وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ 17
Translations
And by the night as it closes in
Transliteration
Wa-al-layli idha 'asasa
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah opens with an oath swearing by the night when it becomes dark and gloomy, advancing toward dawn. Ibn Kathir explains that 'asasa (عسعس) refers to the night approaching its end with darkness intensifying, while some scholars interpret it as the night beginning to fall. This oath introduces the themes of the Surah regarding the certainty of the Day of Judgment and Allah's knowledge of all creation, emphasizing that just as night surely comes and passes, so too will the Day of Judgment inevitably arrive.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Takwir is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of the Prophet's mission, addressing the polytheists' denial of the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment. This ayah begins a series of oaths (81:16-18) that establish the certainty of the Qur'an's message and the reality of the afterlife, a central theme in Meccan surahs confronting pagan Arab skepticism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best night prayer is in the latter part of the night' (Sahih Bukhari 1147). This relates thematically to the significance of night mentioned in this ayah. Additionally, the Qur'an's emphasis on night as a sign of Allah's power is reflected in the hadith about reflecting on creation during night hours.
Themes
Key Lesson
The natural cycles of day and night serve as powerful reminders of Allah's control over creation and the certainty of the afterlife; believers should recognize these signs and reflect on their transience in this world and the inevitability of standing before their Creator.