73. Sura Muzammil (The Enwrapped One)
Mecca Period
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
يَا
أَيُّهَا
الْمُزَّمِّلُ ﴿١﴾
73: 1. O thou folded in garments!
C5754. Muzzammil: Some Commentators understand by this, "properly dressed for prayer", or "folded in a sheet, as one renouncing the vanities of this world.
Muzzammil is one of the titles of our holy Prophet.
But there is a deeper meaning in this and the address "Thou wrapped up" of the next Sura. Human nature requires warm garments and wrappings to protect the body from cold or heat or rain. But in the spiritual world these wrappings are useless: the soul must stand bare and open before Allah, in the silence of the night, but not too austerely, as the following verses show.
قُمِ
اللَّيْلَ
إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿٢﴾
73: 2. Stand (to pray) by night, but not all night --
C5755. The Prophet was prone to austerities in the cave of Hiraa, both before and after he received his mission, spending days and nights in prayer and contemplation. Midnight and after-midnight prayers have technically received the name of Tahajjud.
See also verse 20 below; also 17:79. (R).
نِصْفَهُ
أَوِ انقُصْ
مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا ﴿٣﴾
73: 3. Half of it -- or a little less,
73: 4. Or a little more;
... وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ ...
... and recite the Qur'án in slow, ...
C5756. At this time there was only Surah 96., Surah 68, and possibly Surah 74, and the opening Sura (Al-Hamd).
For us, now, with the whole of the Quran before us, the injunction is specially necessary. The words of the Quran must not be read hastily, merely to get through so much reading. They must be studied, and their deep meaning pondered over. They are themselves so beautiful that they must be lovingly pronounced in rhythmic music.
... تَرْتِيلًا ﴿٤﴾
... measured rhythmic tones.
إِنَّا
سَنُلْقِي
عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا
ثَقِيلًا ﴿٥﴾
73: 5. Soon shall We send down to thee a weighty Message.
C5757. The Quran as completed by degrees, after the Fatrah (see Introduction to this Surah).
إِنَّ
نَاشِئَةَ
اللَّيْلِ هِيَ
أَشَدُّ وَطْءًا
وَأَقْوَمُ
قِيلًا ﴿٦﴾
73: 6. Truly the rising by night is most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (framing) the Word (of Prayer and Praise).
C5758. For contemplation, prayer, and praise, what time can be so suitable as the night, when calm and silence prevail, the voices of the market-place are still, and the silent stars pour forth their eloquence to the discerning soul.
إِنَّ
لَكَ فِي اَلنَّهَارِ
سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا ﴿٧﴾
73: 7. True, there is for thee by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties:
C5759. A prophet of Allah, as a man, a member of a family, or a citizen, has many ordinary duties to perform; and his work may be made difficult and irksome in protecting those who listen to his preaching and are therefore molested and persecuted by the world. But while discharging all his ordinary duties, he should work as in the presence of Allah, and in all matters and at all times retain the sense of Allah's nearness. His work may be on earth, but his heart is in Heaven.
إِنَّ
رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ
أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ
أَدْنَى مِن
ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيْلِ
وَنِصْفَهُ
وَثُلُثَهُ ...
73: 20. The Lord doth know that thou standest forth (to prayer) nigh two-thirds of the night, or half the night, or a third of the night,
C5771. Cf., above, 73:2-4.
The Prophet, and a zealous band of his disciples, were often up, two-thirds of the night, or a half, or a third, rejecting sleep and giving themselves up to Prayer and Praise and the reading of the Quran. They are told that this was too severe a tax on them, especially if their health was affected, or they were on a journey, or they were striving, with might and main, in other ways, for the cause of Allah.
See the lines following.
...وَطَائِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ...
and so doth a party of those with thee.
...وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَعَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ ...
But Allah doth appoint Night and Day in due measure. He knoweth that ye are unable to keep count thereof.
