Tafsir of Surah Al-Muzzammil (73) - 1/4

'A'udhu billahi min al-Shaytan al-rajim, Bismillah, al-Rahman, al-Rahim. Al-hamdulillah Rabbi 'l-alameen, wa sallaLlahu 'ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa aalihi at-tahireen. Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa aali Muhammad.

InshaAllah, we start to discuss Surah Al-Muzammil, chapter 73 of the Qur'an. Now this Surah, they say that it is one of the first Surahs revealed to the Prophet. Some say the third Surah revealed to the Prophet, peace be upon him. However, the content of this Surah is not supporting the idea, except if we say, for example, the first few verses were revealed initially and then later on other verses were added to it.

And therefore, we just leave it as an unknown sort of question. Which date when this was revealed, we do not know. And even the exegesists, they are disagreeing whether this Surah was revealed in Mecca or in Medina, because the last verse of this Surah, which is a very long verse, is clearly, clearly a Madani ayah, it is in Medina. However, the verses prior to that may be something which would have been revealed in Medina or maybe revealed in Mecca.

So we start to discuss the content now. 'A'udhu billahi min al-Shaytan al-rajim, Bismillah, al-Rahman, al-Rahim. "Ya ayyuhal muzzammil" (73:1) - oh you wrapped up in your mantle, "Ya ayyuhal muzzammil". Muzzammil means mutazzamill. This "ta' " and "za' "have actually combined in each other and it has become Muzzammil. Mutazzamill is someone who is wrapped up in a mantle. So "tazzamalal rajulu bi thawbihi" means "tallaffafa bihi", someone who has this tazzamul means has wrapped up itself with a cloak or something.

Now, why the Prophet has been addressed - everyone agrees that this address is to the Prophet peace be upon him. "Ya ayyuhal muzzammil"(73:1), it is addressed to the Prophet. Why the Prophet is called by this address, "al-muzzammil", oh you have wrapped up yourself or wrapped up in your mantle. What does that mean? Now, there are different opinions about that. I will mention those opinions and then you can decide which opinion is closer to reality, considering the verses which comes after that.

Now, one of the views is that when Jibra'il came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, the first revelation was very difficult for him. And he actually imagined that this was something evil, this was not something good. So he came back home and he wrapped himself up in the cloak and was shivering. And then the revelation came to him that, Oh you are wrapped up in your mantle, "Qum il-layla illa qaleela"(73:2), stand up in prayer during the night.

Now, this does not sound very reasonable for two very clear reasons. One is that, as I mentioned, there was no such thing as Prophet thinking that he was possessed by jinn or something evil. Of course, some may say that the revelation was so heavy to him, the first revelation, that he felt a bit unwell and that is why he came and wrapped himself up in the mantle. That is plausible. But even if we say that, the second question is why while he was wrapping himself up and shivering, then Allah says "Qum il-layla" stand up in the night and pray. It does not make very much sense. So we discard this idea that because Prophet was ill or because he was afraid that he was possessed or something, and Allah is calling him in this manner.

The other meaning is that "Oh you have put on your cloak" for prayer. That is another possible meaning, that you have prepared yourself for prayer. Now I tell you that you have to pray at night. Half of it or two thirds or third of it, which we will discuss later.

The third opinion is that Prophet actually was sleeping, wrapping himself in a cloak, when this verse was revealed to him that "Oh you who are sleeping in a cloak, stand up for prayer." This is a more realistic thing actually, to say.

And one other opinion is mentioned by Ikramah, who was a student of Abdullah ibn Abbas, he says that, "Ya ayyuhal ladhi zammalla amran 'adheema" - Oh you who have taken upon yourself - Zammalla means, as I said, wrapping, you are taking upon yourself - Oh you have taken upon yourself a very grand and huge responsibility. That is the responsibility of Risala, of conveying the message. And therefore is "Izdamalal haml", "Ihtamalal haml" - he took upon himself some responsibility. And this may also have some reason or rationale behind it that we say, "Ya ayyuhal Muzzammil", Oh you who have the responsibility of conveying the message.

Ikramah was one of the tabi'oon, he was close to the companions of the Prophet, if they have understood it in this way, it means there was a rationale for it that "Muzzamil" means someone who has taken a responsibility which is so huge. And for that responsibility, you have to be prepared. You have to be, somehow you have to exercise yourself, take some exercise, spiritual exercise for that. Now, what is that spiritual exercise?

