CHAPTER 73: AL-MUZZAMMIL (THE ENSHROUDED ONE /WRAPPED IN GARMENTS)

It was revealed in the Mecca period. It consists of 20 verses. Verses 11 and 20 were revealed in Medina. The word in the first verse became the name of the surah. (H. T. FEYIZLI, 1/573)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

73/1-4 STAND UP AND PRAY AT NIGHT

Translation

1- O you wrapped in garments,

2- Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little—

3- Half of it—or subtract from it a little

4- Or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation.

Commentary

(1) ‘O you wrapped in garments!’ When the angel brought the first revelation to Prophet Muhammad in the year 610 AD in the Cave of Hira, he returned trembling from its majesty and wrapped himself in his cloak, saying to Khadija, "Cover me." Thereupon, Gabriel (as) came and brought the verse "O you enveloped [in garments]" (Muddathir 74/1), followed by "O you wrapped in garments" (Muzzammil 73/1). (From Bukhari and Muslim; H. DONDUREN, 2/925)

According to the narration of Abu Nuaym from Jabir (ra), the pagans gathered at Daru’n Nadwa and discussed which title to give the Prophet—titles such as "poet, soothsayer, madman, or a sorcerer who divides people"—and settled on the last one. When this news reached the Messenger of Allah, he became grieved and lay down, wrapping himself in his clothes. Then the angel came and conveyed this revelation. (From Qurtubi and Alusi; H. DONDUREN, 2/925)

‘(O Messenger!) Arise during the night, except for a little’ The term "qiyam" (rising) at night expresses comprehensive meanings depending on the purpose. As understood from the following instructions like "recite the Qur'an slowly," "remember the name of your Lord," and "turn to your Lord," the purpose here is "to stand up for worship." (ELMALILI, 8/395)

In the beginning, night worship was made obligatory (fard) for both our Prophet (pbuh) and the Muslims. They stood and prayed until their feet swelled. With the 20th verse, this worship was lightened for the Muslims, but its obligatoriness continued for our Master (pbuh) by command. (cf. Isra 17/79) This worship, mostly known as "Tahajjud," has been accepted as an important sunnah for other Muslims. (O. CELIK, 5/271)

(2, 3, 4) ‘Except for a little’ Arise during the night except for a small portion of it. How much? ‘Half of it—or subtract from it a little’ Arise for less than half, but let this reduction not be more than a quarter of the night; arise for at least a quarter. Because subtracting more than half of the half would be too much. ‘Or add to it’ Pray more than half, which could be up to two-thirds or even three-quarters of the night. (ELMALILI, 8/395, 396)

Hadith: "The most virtuous prayer after the obligatory prayers is the prayer performed at night." (Tirmidhi Salat 324; I. KARAGOZ,8/266)

‘Recite the Qur'an with measured recitation (tartil).’ The second instruction given to our Master (pbuh) is to "recite the Holy Qur'an with tartil." Tartil means reciting the Holy Qur'an slowly, word by word, paying attention to the rules of tajwid and the articulation of letters, while reflecting on its meaning. (O. CELIK, 5/271)

The Qur'an was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) with tajwid. The Noble Messenger recited it and taught it with tajwid. Muslims have passed down how the Qur'an should be read with tajwid from generation to generation by receiving it from the Prophet. Scholars of recitation have determined the rules of tajwid and written many books on this subject. Islamic scholars have accepted the science of tajwid as one of the sciences that is fard al-ayn (individual obligation) for every Muslim to learn. (S. HAWWA, 15/411)

Hadith: "Recite the Qur'an. For the Qur'an will intercede for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection." (Muslim Musafirin 252; I. KARAGOZ,8/268)

73/5-14 TURN TO HIM WITH ALL YOUR BEING

Translation

5- Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.

6- Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words.

7- Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation.

8- And remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with [complete] devotion.

9- [He is] the Lord of the East and the West; there is no deity except Him, so take Him as a Disposer of affairs.

10- And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.

11- And leave Me with [the matter of] the deniers, possessors of ease [and wealth], and allow them respite a little.

12- Indeed, with Us [for them] are shackles and burning fire

13- And food that chokes and a painful punishment—

14- On the Day the earth and the mountains will quake and the mountains will become a heap of sand flowing down.