C5772. The usual meaning taken is that the counting of the exact hours of night and day may not be possible for ordinary people, in order to determine exactly the half, or the third, or the two-thirds of a night.
The length of the night and the day varies every day of the solar year, and the precise hour of midnight can only be determined by exact observation in clear skies or by chronometers, which is not possible for everyone.
But I understand it in a wider meaning. Allah fixes night and day in due proportions; for rest and work, and according to seasonal variations. For prayer and praise no meticulous observations of that kind are necessary or possible. Allah's service can be done in many ways as detailed below. But we must give some time to devotion, as may be most easy and convenient to us, in various circumstances of health, travel, and the performance of various duties.
...... فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ...
So He hath turned to you (in mercy): read ye therefore, of the Quran as much as may be easy for you.
C5773. The reading of the Quran here is a part of Prayer and religious devotion. This is not to be made into an obsession or a burden.
Cf. 20:2: -We have not sent down the Quran to thee to be an occasion for thy distress.-
We must do it whole-mindedly, but not by formal mechanical computations.
...عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَى وَآخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ...
He knoweth that there may be (some) among you in ill-health; others travelling through the land,
...يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَآخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ...
seeking of Allah's bounty; yet others fighting in Allah's Cause.
C5774. This refers to Jihad.
The better opinion is that this particular verse was revealed in Madinah, long after the greater part of the Surah.
The reference, further on, to canonical Prayers and regular Charity (Zakah), points to the same conclusion.
...فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ...
Read ye, therefore, as much of the Qur'án as may be easy (for you);
...وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا...
and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan.
C5775. Cf. 2:245, and n. 276, where the meaning of "a Beautiful Loan" is explained.
See also 57:18.
The "Beautiful Loan" should be that of our own souls. We should expect no returns in kind, for that is not possible. But the reward we shall find with Allah will be infinitely greater and nobler.
Cf. the biblical phrase, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matt. 6. 20).
...وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا...
And whatever good ye send forth for your souls, Ye shall find it in Allah's presence -- yea, better and greater, in Reward.
C5776. Any good that we do raises our own spiritual status and dignity. We must not think that when we speak of Allah's service or Allah's Cause, we are doing anything for His benefit: He is independent of all needs whatsoever.
... وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٢٠﴾
And seek ye the Grace of Allah: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
C5777. This emphasizes the need of Allah's Grace. Whatever good we do, our own merits are comparatively small. Allah's Grace must lift us up and blot out our shortcomings. Even in piety there may be an arrogance which may become a sin. We should always seek Allah's Mercy in all humility.
Asad’s Version:
73:1 O THOU enwrapped one! 1 (2) Keep awake [in prayer] at night, all but a small part (3) of one- half thereof 2 - or make it a little less than that, (4) or add to it [at will]; and [during that time] recite the Qur'an calmly and distinctly, with thy mind attuned to its meaning. 3 (5) Behold, We shall bestow upon thee a weighty message (6) [and,] verily, the hours of night the mind most strongly and speak with the clearest voice, 4 (7) whereas by day a long chain of doings is thy portion. But [whether by night or by day,] remember thy Sustainer's name, and devote thyself unto Him with utter devotion.
73:20 BEHOLD, [O Prophet,] thy Sustainer knows that thou keepest awake [in prayer] nearly two- thirds of the night, or one-half of it, or a third of it, together with some of those who follow thee."
And God who determines the measure of night and day, is aware that you would never grudge it: 12 and therefore He turns towards you in His grace. Recite, then, as much of the Qur'an as you may do with ease. He knows that in time there will be among you sick people, and others who will go about the land in search of God's bounty, and others who will fight in God's cause. 13 Recite, then, [only] as much of it as you may do with ease, and be constant in prayer, and spend in charity," and [thus] lend unto God a goodly loan: for whatever good deed you may offer up in your own behalf, you shall truly find it with God - yea, better, and richer
in reward. And [always] seek God's forgiveness: behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace !