therefor have I warned you of the flaming Fire

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Therefore do I warn you of a Fire blazing fiercely;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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

  - Mohammad Asad

in which none shall burn except the wretched

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

in which none will burn except the most wretched-

  - Mustafa Khattab

Which only the most wretched must endure,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

None shall reach it but those most unfortunate ones ⁶¹⁶⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Fire of Punishment will not reach any except those who have deliberately sinned against their conscience and rejected Allah's Truth. The term used for them is "Ashqa" (superlative degree). Cf. lxxxvii. 11. The corresponding idea in Christian theology is expressed in the following sentence. "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men" (Matt. xii. 31).

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

  - Mohammad Asad

who deny the truth and give no heed.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

who deny and turn away.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He who denieth and turneth away.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Who give the lie to Truth and turn their backs.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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

  - Mohammad Asad

But the pious shall be kept away from it,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But the righteous will be spared from it-

  - Mustafa Khattab

Far removed from it will be the righteous

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But those most devoted to Allah shall be removed far from it ⁶¹⁷⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Those most devoted to Allah": the Atqa, the Allah-fearing men who live lives of purity, and seek only for the "Face of their Lord Most High". See the verses following.

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

  - Mohammad Asad

the one who spends in charity for self-purification,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

who donate 'some of' their wealth only to purify themselves,

  - Mustafa Khattab

Who giveth his wealth that he may grow (in goodness),

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Those who spend their wealth for increase in self-purification ^{6171 6172}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The spending may be for charity, or for good works, such as advancing the cause of knowledge or science, or supporting ideals, etc. "Wealth" must be understood not only for money or material goods, but also for any advantage or opportunity which a man happens to enjoy, and which he can place at the service of others.

The Arabic root word zaka implies both increase and purification, and both meanings may be understood to be implied here. Wealth (understood both literally and metaphorically) is not for selfish enjoyment or idle show. It is held on trust. It may be a trial in itself, from which a man who emerges successfully is a man all the purer in his life; and even if he was a good man before, his proper use of his wealth increases his position and dignity in the moral and spiritual world.

not as payment for favours received,⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

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.

not seeking any favor from anyone for which a reward is expected in return,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

not in return for someone's favours,

  - Mustafa Khattab

And none hath with him any favor for reward,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And have in their minds no favor from anyone for which a reward is expected in return ⁶¹⁷³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The good man does not give in charity or do his good deeds with the motive that he is returning someone else's favour and compensating and rewarding someone for some service done to him or expecting some reward in retum for his own good deed: the sole motive in his mind is that he desires the Countenance or Good Pleasure of Allah Most High. This "Countenance" or "Face" (Arabic, Wajh) implies good pleasure or approval; but it implies something more. It also means the Cause,-either the "final cause" or the "efficient cause" of Aristotelian philosophy. For the Atqa would refer everything, backwards in origin and forwards in destiny, to Allah. Allah is the source of their goodness, as well as its goal or purpose.

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

  - Mohammad Asad

except seeking the good pleasure of his Rabb, the Most High.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

but seeking the pleasure of their Lord, the Most High.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Except as seeking (to fulfil) the purpose of his Lord Most High.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But only the desire to seek for the countenance of their Lord Most High. ⁶¹⁷⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The definition of Righteousness, Charity, or Self-sacrifice, becomes thus highly spiritualised. The Atqa are so completely identified with Allah's Will that everything else is blotted out to them. What would seem to be sacrifice from other points of view, becomes their own highest pleasure and satisfaction. Every virtuous man will have his own bliss, for there are degrees in virtue and bliss. This supreme bliss is the portion-not the prize-of supreme virtue.