Sūrat al-Layl (Arabic: الليل, "The Night") is the ninety-second sūrah (chapter) of the Qur'an, containing twenty-one āyāt (verses).

The mufassirūn (Quranic commentators) note a similarity that in all of the aforementioned three suras the wonder and contrast between night and day are appealed to for the consolation of man in his spiritual yearning.

According to an interpretation expounded on in the tafsīr (commentary) written by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi (d. 1979) entitled Tafhim al-Qur'an, the primary theme of Surat al-Lail is distinguishing between two different ways of life and explaining the contrast between their ultimate ends and results.

[2] Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966), who was an Egyptian author, Islamist, and leading intellectual of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, surmised the overall theme of Surat Al-Lail in the introduction to his extensive Quranic commentary, Fi Zilal al-Qur'an (In the shades of the Qur'an) by saying: Within a framework of scenes taken from the universe and the realm of human nature, this surah states emphatically the basic facts of action and reward.

—Sayid Qutb, Fi Zilal al-Qur'an According to an account from the book A Comprehensive Commentary on the Quran, translated by George Sale, Jalal ad-Din as-Suyūti – co-author of the classical Sunni tafsīr known as Tafsir al-Jalalayn - had speculated that this whole description belongs peculiarly to Abu Bakr; for when he had purchased Bilal ibn Rabah, the Ethiopian (afterwards Muhammad's muadhdhin, or crier to prayers), who had been put to the rack on account of his faith, the infidels said he did it only out of a view of interest; upon which this passage was revealed.

In his book The Corân, William Muir classifies Al-Lail in a Quranic sub-category known as the Soliloquies - a literary form of discourse in which Muhammad talks to himself or reveals his thoughts without addressing a listener.

[4] However, Sale argues that this sūrah seems to be ruled out of that category by the statements of āyāt 14 where Muhammad appears as a warner, and therefore is entered upon his public ministry.

[2] By the night as it envelops; By the day as it appears; By Him Who created male and female; Certainly, your efforts and deeds are diverse; As for him who gives and has taqwa; and believes in al-husnā; We will make smooth for him the path of ease; But he who is greedy and thinks himself self-sufficient; and denies al-husnā; We will make smooth for him the path to evil; and what will his wealth avail him when he goes down (in destruction)Allah begins this chapter by swearing a series of oaths: by the night when it envelops the world, by the day when it illuminates and, finally by Himself who has created the male and female (92:1-3).

Evidence of these three things are invoked (night, day and gender) to illustrate how the aims and activities engaged in by both individuals and nations, are, in respect to their moral nature, widely divergent.

Following a style common to the brief chapters, three opposing moral characteristics are presented as illustrations, providing a means from which mankind may judge which of the two lifestyles is being represented.

92:1 وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى 92:2 وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى 92:3 وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَى Traits characterizing the first type of individuals are distinguished here by three signs: (1) sacrificing their wealth: (2) adopting taqwa (God-consciousness): and (3) recognizing and supporting all that is morally correct (wa şaddaqa bi-(a)l-ĥusnā).

The second character type – described in verses 8 through 10 - are also distinguished by three signs: they are miserly and do not give of their wealth; they are arrogant and think themselves independent of Allah's Will (92:8); and (3) knowingly dishonoring Truth out of spite, or seeing ugliness where there is beauty.

(92.5-10)[5]In verse 7, humans are told if they strive their utmost towards Allah, that He will provide every help and satisfaction to a “state of ease” (li-l-yusrā).

First, verse 12 says that Allāh has not left man uninformed in the world, but has assumed responsibility for clearly showing humanity the halal (lawful) and haram (unlawful).

Ibn Kathir includes a hadith related to this type of person: Ahmad ibn Hanbal reported Muhammad as saying “Only wretched people will go to Hell.” When asked, “Who is the wretched,” he said, “One who disobeys and does not refrain from evil out of fear of Allah.” Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Hurayrah that Muhammad said: “All of my followers will enter Paradise on the Day of Judgement except for whoever refuses.” They (the Companions) said, “Who would refuse, O Messenger of Allah,” He replied, “Whoever obeys me, he will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me, then he has refused.”[12][13] 92:18 الَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى The spending may be for charity, or for good works, such as advancing the cause of knowledge or science, or supporting ideals.

“Wealth” (māl) must be understood not only for money or material goods, but also any advantage or opportunity which a man happens to enjoy, and which he can place at the service of others.

Though of some use in reconstructing the Qur'an's historicity, asbāb is by nature an exegetical rather than a historiographical genre, and as such usually associates the verses it explicates with general situations rather than specific events.

On the eve of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (628 CE), when Abu Bakr showed his anger and chastised Urwa bin Masud, chief of the Thaqif tribe.

The sixth Shia Imām, Ja’far as-Sādiq (d. 748) has said that the person who recites Sūrah Ash-Shams, Al-Lail, Ad-Dhuha and Al-Inshirah will, on the Day of Judgement, find all creatures of the earth testifying on his behalf and Allah will accept their testimony and give him a place in Jannah (Paradise).

[19] The Shiite perspective on certain verses in Surat Al-Lail is mentioned in the book, Imamate and Leadership by Mujtaba Musavi Lari.