Commentary

(5) ‘Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.’ That is, the command to perform the night prayer was given to you so that "it may develop in you the power of endurance to carry this heavy word We have loaded upon you." This power will emerge if you leave the comfort of the night and spend approximately half of it in worship. The Quran is called a "heavy word" because implementing its commands, forming an exemplary life according to its instructions, facing the whole world while making its call, and creating a revolution in the order of belief, thought, morality, culture, and civilization according to this book is a difficult mission. (MAWDUDI, 6/457)

What is meant by "heavy word" is this Quran and the obligations it contains. The Quran is not actually heavy; it is a book that is easy to read and understand. However, it is heavy in terms of its "weight on the scale of truth" and its "impact on hearts." As a matter of fact, Almighty Allah says in another verse: "If We had sent down this Quran upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah." (al-Hashr 59/21). But Almighty Allah did not send the Quran to a mountain, but to a heart capable of perceiving it and more solid, more unshakable than a mountain. (S. KUTUB, 10/248)

Hadith: (...) When the Noble Prophet (pbuh) was asked "How does revelation come to you?", he replied: "Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell. That is the hardest form of revelation for me. As soon as that state passes from me, I have thoroughly memorized what the angel said. Sometimes the angel appears to me in human form and speaks to me. And I thoroughly memorize what he says." (From Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Muwatta; I. H. BURSEVI, 22/405)

(6) ‘Indeed, the rising at night (for worship) is more suitable and more effective in terms of recitation.’ The point intended to be emphasized in this verse is that the night time is more conducive to worshiping in peace and tranquility, and for reflection (tafakkur) and remembrance (tadhakkur), due to its silence, seclusion, and coolness. For this reason, Almighty Allah wants us to be alone with Him during a time interval when all living beings fall asleep and are in a state of semi-death, and to worship away from all kinds of hypocrisy (riya). Because night is essentially a time for rest. Therefore, leaving the night rest and rising for worship is contrary to human nature, but it is a very effective way to bring the nafs (ego) under control. In this way, a person achieves a harmony between their heart and tongue. For during the night hours, no obstacle can come between Allah and the servant. That is, in this state, whatever a person says with their tongue, they also say with their heart. Thus, an accord is established between the heart and the tongue. This gives great happiness and pleasure to the person. Therefore, rising at night for worship, reflection, and contemplation, and fulfilling the duty of servitude to Allah Almighty away from all kinds of riya (visual showing off) and sum'a (verbal showing off), is the summary of the message this verse wants to give to humanity. To fulfill this message, it is necessary to rise after sleeping for a while and worship during a certain part of the night. (M. DEMIRCI, 3/448)

(7) ‘Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation.’ Here, the Prophet (pbuh) and his ummah in his person are reminded that during the days they will be more occupied with providing for their livelihood, conveying the Quran, teaching the religion, and other works, and they will be running around for such purposes; for this reason, the night is a more suitable time for acts of worship such as prayer and reciting the Quran. (QUR’AN WAY, 5/487)

(8) ‘And remember the name of your Lord’ Remember Him day and night. Saying "SubhanAllah", "La ilaha illAllah", "Allahu Akbar", exalting Allah, performing prayer, reciting the Quran, teaching knowledge, giving advice for the sake of Allah and showing the way—things the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was occupied with at all hours of the day and night—are included in this. ‘Devote yourself to Him with complete devotion.’ Withdraw yourself from everything and withdraw to your Lord; be sincerely occupied with His commands and obedience. Let the worldly occupations, goals, and interests in which you swim never occupy your heart. Tabattul linguistically means "to cut off." As a matter of fact, Mary (as) was called "Batul" because she cut off her connection with everything and worshiped Allah. (ELMALILI, 8/400)

(9) ‘(Allah) is the Lord of the East and the West.’ He is the owner and disposer of the East and the West. There is no deity except Him. Just as you worship only Him, put your trust only in Him, and take Him as your disposer of affairs (wakil). (S. HAWWA, 15/403)

‘There is no deity except Him. So take Him as a Disposer of affairs.’ Want Him to handle all your affairs. In all conscious desires, walk in the direction of His command and judgment; rely on Him. Do not walk according to your own desires or the desires of others. His will and power are valid in every matter. However, every thought and ambition that does not comply with His judgment is vain and invalid. He is sufficient to improve and correct all your affairs and to overcome those who will show hostility to you. (ELMALILI, 8/400, 401)

(10) ‘And be patient over what they say,’ "Be patient over their words about My taking a spouse and child, and about you being a magician or a poet." (From Nasafi; S. HAWWA, 15/404)

‘And avoid them with gracious avoidance.’ What is meant by "avoiding them" is not to stop conveying the message to them. It is only intended to mean: do not take them as addressees when they say vain things. Do not respond to their rudeness and do not be angry or resentful towards them. (MAWDUDI, 6/459)

