73. Al-Muzzammilالمزمل

The Enshrouded One · Meccan · 20 ayahs · 2 rukus

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

یٰۤاَیُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ ۟ۙيٰۤاَيُّهَا الۡمُزَّمِّلُ

O you who are wrapped up in your mantle,

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

قُمِ الَّیْلَ اِلَّا قَلِیْلًا ۟ۙقُمِ الَّيۡلَ اِلَّا قَلِيۡلًا

stand up to pray for much of the night.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

نِّصْفَهٗۤ اَوِ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِیْلًا ۟ۙنِّصۡفَهٗۤ اَوِ انْقُصۡ مِنۡهُ قَلِيۡلًا

It may be half the night or a little less than that

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

اَوْ زِدْ عَلَیْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْاٰنَ تَرْتِیْلًا ۟ؕاَوۡ زِدۡ عَلَيۡهِ وَرَتِّلِ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ تَرۡتِيۡلًا

or a little more, but recite the Quran slowly and distinctly.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 73:1–4

Literally ‘recite the Quran in slow, measured rhythmic tones’. This means ‘recite, paying full attention to the import of the content’. When recited like this, a two-way process between Quran and its reciter comes into play. For him, the Quran is an address or speech by God and his heart starts answering this address at every verse. In the Quran where there is any mention of God’s majesty, the reciter’s entire existence is strongly affected by the realisation of His greatness. When God’s blessings are enumerated in the Quran, the reciter’s heart overflows with gratitude; when God’s retribution is described in the Quran, the reciter trembles on reading it; when an order is laid down in the Quran, the feeling becomes intensified in the reciter that he should become the obedient subject of his Lord by carrying out that order.

اِنَّا سَنُلْقِیْ عَلَیْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِیْلًا ۟اِنَّا سَنُلۡقِىۡ عَلَيۡكَ قَوۡلًا ثَقِيۡلًا‏

For We are about to send down to you a message of considerable gravity.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 73:5

Literally ‘weighty words’ refers to that order for giving warning which is mentioned in the next chapter, ‘Arise and give warning’ (74:2). This means inform people about the hazards of the Hereafter. Undoubtedly this is the most difficult task in the world. For this, the missionary has to stand by the pure and unadulterated Truth, even if he becomes a stranger to all his people. He has to tolerate being tormented by the people, so that the relationship between him and his addressees remains unaffected till the last moment. He has to be unilaterally governed by the principles of patience and avoidance of confrontation, so that his status as da‘i should not be damaged.

اِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ الَّیْلِ هِیَ اَشَدُّ وَطْاً وَّاَقْوَمُ قِیْلًا ۟ؕاِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ الَّيۡلِ هِىَ اَشَدُّ وَطۡـاً وَّاَقۡوَمُ قِيۡلًا

Surely, getting up at night [for worship] is the most potent means of subduing the self and most suitable for the word [of prayer].

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

اِنَّ لَكَ فِی النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِیْلًا ۟ؕاِنَّ لَـكَ فِى النَّهَارِ سَبۡحًا طَوِيۡلًا

You have by day prolonged occupations [with Dawah work].

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ اِلَیْهِ تَبْتِیْلًا ۟ؕوَاذۡكُرِ اسۡمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلۡ اِلَيۡهِ تَبۡتِيۡلًا

Remember the name of your Lord, and devote yourself to Him wholeheartedly.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِیْلًا ۟رَبُّ الۡمَشۡرِقِ وَالۡمَغۡرِبِ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ فَاتَّخِذۡهُ وَكِيۡلًا

He is the Lord of the east and the west, there is no deity but Him, so take Him as your Guardian.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَاصْبِرْ عَلٰی مَا یَقُوْلُوْنَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْرًا جَمِیْلًا ۟وَاصۡبِرۡ عَلٰى مَا يَقُوۡلُوۡنَ وَاهۡجُرۡهُمۡ هَجۡرًا جَمِيۡلًا

Bear patiently with what they say, and ignore them politely.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَذَرْنِیْ وَالْمُكَذِّبِیْنَ اُولِی النَّعْمَةِ وَمَهِّلْهُمْ قَلِیْلًا ۟وَذَرۡنِىۡ وَالۡمُكَذِّبِيۡنَ اُولِى النَّعۡمَةِ وَمَهِّلۡهُمۡ قَلِيۡلًا‏

