[Read out to them, O Prophet,] In the name of Allah, Mercy abundant, Mercy eternal. You that are wrapped-up in your garment^[1], stand up [for prayer] during the night^[2], except for a small portion of it: Half of the night or lessen a little from it or increase a bit upon it. And [during this prayer of the night] recite the Qur'an in a composed recital [deliberating over it]. [This shall prepare you to carryout the responsibilities that We are entrusting you with. For] We are soon going to entrust you with a heavy responsibility^[3] [- the responsibility of delivering God's warning to your people]. Indeed rising during the night promotes steadfastness [of the heart] and thorough understanding [of the mind]. [Due to the responsibilities entrusted to you,] you shall remain occupied [with them] during the day-time [therefore, stand up for prayers during the silent hours of the night] and remember the name of your Lord^[4], devoting yourself exclusively to Him - the Sole Lord of the East and the West, there is no one worthy of worship except Him, therefore take Him [alone] as your protector [against these rejecters]. And bear patiently with what they say and ignore them in the best of manners. Leave them - the rejecters, the affluent^[5] - to me [for retribution] and allow them just a little time. [For these rejecters] We have fetters [to bind with] and a [load] of fire [to burn in] and a [kind of] food that chokes [the throats] and an extremely painful punishment. [These rejecters will soon be made to taste these things] on the day when the earth and the mountains shall shake and the mountains shall be like heaps of sand, falling apart.

[O Progeny of Ishmael,] We have now sent towards you a messenger, as a witness upon you [of God's justice] just as We had sent a messenger to Pharaoh. Then, when Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger, We gripped him - a painful gripping. Now, if you do not believe, how then will you save yourselves from the day [the gravity of] which shall render children gray haired? The skies are bursting asunder with this reality^[6]. His^[7] promise shall surely be carried out. [And before that day comes,] this indeed is a reminder [of it]; so that whoever desires, may take to the path of His Lord [and, thereby, be among the successful on that day].

[We had directed you, O Prophet, to stand in the night in prayers.]^[8] Your Lord is fully aware that sometimes you keep standing [in prayers] for almost two-thirds of the night, sometimes half of it and sometimes one-third of it, and a group from among the people with you [have also been following your example]. And indeed God has set the night and the day with a measure [suitable for your sustenance]. He knows that you shall not be able to endure this [routine, for long]. He has therefore been kind upon you: Now, recite from the Qur'an [in this prayer] as much as is easily possible for you. [He has been kind upon you because] He knows that among you there shall be those who are unwell and others who have to travel in the land in search of God's blessings and others who have to fight in God's way. Therefore, recite from it [in this prayer] as much as is easily possible for you and establish regular Sala'h, pay Zaka'h and [for the purpose of meeting the requirements of God's religion] lend to God a generous loan^[9]; And [remember] whatever good you forward for yourselves [to the hereafter], you shall find it with God in a much better shape and highly augmented in reward. And [with all this^[10]] continuously seek God's forgiveness. Indeed God is extremely forgiving, extremely merciful.