The Messenger of Allah’s "distancing himself in an appropriate manner" from the attackers has been interpreted as avoiding engaging in arguments and conflicts with them or responding to them, rather than physical distancing. Indeed, until the Hijrah, the Prophet’s attitude was as specified here. (QUR’AN WAY, 5/487)

(11) ‘And leave Me with (the matter of) the deniers, possessors of ease, and allow them respite a little.’ As is known in our language, saying "leave him to me" means "I will completely take care of him." That is, "do not tire yourself, do not worry, just leave them to Me and do not hurry, give them a little time, not much; I am sufficient to completely overcome them and give them their punishment." (ELMALILI, 8/402)

This indicates the following: In Mecca, those who denied and incited the bigotry of the people against the Messenger of Allah with various tricks were the wealthy ones of their tribes. Because the call to the Islamic revolution affected them. The Holy Quran informs us that this was not something directed only at Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). This class of the wealthy always opposed such reformist movements. (MAWDUDI, 6/459)

(12, 13) ‘Indeed, with Us (for them) are shackles, a burning fire, food that chokes, and a painful punishment.’ The 12th verse indicates that their (the Meccan pagans') punishment does not end in this world, and they will be punished with the fire of hell in the hereafter as well. The word "enkal," which we translated as "shackles," also means "handcuffs, fetters, iron rings." Accordingly, the verse points out that the criminals will be driven to hell with their hands handcuffed, feet shackled, and rings placed around their necks. Commentators have said that what is meant by "food that chokes" is the Zaqqum tree and dry thorns. (cf. Ghashiya 88/6; from Shawkani; QUR’AN WAY, 5/488)

(14) ‘On the Day the earth and the mountains will quake and the mountains will become a heap of sand flowing down.’ Because then gravity will no longer exist. The mountains will be shattered and will first become a heap of sand, then the earth will shake with an earthquake, and thus these hills will collapse and become flat. The same matter is also explained in Surah Taha 105-107. (MAWDUDI, 6/459)

73/15-19 BEWARE OF THAT DAY WHICH WILL TURN CHILDREN INTO GREY-HAIRED ELDERS

Translation

15- Indeed, We have sent to you a messenger as a witness over you just as We sent to Pharaoh a messenger.

16- But Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger, so We seized him with a ruinous seizure.

17- Then how can you fear, if you disbelieve, a Day that will make the children white-haired [old]?

18- The heaven will break apart therefrom; ever is His promise fulfilled.

19- Indeed, this is a reminder; so whoever wills may take to his Lord a way.

Commentary

(15) ‘(O disbelievers!) We have sent to you a messenger as a witness over you; just as We sent to Pharaoh a messenger.’ The meaning intended by the expression "will be a witness" is that "this messenger will testify on the Day of Judgment to the denial and rebellion you have committed." This witnesshood of the Prophet (pbuh) will be not only for you but also for other nations, as stated in the verse: "So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and We bring you, [O Muhammad], against these [people] as a witness?" (an-Nisa 4/41). (I. H. BURSEVI, 22/422)

(16) ‘But Pharaoh disobeyed that Messenger. So We seized him with a 'heavy punishment'.’ "Therefore, avoid denying this messenger. Otherwise, what happened to Pharaoh will happen to you. So much so that Allah seized him as an Exalted and Powerful one seizes. If you deny your prophet, you will be more deserving of destruction. Because your prophet is more honorable and greater than Moses b. Imran." (From Ibn Kathir; S. HAWWA, 15/405, 406)

(17) ‘If you disbelieve, how will you protect yourselves from that day which will make even children grey-haired elders (from its intensity)?’ This is such a terrifying, such an intensely painful day. (ELMALILI, 8/404)

The whitening of children's hair when the Day of Judgment breaks out is a metaphor for the horror of the Resurrection. The severity of the Resurrection is reported in the second verse of Surah Al-Hajj as follows: "Every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant woman will drop her load [fetus]. And you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe." (I. KARAGOZ,8/276)

Hadith: "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty says, 'O Adam.' Adam replies: 'Labbayk (at Your service), I am ready for Your every command, all goodness is in Your hands.' Allah says: 'Bring out and send the people of Hell.' Adam asks: 'How many are the people of Hell?' Allah Almighty says: 'Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every thousand people are destined for Hell.' The Prophet (pbuh) continued: 'That is the time when the child becomes an elder and every pregnant woman drops her child.'" (From Bukhari Anbiya 7, Muslim Iman 319; I. H. BURSEVI, 22/425, 426)