Therefore, before coming to this spiritual exercise that Allah is mentioning, we say, "Ya ayyuhal Muzammil"(73:1) - either the Prophet was sleeping having a cloak upon himself, and the revelation came down, it is not now the time to sleep, you have to wake up. You have to do preparation for some sort of responsibility, obviously, which is coming to you. And the second is - Oh you who have taken up this responsibility on yourself.

Now, what is this spiritual exercise? "Qumil layla illa qaleela"(73:2) , stand vigil through the night except a little. Now, this vigil through the night is very important, as is explained later on. Except a little - Allah explains what we mean by that. "Nisfahu aw inqus minhu qaleela"(73:3), half of the night, you stand in prayer half of the night.

Now if you say that night is about eight hours or if the night is about eight hours, or say for example, ten hours, it means that you have to stand in prayer for five hours or four hours, whether from the beginning of the night or towards the end of the night, which will discuss later on. But it is important that this spiritual exercise should take place during the night. That is what is important here. Now we will explain, the verse explains later on verses explain why that is important.

So "Nisfahu ow inqus minhu qaleela" (73:3), half of it, or just reduced from half, a little bit less than half. "Aw zidd 'aleyhi"(73:4) - or you add to it more than half - "wa ratill al Qur'ana tarteela"(73:4)- and recite the Qur'an in a measured manner. Tarteel of the Qur'an is when you recite it in a way that all the words, letters are pronounced correctly, clearly, and the meanings are clearly shown to you in your mind. They are clearly manifested, the meanings to you. This is reading in tarteel - "wa ratill al Qur'ana tarteela"(73:4). So tarteel means to recite correctly and to actually clarify both the wording and the meaning for yourself.

Now, why you should do this? Why I am telling you that you have to stand up during the night, you have to do prayer half of the night, more than half of the night. This is of course, for the Prophet. We cannot do that certainly, as the following verse would explain.

"Inna sanulqee 'alayka qawlan thaqeela"(73:5), We are indeed going to cast on you a weighty word. "Inna sanulqee 'alayka qawlan thaqeela" (73:5), this is the reason. This spiritual exercise is to prepare you to receive something heavy, something grand. And in this situation that you are, you are not able to receive it.

Now, what is the meaning of "qawlan thaqeela", a weighty word, "Inna sanulqee 'alayka qawlan thaqeela"(73:5), We are going to cast on you a weighty word. One of the meanings of weighty word is "kalaaman 'adheema", a very great message. A great message. We are going to - if this is at the very beginning of the Qur'an, He says We are going to of course reveal the rest of the Qur'an which is a heavy message, which is a grand and great message. And therefore you have to be prepared for it.

Now, why it is important that for receiving this message, Prophet should pray during the night? Because during the night people have, as will be explained later on, have some sort of retreat from daily occupation, because the soul is more prepared to receive spiritual things from the spiritual world, from Allah, from angels, the soul is very prepared for that. And it is impossible without that, that anyone could receive such grand messages from the spiritual world.

And that is why you see that most of the mystics of any religion, they have this night vigilance. It is very important, no one can ever attain high rank in spiritual stations except through night rituals. In the night, we will explain later on, because Allah explains it later on, "Inna naashia'tal layli hiya ashaddu wat'an"(73:6), we will explain that later on.

Now the other meaning of "Inna sanulqee 'alayka qawlan thaqeela" (73:5)."Qawlan thaqeela", one meaning was "qawlan 'adheema", a very grand message. The other meaning of "Qawlan thaqeela" is reported from Hassan al-Basri, means "innahu thaqeelun fil mizan", what We are going to give you in terms of instructions, other things, is going to weigh very heavy in the balance on the Day of Judgment. So "thaqeel" is that meaning, it is very heavy in the balance on the Day of Judgment. And this means that there are lots of benefits in this message that We are going to reveal to you, "qawlan thaqeela".

The other meaning of "qawlan thaqeela" which may actually - (how am I going to eat this while I am speaking?) - the other meaning of "qawlan thaqeela" means that this message, this word that We are going to send down to you would weigh heavy upon you, as we had when revelation came directly to the Prophet without mediation of Jibra'il, it was very heavy for the Prophet. Prophet sweated very strongly and sometimes he fainted, sometimes he shivered, for example, all these different things which happened to him. It means that this word is heavy for your bodily construction. Your soul receives it, but for your body it is very heavy, if it comes.

