Tafsir Of Surah Al-Muzzammil (73) - 2/4

'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.

First of all, congratulations for the anniversary of the birth of Imam Aba Abdillah al-Husayn, 'alayhi assalam, and his loyal brother Ab al-Fadhl al-Abbas and his great son Imam Zain ul-Abideen, 'alayhi assalam, and inshaAllah, Allah will help us with the lives of spirituality that they give us, inshallah, they have given us in this world, we understand the world better.

Now we continue with the verse number 6 of Surah Al Muzammil, chapter 73 of the Qur'an. 'A'udhu billahi min al-Shaytan al-rajim, Bismillah, al-Rahman, al-Rahim. "Inna nashi'atal layli hiya ashaddu wat'an wa aqwamu qeela"(73:6). Indeed, the watches of the night are firmly entrenched and more upright with regards to speech.

Now, what does that mean? The translation does not make a very clear understanding of the verse. We said that "nashi'atal layl" either means the hours of the nights, or it means what happens in the nights in terms of spiritual growth of the soul, what happens to the soul at the night, this is "ashaddu wat'an".

Now the translation says firmly entrenched. Now "wat' " may mean two things. It may mean "ashadu muwata'atan". "Muwata'a" means "muwafaqa", it means it is more agreeable to the soul. What happens in the nights, during the nights, while other people are sleeping and you stand for prayer, you stand for remembrance of Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, on those hours, what happens to the soul, it is more agreeable to the soul. Soul can absorb them much better than during the day. So this is the meaning of "Inna nashi'atal layli hiya ashaddu wat'an" (73:6). It means "ashadu muwata'atan", "muwafaqatan" - it is more agreeable.

Now another meaning of "wat' " means it is firmer. It actually leaves more persisting imprints in the heart and in the soul. So "ashaddu wat'an" means it is stronger. It is stronger on the soul, on the heart, what happens during the night.

Now this is an experience that all men of God have told us in every religion, not only in Islam. In every religion, we know that night vigil is more agreeable to the soul, more persistent in the imprint and effect which it leaves on the heart, and that is why the Prophet is told to wake up during the night. So it is not something that Allah wants, for example, to take the rest from the Prophet, or to take the rest from the mu'mineen and believers that you wake up during the night and do this. No, because this is more agreeable and it is firmer.

Now one other meaning of "ashaddu wat'an" means that it is more difficult, more difficult, and what is more difficult has more rewards, is more rewarding. So it is more difficult and therefore it is more rewarding.

"Wa aqwamu qeela". "Aqwamu qeela" means that, in what you say, in your speech: first of all, about your claim in faith, this is going to be stronger in corroborating your claim. And secondly, what you say, you understand better. When you read the Qur'an during the night, you understand better. When you say 'La ilaha illa Allah, Subhana Allah' during the night, the meanings of them are absorbed better. So the speech, what you say during the night in terms of dhikrullah, in terms of salah, in terms of recitation of the Qur'an, it is, of course, more - it is stronger, it leaves better effect and better consequences.

Now, we know that waking up during the night is very difficult, of course, and especially when we wake up and we are sleepy, we want to pray and we say, well, it does not make sense. In the morning when we wake up fresh and we supplicate, we do salat, it is more, it has more impact and it has better effect than doing this sleep over the night.

Now, this needs actually practice, exercise. By exercise, gradually, we will find out that no, what happens in night is more effective, has better effects than what happens in the morning, that what happens in any other hour.

"Inna laka fil nahari sabhan taweela"(73:7). Now, this is a justification for, or a sort of reasoning for why I tell you, you wake up during the night. Indeed during the day, you have drawn out engagements. "Inna laka fil nahari sabhan taweela"(73:7).

Now some people say "sabh" means free time, means that you have free time during the day, you can sleep, you can rest, put your energy for worship during the night. However, we know that this did not happen for the Prophet. The Prophet peace be upon him did not have much time during the day. He was busy right from the beginning to the end of the day, leading the community, he was a politician, he was a commander of the army, he was a Prophet, he was a preacher, and all these things. He had lots and lots of engagements, delegations were coming to him.

And also, if you take in more general, in a more general sense, if it is addressed to all the believers, we know that the believers are very busy during the day. So "sabhan taweela" may mean that you have drawn out, long engagements during the day, you cannot concentrate. And therefore if you want to concentrate, you have to somehow limit the hours of your sleep, give some hours of the day for the rest, and put more energy during the night so that you receive more outcome, better outcome of your worship.