(18) ‘The heaven will break apart because of (the horror of) that day.’ It is such a terrifying day that not only will the mountains melt and children grow old, but even that high heaven will be split and separated; the divine command will come and a new world will be established. (ELMALILI, 8/404)

‘His promise is ever fulfilled.’ The word regarding the arrival of that day will have been realized. Or the threat of Almighty Allah regarding the arrival of that day will have been carried out. Ibn Kathir: "That day will surely occur and it will not be possible to escape from that day." (S. HAWWA, 15/406)

(19) ‘Indeed, these (verses) are a 'reminder and warning'. So whoever wills may choose a path leading to his Lord.’ The purpose of "tadhkira / reminder" is to advise people, to encourage them toward the good, the beautiful, and the right, and to remind them of divine truths. The Quran is a reminder: "So remind, if the reminder should benefit. He who fears [Allah] will be reminded." (87/9, 10). "And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers." (51/55; I. KARAGOZ,8/277)

73/20 GIVE ALLAH A GOODLY LOAN WITH A WILLING HEART

Translation

20- Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two-thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the measure of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] could not enumerate it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling through the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves—you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Commentary

(20) "Recite what is easy for you from the Qur'an." Ibn Kathir says: "Perform the tahajjud prayer by rising at night in a way that is easy for you, without specifying a certain time. In the verse, prayer is expressed with the word 'recitation' (qiraat)." (al-Isra 17/10; S. HAWWA, 15/408)

While the majority of jurists, based on this verse and the hadith "There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Fatiha," state that reciting the Fatiha in every rak'ah of the prayers is "fard" (obligatory); the Hanafis, taking this verse and the Prophet's hadith to the person who performed the prayer deficiently, "Recite what is easy for you of what you know of the Qur'an," as evidence, have stated that absolute recitation in prayer is "fard," while reciting the Fatiha is in the status of "wajib" (necessary). According to the view that is the basis for the fatwa among Hanafis, the fard recitation in prayer is fulfilled by reciting "three short verses or one long verse." (H. DONDUREN, 2/926)

"He knows that there will be among you those who are ill, those who travel through the land seeking Allah's bounty, and those who fight in the way of Allah." Night worship is difficult for the sick, for those traveling to earn a living through trade or to seek knowledge; and the mujahideen cannot carry out night worship and war together. (S. HAWWA, 15/408)

This verse, and even the entire surah, was revealed in Mecca. At that time, war had not yet been made permissible. This is one of the greatest proofs that Muhammad (pbuh) is a prophet, because it is of the nature of giving news about the future. (S. HAWWA, 15/416)

"So recite what is easy for you from it." That is, perform the night prayer as much as is easy for you, without estimating it as a third of the night or otherwise (even if it is for the duration of milking a sheep). This can be four rak'ahs, or it can be two rak'ahs. The verse says "recite," but "perform prayer" is intended. That is, "recitation," which is a part of the prayer, is mentioned, and the act of performing prayer is intended by it. Thus, it emerges that the tahajjud prayer is an optional / elective prayer. (I. H. BURSEVI, 22/432, 433)

"... establish prayer." Ibn Abbas, Ikrima, Mujahid, Hasan, Qatada, and many of the salaf say that this verse has abolished the ruling regarding the tahajjud prayer, which was previously made obligatory upon the Muslims. However, different views have been put forward regarding the period between the obligation and the abrogation. (S. HAWWA, 15/417)

"... and give Allah a goodly loan with a willing heart." The charities requested to be given here are supererogatory (nafila) charities. (S. HAWWA, 15/409)

Hadith: "When half or two-thirds of the night has passed, Allah Almighty descends to the nearest heaven (with His mercy) and calls out: 'Is there anyone asking, that he may be given? Is there anyone supplicating, that his supplication may be accepted? Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, that he may be forgiven?' This situation continues until morning." (Muslim Salat 172; I. KARAGOZ,8/281)

The person who gives charity separates the amount he gives from his wealth and spends it in the way of Allah. In the verse, so that the rich person does not remind the poor person of the debt to his face, Allah attributed the giving of the debt to Himself. Because the poor person helps the rich person in performing this good deed. Thus, the rich person is not doing a favor to the poor person; on the contrary, the poor person is doing a favor to the rich person. (From Nasafi; S. HAWWA, 15/418)

Hadith al-Qudsi: "O My servants! You commit sins by night and by day. I forgive all sins. Therefore, seek My forgiveness and I will forgive you." (Muslim Birr wa Sila 54; I. KARAGOZ,8/284)