Of course, you know that the "wahy" revelation came down to the Prophet in two different ways. One was when Jibra'il brought the message for him in form of a human being. That was the easiest. In fact, the higher realm came to the level of the Prophet's and talked to him, so it was very easy for him. At times, he had to go up to the higher realm, and Allah directly revealed things to his heart, and that was very heavy on him, it took a toll on his body. And that is another meaning of "Inna sanulqee 'alayka qawlan thaqeela"(73:5), this word would weigh heavily upon you, so you have to prepare and you have to do spiritual exercise for that.

And the other meaning, which one of the other exegesis has mentioned is: "thaqeel" is heavy, isn't it? Heavy things are difficult to move and to remove. And this message that We are going to send down to you, no one can remove it after it comes down. After it comes down, no one can remove this message. No one can remove this haqq from the face of the earth. "Qul: jaa'al haqq wa ma yubdi'ul baatilu wa ma yu'eed" (34:49)- in Surah Saba', say Haqq has come, Baatil cannot initiate anything anymore, cannot restore things. Because this qawl is so heavy, this message is so heavy that no one can remove it from the face of the earth. In fact it is the realisation of what Allah says, "Inna nahnu nazzalnal dhikra wa inna lahu lahaafidhoon"(15:9), We have sent down this reminder and We are going to protect it. And protection makes it heavy, that no one can remove this word, no one can remove this message.

OK. Why I ask you to wake up during the night, why I ask you to do this very difficult worship in this manner? You know, waking up during the night is very difficult. Night is a time when our body wants to somehow switch off and gain strength that we have lost during the day. And it is very difficult to wake up during the night to pray and all these things. So why Allah is asking this from his Prophet? Of course, Allah has not made this obligatory upon us. Some say it was obligatory upon the Prophet, peace be upon him, but the meaning of obligatory and recommended for the Prophet is very different from our sort of obligation towards them. It is very different. Some things which Allah advises the Prophet to do, Prophet never would abandon it, even though it may not be obligatory upon him.

So why I am telling you to do this at night, not during the day? Well, during the day, of course, it explains this further, during the day, you are occupied with many other things. However, what is important is this: "Inna naashi'atal layli hiya ashaddu wat'an wa aqwamu qeela"(73:6). Indeed, the worship of the nights is firmly entrenched and more upright in respect to speech. Now, this does not make much sense, I have to explain this word by word so it makes sense, what does it mean here, "Inna naashi'atal layli hiya ashaddu wat'an wa aqwamu qeela" (73:6).

Now, "naashi'atal layl" - "naashi'a" has two meanings. One meaning is the time, the hours of the night, the hours of the night in itself has some quality, which is important, "naashi'atal layl". The other meaning of "naashi'a" is from "ansha'a", "yunshi'u", is from "nasha'at", "tansha'u", "nash'atan", "nashi'atan". Now the other meaning of this "naashi'a" means what happens during the night.

So "inna naashi'atal layl"(73:6), the hours of the nights, "hiya ashaddu wat'an wa aqwamu qeela"(73:6), or what happens during the nights is "ashaddu wat'an wa aqwamu qeela"(73:6). Now we have to explain what is "ashaddu wat'an", what is "aqwamu qeela", that is a different issue. However, when you say "naashi'atal layl", "naashi'atal layl" may mean watches of the night, hours of the night, or it may mean what happens during the nights.

Now, "naashi'atal layl hiya ashaddu wat'an". "Naashi'atal layl" - again, another meaning for "naashi'atal layl" is to wake up after sleeping. This is why usually when we say Salatul Layl should be done towards the dawn, to wake up after sleeping, it is another meaning for "naashi'atal layl".

So I had said two meanings, three meanings now you can imagine for "naashi'atal layl". One meaning is to wake up, "nasha'a", to wake up after sleeping during the night, not in the morning. "Naashi'atal layl". The other meaning is hours of the night, and the third meaning is what takes place in the night is "ashaddu wat'an".