Leave it to Me to deal with the deniers, who live a life of comfort, and bear with them a little longer.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

اِنَّ لَدَیْنَاۤ اَنْكَالًا وَّجَحِیْمًا ۟ۙاِنَّ لَدَيۡنَاۤ اَنۡـكَالًا وَّجَحِيۡمًا

We have in store for them heavy fetters and a blazing Fire,

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّطَعَامًا ذَا غُصَّةٍ وَّعَذَابًا اَلِیْمًا ۟ۗوَّطَعَامًا ذَا غُصَّةٍ وَّعَذَابًا اَلِيۡمًا

food that chokes and painful punishment

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

یَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الْاَرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَكَانَتِ الْجِبَالُ كَثِیْبًا مَّهِیْلًا ۟يَوۡمَ تَرۡجُفُ الۡاَرۡضُ وَالۡجِبَالُ وَكَانَتِ الۡجِبَالُ كَثِيۡبًا مَّهِيۡلًا

on the Day the earth and mountains shall shake and the mountains crumble into shifting sand dunes.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 73:6–14

Delivering the call for acceptance of the Truth means initiating the most difficult campaign. One who does so becomes persona non grata in his entire surroundings. In such conditions, the only Being whom the preacher of Truth finds as his sympathiser and supporter is his Lord. He not only goes on remembering his God in his heart, but he also stands before Him during the night. Night time is the time of leisure. In the dead silence of night man finds a better opportunity to turn towards God with full concentration. In the path of the mission of Truth, strewn as it is with difficulties, this is the only real weapon which the missionary has.

It is the way of a true preacher that, when he is troubled by an addressee, he does not inveigh against or argue with him, but rushes towards God. He abstains from negative reaction till the last moment. And to continue to work, rising above such a reaction, is the essential condition which makes a man a missionary of the Truth in the real sense.

اِنَّاۤ اَرْسَلْنَاۤ اِلَیْكُمْ رَسُوْلًا ۙ۬— شَاهِدًا عَلَیْكُمْ كَمَاۤ اَرْسَلْنَاۤ اِلٰی فِرْعَوْنَ رَسُوْلًا ۟ؕاِنَّاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡكُمۡ رَسُوۡلًا شَاهِدًا عَلَيۡكُمۡ كَمَاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنَاۤ اِلٰى فِرۡعَوۡنَ رَسُوۡلًا

We have sent a messenger who is a witness over you, just as We sent a messenger to Pharoah before you.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

فَعَصٰی فِرْعَوْنُ الرَّسُوْلَ فَاَخَذْنٰهُ اَخْذًا وَّبِیْلًا ۟فَعَصٰى فِرۡعَوۡنُ الرَّسُوۡلَ فَاَخَذۡنٰهُ اَخۡذًا وَّبِيۡلًا

But Pharoah rebelled against the messenger, so We seized him with a strong, crushing grip.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

فَكَیْفَ تَتَّقُوْنَ اِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ یَوْمًا یَّجْعَلُ الْوِلْدَانَ شِیْبَا ۟ۗۖفَكَيۡفَ تَتَّقُوۡنَ اِنۡ كَفَرۡتُمۡ يَوۡمًا يَّجۡعَلُ الۡوِلۡدَانَ شِيۡبَا

If you persist in denying the truth how will you escape the Day that will turn the children’s hair grey.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

١لسَّمَآءُ مُنْفَطِرٌ بِهٖ ؕ— كَانَ وَعْدُهٗ مَفْعُوْلًا ۟اۨلسَّمَآءُ مُنۡفَطِرٌ ۢ بِهٖ‌ؕ كَانَ وَعۡدُهٗ مَفۡعُوۡلًا

The Day when the heavens will be rent asunder and God’s promise shall be fulfilled.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

اِنَّ هٰذِهٖ تَذْكِرَةٌ ۚ— فَمَنْ شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰی رَبِّهٖ سَبِیْلًا ۟۠اِنَّ هٰذِهٖ تَذۡكِرَةٌ ‌ ۚ فَمَنۡ شَآءَ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰى رَبِّهٖ سَبِيۡلًا

This, surely, is an admonition. So let him who will, take the right path to his Lord.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 73:15–19

The arrival of a prophet was meant to ensure that the distinction between Truth and falsehood was clearly understood and that, finally, the Truth was opted for. Such a decision about these alternatives had taken place earlier between Moses and Pharaoh. Then the same type of decision had to be arrived at between the Prophet Muhammad and the Quraysh. Those who do not bow down before the missionary of God in this world, run the risk of having to bow down before God’s punishment in the Hereafter.