Now, after doing this, "Ya ayuhhal muzammil" (73:1), "Qumil leyla illa qaleela"(73:2), "Nisfahu awinqus minhu qaleela" (73:3), "Aw zid 'aleyhi wa rattil al Qur'ana tarteela"(73:4). Doing all these, you wake up during the night and recite the Qur'an with a measured pace to understand, and during the night you can understand better, it is more agreeable to absorbing the meanings...

"Wa adhkur isma rabbik wa tabbatal ilayhi tabteela" (73:8). So remember the name of your Lord, celebrate the name of your Lord and dedicate yourself to him with total dedication. "Tabbatal ilayhi tabteela"(73:8).

"Wadhkur isma rabbik"(73:8). Again, this is during the night apparently. Why "isma rabbik", why we do not remember God himself, we remember His name? "Wadhkur isma rabbik wa tabbatal ilayhi tabteela"(73:8). In other surahs, we have "Wadhkur isma rabbik Al-'Ala". Because the essence of God cannot be imagined by us. What we can remember of God, what we can celebrate of God are His names. We can celebrate His mercy, celebrate His unicity, we can celebrate His nearness to us, and all these things. He is qareeb, He is mu'een, and all the names of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. Remember all these things. Remember all aspects of that One being, that of course you have no way to know Him, His essence. But the asma' of Allah, you can know. "Wadhkur isma rabbik".

And it is by asma' of Allah that actually we grow. We go up. "Wa lillah il-asma' al husna fad'oohu biha"(7:180). Allah has beautiful names. You do not know what Allah is in His essence. You never can know, of course. But why do you want to know the essence of Allah? Sometimes you see, there are certain people who are very inquisitive to know what is the essence of God. This is not possible for human beings. And Allah says, Allah has beautiful names by which He has introduced himself to you. Do not think about the essence, think about these names. "Wa lillahil asma' al husna fad'oohu biha"(7:180).

This du'a here means worship. Worship Him with these names, worship these faces of Allah subhanuh wa ta'ala. The face of Allah, "wajhul Allah." "Wajhul Allah" is that aspect by which He is facing us, isn't it? The face of Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala. So these names are the face of Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala.

So "Wadhkur isma rabbik". "Wa tabbatal ilayhi tabteela" (73:8). "Tabattul" means to cut off, to severe from something towards something else, this is "tabattul". And usually Zuhd, asceticism, all these things are called "tabattul". In different commentaries, for example in one commentary, it says "wanqati' ilayhi bil 'ibada", completely dedicate yourself for worshipping Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala and completely make your heart sincere towards him. This is "tabattul".

Sheikh at-Tusi, rahmatullah 'alayh, in his Tafsir Tabyan, he mentions that "tabbatal ilayh" means "inqati' ilayh", completely severes himself from everything towards Him. This is dedication, of course. And this is why Maryam, Mary, mother of Jesus, is called Batool because she had completely dedicated herself for worshipping Allah in the temple. And this is why Fatima peace be upon her is called Batool. Batool is from "tabattul", isn't it? Is called Batool, because she had no match among the women and therefore she was completely severed from any similarity among other women. She excelled, she excelled every other woman, even Mary, mother of Jesus, and that is why she is called Batool.

So he gives two different meanings for Batool. One meaning with regards to Maryam, who had dedicated herself to worship, and the other with regards to Fatima, daughter of the Prophet, peace be upon her, who had no match, no qareen, no one could actually match her in her excellence.

And there is a very beautiful exposition here by Fakhruddin al-Razi in his Tafsir. He says that "tabbatul", if you want to completely dedicate yourself to someone or something - it is very interesting, you pay attention to this. "Wadhkur isma rabbik wa tabbatal ilayhi tabteela"(73:8). By remembering, by celebrating the names of the Lord, you can do "tabbatul", you can completely severe from everything else. He says that if you want to completely severe yourself from anything, everything else and dedicate yourself to one thing, this needs love. Without love, it is not possible. And we know, this is very clear. Without love, without total love, you cannot dedicate yourself to someone or something.