Now, the prayer that Prophet peace be upon him is commanded to do. Why "naashi'atal layl" here is actually important. If we take the second meaning that I mentioned, which is something which Fakhruddin al-Razi has mentioned in his Tafsir as well, that things that happen during the night regarding spirituality, what you receive during the night from the spiritual realm. Now for the Prophet of Revelation, all these things, for ordinary human beings, the contemplation that you do during the hours of the night, the inspiration that you may receive during the hours of the night, so these events, these events, inspirations, contemplation, reflection, worshipping, recitation of the Qur'an, all these are more important and more effective, these things which take place in night, are more effective than what happens during the day.

So why I tell you wake up during the night? Because what - if we take the meaning of what happens, which is the more understandable meaning - what happens during the night, in terms of the arrival of spiritual inspiration, the arrival of the angelic whispers and all these things are "ashaddu wat'an wa aqwamu qeela"(73:6).

Now, that is why we have many traditions advising us to perform Salat ul-Layl, praying in the hours of the nights. Now, it is not a compulsory thing. It is not something that we have to do. And it is something that most of us cannot do because we are very tired to go work during the day and Allah does not expect us to do, unless if we want to raise our spiritual stations. If we want to raise our spiritual stations, our spiritual rank, then this is the way for it. Without Salat ul-Layl, you cannot raise your spiritual rank. Because "inna naashi'atal layl", what happens during the nights, in terms of these things, is "ashaddu wat'an". "Ashaddu wat'an" - I will explain next week, inshallah, because that is a very important thing.

However, let me read for you a couple of traditions about Salatul Layl to see why they are important. Now, whoever wishes they can perform - this is not like five day salats during the day or night that we do, five time salats that we do. That is compulsory of course. But in addition to that, if you want higher ranks in spirituality, then this is the way. And in Surah al-Isra' we have that this is a preparation for raising you to a praised position. "Wa minal Iayli fa tahajjad bihi nafilatan lak"(17:79), if you want addition, if you want additional blessings, then do tahajjud during the layl. Tahajjud is doing worship after some sleep during the night. So you sleep, you wake up, you do some worship, this is tahajjud.

Now, "Wa minal Iayli fa tahajjad bihi nafilatan lak"(17:79), this is an addition for you, this adds to your praise, this adds to your station "'assa an yab'athaka rabbuka maqaman mahmuda"(17:79), Allah wants to raise you to a very high praised station by this. By doing this, you would be raised. You do not want that? Do not do it. Now of course Prophet does it. But for us, we want - we do, we do not want, we do not. Whoever wants the world of this world, you go after it, you do your struggle, your effort, Allah gives you this world. You want that world, you want the stations in the spirituality? OK, you have to make effort for that well.

"Man kana yureedul hayaatal dunya wa zeenataha nuwafa ileyhim a'malahum feeha wa hum la yubkhasun"(11:15), whoever wants this world, whatever they expend effort for this world, We fulfill it for them, We give it to them. And whoever, "Wa man arad al akhira"(17:19), whoever likes akhira, "wa sa'a laha sa'yaha", and expends effort for it then We give them akhira, We give them stations.

Now, so this is for raising, Salat ul-Layl is for raising your spiritual rank, your closeness to Allah. Wasaaa Rasool Allah sallal-lahu alayhi wa alihi wa salam Amir ul-Mu'mineen, this is very famous in a very open wasiya that the Prophet made to Amir ul-Mu'mineen, he said "Ya Ali 'alayka bisalat il-layl, 'alayka ya Ali bisalat il-Layl, 'alayka ya Ali bisalat il-Layl, 'alayka ya Ali bisalat il-Layl." Ya Ali, I advise you to do the night prayer, Salat ul-Layl. I advise you three times the Prophet said, and Amir ul-Mu'mineen said that after this advice from the Prophet I never ever missed one salat during the night. Night prayer, close to dawn. Even in the Battle of Siffin, when the battle was going on until morning and in very cold weather, Amir ul-Mu'mineen did not miss his Salat ul-Layl. Why? That is why their stations are raised, isn't it?

Now, the Prophet peace be upon him, said "Thallathun darajaatun", there are three things which adds to your rank. It is not wajib, it is not wajib on you, but it adds to your rank. And in this hadith, it says "thallathun kaffaratun wa thallathun munji'atun wa thallathun munbitaatun wa thallathun kaffaratun." There are three things that destroy you, three things that save you, like for example fearing from Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, three things that destroy you like weed, three things which are "kaffarra" for you. And the Prophet includes in this "kaffarrat" the daily prayers that we do. So the daily prayers may not raise our rank in spiritual terms, but it is "kaffarra" for our sins. As we are told that the prayers that you do during the day, from this prayer to the next prayer, whatever you do in between, these prayers are "kaffarra" for them. Somehow make up for your sins, negligence and such things.

