The Night (Al-Layl)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
I CALL THE night to witness when it covers over, 1 By the day when it appeareth in glory, 2 Consider the creation of the male and the female! 3 Lo! your effort is dispersed (toward divers ends). 4 Yet he who gives to others and has fear, 5 And believeth in goodness; 6 observe piety, and believe in receiving rewards from God. 7 But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, 8 and cries lies to the reward most fair, 9 We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Misery; 10 When he falls (into Hell), his wealth will not help him. 11 Surely Ours is it to show the way, 12 And to Us belong the End and the Beginning. 13 I have warned you then about a raging Fire: 14 None shall enter it save the most wretched, 15 Who denies and turns away. 16 But the righteous one will avoid it - 17 one who gives his wealth to become purified, 18 And have in his mind no favour from anyone for which a reward is expected in return, 19 but only to seek the good pleasure of his Lord Most High. 20 He verily will be content. 21