اِنَّ رَبَّكَ یَعْلَمُ اَنَّكَ تَقُوْمُ اَدْنٰی مِنْ  الَّیْلِ وَنِصْفَهٗ وَثُلُثَهٗ وَطَآىِٕفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِیْنَ مَعَكَ ؕ— وَاللّٰهُ یُقَدِّرُ الَّیْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ؕ— عَلِمَ اَنْ لَّنْ تُحْصُوْهُ فَتَابَ عَلَیْكُمْ فَاقْرَءُوْا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْاٰنِ ؕ— عَلِمَ اَنْ سَیَكُوْنُ مِنْكُمْ مَّرْضٰی ۙ— وَاٰخَرُوْنَ یَضْرِبُوْنَ فِی الْاَرْضِ یَبْتَغُوْنَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللّٰهِ ۙ— وَاٰخَرُوْنَ یُقَاتِلُوْنَ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ ۖؗ— فَاقْرَءُوْا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۙ— وَاَقِیْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَاَقْرِضُوا اللّٰهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا ؕ— وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوْا لِاَنْفُسِكُمْ مِّنْ خَیْرٍ تَجِدُوْهُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ هُوَ خَیْرًا وَّاَعْظَمَ اَجْرًا ؕ— وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللّٰهَ ؕ— اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِیْمٌ ۟۠اِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعۡلَمُ اَنَّكَ تَقُوۡمُ اَدۡنىٰ مِنۡ ثُلُثَىِ الَّيۡلِ وَ نِصۡفَهٗ وَثُلُثَهٗ وَطَآئِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِيۡنَ مَعَكَ‌ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُقَدِّرُ الَّيۡلَ وَالنَّهَارَ‌ؕ عَلِمَ اَنۡ لَّنۡ تُحۡصُوۡهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ‌ فَاقۡرَءُوۡا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنِ‌ؕ عَلِمَ اَنۡ سَيَكُوۡنُ مِنۡكُمۡ مَّرۡضٰى‌ۙ وَاٰخَرُوۡنَ يَضۡرِبُوۡنَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ يَبۡتَغُوۡنَ مِنۡ فَضۡلِ اللّٰهِ‌ۙ وَاٰخَرُوۡنَ يُقَاتِلُوۡنَ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ ۖ فَاقۡرَءُوۡا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنۡهُ‌ ۙ وَاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَاَقۡرِضُوا اللّٰهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنًا‌ ؕ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوۡا لِاَنۡفُسِكُمۡ مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ تَجِدُوۡهُ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ هُوَ خَيۡرًا وَّاَعۡظَمَ اَجۡرًا‌ ؕ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرُوا اللّٰهَ ‌ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ

Your Lord knows that you stand up praying for nearly two-thirds of the night, or one-half of it and sometimes one third of it, as do others among your followers. God determines the measure of night and day. He knows that you will not be able to do it, so He has turned to you in mercy. Recite, then, as much of the Quran as is easy for you. He knows that there will be some among you who may be sick and others who will be travelling throughout the land seeking God’s bounty, and yet others who may be fighting for the cause of God. So, recite, then as much of it as you are able, and be constant in prayer, and spend in charity, and give to God a goodly loan. For whatever good deed you send on before you for your souls, you will find it with God. It will be improved and richly rewarded by Him. Seek God’s forgiveness, He is most forgiving, most merciful.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 73:20

The compulsory duties in religion have been set forth in terms of the common man’s capabilities. But these duties indicate only the minimum of compulsory limits. Beyond these limits there are certain requirements, but these are of a voluntary nature, for example, the offering of the post-midnight prayer (tahajjud) in addition to the five compulsory prayers (fard salat) said at different times throughout the day, or charity in addition to the prescribed alms-giving (zakat), etc. This is the test of a man’s devoutness to see how many more good deeds he performs, thus making himself eligible for greater rewards.