But if you want your position to be raised, if you want "darajaat", then this is the "darajaat." "Thallathun darajaatun", three things are "darajaat". "It'amu at-ta'am" giving food to people. This is "darajaat", giving food to people, whether they are poor, rich, it does not matter. You give food to people, you feed people, it raises your rank.

"Wa ifsha'ul salam" and manifestly, now "ifsha'ul salam" has two meanings. One is spreading peace, spreading peace, making peace between everyone, between families, between friends, between communities, between countries. "Ifsha'ul salam". The other meaning of "ifsha'ul salam" is that you are clearly the one who have the precedence of saying salam to others. Because it is recommended to always say salam to others, it is wajib to reply. It is not wajib to say salam to others, it is mustahab, but is wajib to reply. "Ifsha'ul salam" is that you always take the initiative for salam, this is "daraja" for you.

"Wal salatu bi'l-Layl wal naasu niyaam", and praying during the night while people are sleeping. This is "darjat", this raises your rank. It is not wajib. God is not going to punish you if you do not do it, but it raises your spiritual rank.

Now when Prophet peace be upon him went to Medina, we have this hadith that Abdullah ibn Salam, who was a Jewish rabbi, he came, he reports, he was one of those who converted to Islam. He came, he says that I heard that the Prophet had arrived in Medina, so I rushed to see what the appearance of the Prophet is, whether he is a liar or he is an honest man. When I arrived, he was talking to some people who are surrounding him and I looked at his face "fa idha wajhahu laysa biwajhi kadhaabin", I saw that his face was not the face of a dishonest man. I could realize the face was not the face of a dishonest man.

And he was speaking and he was saying these things to the people who have seen him for the first time and he had arrived in Medina. He was advising them "afshul salam", spread salam. Now of course, Salamun Alaikum that we say to each other is a gesture that we are peaceful to each other. Isn't it? Salam is peace. Salamun Alaikum means peace to you. So if we say peace to people, but our heart is full of jealousy and greed and grudge, and we want actually to harm them, that is not of course something useful. When we say Salamun Alaikum to someone, it means that you are secure from all evil which may come out of me, out of my heart, out of my tongue.

So "afshul salam, wa at'imu 't-ta'am" and feed people, feed food, "wa silu al-arham", and do good to your relatives. "Silla, sillat ul-rahim" means joined, joining means meeting, talking, phoning and of course, the most important meaning is helping. "Sillat ul-rahim" means helping your relatives. "Wa silu al -arham".

These of course are social issues, isn't it? "Afshul salam", "at'imu at-ta'am", feed food, connect to your relatives. And what I tell you privately to do, "wa sallu bil layl wal naasu niyaam", and pray during the night while people are sleeping, "wadkhulul jannata bissalam", and securely and peacefully enter paradise. Do these four things, of course someone who does Salat ul-Layl certainly would do the daily prayers as well, isn't it? It would be ridiculous that someone does Salat ul-Layl and does not do the daily prayers, or someone does Salat ul-Layl and does not fast. It is ridiculous, it cannot happen.

So if you do these four things, and these four things are the ultimate qualities of character you know, the ultimate quality of worship for Allah. Yes, we fast, we go to Hajj, we pray, but the ultimate, the peak of it is when we do Salat ul-Layl, okay. We may be good to people, we may try to help, but when we feed them, it means that we have some sort of feeling, good feeling, healthy attitude towards them. The same in "afsha'ul salam", the same thing in "sillat ul-arham". So most socially, individually, this is the peak of the carrot. If you have this, there is no fear on you. "wadkhulul jannata bissalam".

Inshallah we continue with the rest of this verse, "Inna nashi'atal layl"(73:6), we mentioned what is nashi'atal layl", then it is "ashaddu wat'an", what does it mean? It has several meanings. "Wa aqwamu qeela", what does that mean? InshaAllah we will discuss this next week. Wa salla-lahu 'ala Muhammadin wa alihi at-tahireen. Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa aali Muhammad.