At-Takwir Verse 17

and the night as it falls

and by the night as it departs,

by the night swarming,

by the night that descends,

And by the night when it departeth,

And the Night as it dissipates;

and by the night as it recedes,

The closing night,

And by oath of the night when it turns back.

by the night as it approaches,

And by the night as it inclines to depart,

And (I call to witness) the night when its darkness begins to depart,

And the night when/if (it) passed/lightened .

And by oath of the night when it turns back.

And the Night when it departs,

And by the night as it departs;

And the morning when it brightens,

And the night when it departs,

And the close of night,

and sit during the day, or by the darkening night

by the night when it approaches

And by the night when it `As`as.

and the night that falls,

And by the night as it recedes.

and [by] the night as it approaches, as it falls with its darkness, or [it means] as it recedes;

And by the night when it `As`as.

There are two opinions about this statement.

- One of them is that this refers to its advancing with its darkness.

Mujahid said, "It means its darkening."

Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "When it begins."

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "When it covers the people."

This was also said by `Atiyah Al-`Awfi.

Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-`Awfi both reported from Ibn `Abbas;
إِذَا عَسْعَسَ
(when it `As`as)

"This means when it goes away."

Mujahid, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak, all said the same.

Zayd bin Aslam and his son Abdur-Rahman also made a similar statement, when they said,
إِذَا عَسْعَسَ
(when it `As`as)

"This means when it leaves, and thus it turns away."

I believe that the intent in Allah's saying,
إِذَا عَسْعَسَ
(when it `As`as) is when it approaches, even though it is correct to use this word for departing also. However, approachment is a more suitable usage here.

It is as if Allah is swearing by the night and its darkness when it approaches, and by the morning and its light when it shines from the east.

This is as Allah says,

وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّى

By the night as it envelops.

By the day as it appears in brightness. (92;1-2)

and He also says,

وَالضُّحَى

وَالَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى

By the forenoon. By the night when it darkens. (93;1-2)

Allah also says,

فَالِقُ الاِصْبَاحِ وَجَعَلَ الَّيْلَ سَكَناً

Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed night for resting. (6;96)

And there are other similar Ayat that mention this.

Many of the scholars of the fundamentals of language have said that the word `As`as is used to mean advancing and retreating, with both meanings sharing the same word. Therefore, it is correct that the intent could be both of them, and Allah knows best.

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