And then he says that this love is caused by two things. And usually even in our ordinary life, what love we experience towards others, whether human beings or objects or other, is because of one of these things. He says this love is because of a perfection that you see in someone, or it is because you seek perfection from someone. It is either because of "kamal" or because of "takmeel". "Kamal" is you see perfection. "Takmeel" is when you seek perfection, seek to gain perfection.

Now, with regards to Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, because we know that He is the the source of perfection. Whatever beauty you see in anyone, whatever beauty in whether in character or in face or in whatever aspect of a person you see which attracts you towards them, the most perfect of these beauties are in Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala. And therefore "tabbatul" is not possible towards anyone but to Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala.

So if "tabbatul" is for perfection, it is only possible for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. If it is for "takmeel", to gain perfection, again who can give perfection better than Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? No one. So "tabbatal ilayh", he says "tabattul" is only possible towards Allah, not towards anyone else or anything. And if we do it towards anyone else or anything else, it is actually a misconception that we may have. Because He is the most generous. He is the one who can give perfection to you if you seek perfection. And if you seek beauty in itself, of course, it is the source of beauty.

Then he says that "tabbatul" is a process. "Tabbatul" is a process. First you dedicate yourself to someone, to Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, especially about Allah, because you seek to be perfected. We worship to be perfected, isn't it? We want to get closer to, what is the meaning of getting closer to Allah? It is to become more perfect.

Now, initially, "tabbatul" dedication is for "takmeel", it is to seek perfection. But as we go closer and closer and closer, we receive perfection as we go closer, we see the beauty of Allah. Then "tabbatul" is just for the beauty, it is not for nothing else. You forget yourself. This is what the mystics call "Fanaa". You forget yourself completely. You just want to look at that beauty. This is the meaning of "tabbatul".

Now what Allah is actually telling the Prophet, because this is the beginning of his mission. It was very hard, very difficult. Just imagine now one person comes in this society and speaks against all the values, what sort of attack they would receive? And he was talking about all the values and sacred things that the Arabians did hold at that time. So it was very difficult. And Allah says that remember the beautiful names of your Lord, severe, cut off from everything. But cut off does not mean that cut off from people, because his mission is go to people, isn't it? His mission is to go to people. But in your heart, you completely dedicate yourself for your Lord.

Why? "Rabbul mashriqi wal maghribi la ilaha illa huwa fattakhidhu wakeela"(73:9). Now I am giving you a very difficult mission. You are going to talk to these people who do not understand, do not want to accept and all these things. But you, rely on Me because I am "rabbul mashriq wal maghrib". The people in the east, the people in the west, whatever happens here and there, four corners of the universe is under My control.

And if you seek "takmeel", you cannot find it anywhere but with Me, "rabbul mashriq wal maghrib". "La ilaha illa huwa" means kamal is only with Him. "La ilaha illa huwa"(73:9).

Now, in this difficult mission, "fattakhidhu wakeela"(73:9), take Him as someone who do things for you. "Wakeel" means someone who does things for others, isn't it? And the translation of the verse is "take Him for your trustee, for your trustee." "Wakeel" is - yes? "It says protector." No, "wakeel" does not mean protector. "Wakeel" means someone who does things for someone else. Okay, so "fattakhidhu wakeela". The mission is very difficult. You do your your part and leave the rest to Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala. (You want to say something?) And that means "wakeel", when we say we trust in God, it does not mean that we do not do anything and we trust in God. No, you do whatever is in your hands, I have entrusted to you, and then leave the rest to Me. I will do the rest for you.

"Wasbirr 'ala ma yaquloona" (73:10). You put yourself in the position of the Prophet at the beginning of his mission. These words are very comforting, isn't it? Allah is taking to him. Dedicate yourself for your Lord. Leave things to Me. Have patience over what they say. "Wasbirr 'ala ma yaquloona wahjurjum hajran jameela"(73:10). And be patient over what they say and keep away from them in a graceful manner. "Wahjurjum", "Hajr" means to abandon, to keep away. "Hajran jameela"(73:10).

Now here there seems to be a contradiction. Allah is sending the Prophet to the people. Now here he says, keep away from them. It is not possible. So there should be another meaning for this that I will mention.

First of all, "Wasbirr 'ala ma yaquloona"(73:10). What did they say which annoyed the Prophet? They said that you are a liar, you are actually accusing God or slandering against God that He is sending revelation to you, liar. They were saying that you are insane, majnoon, as we discussed last week. They were saying that you are a poet, sha'ir. "Am yaquloona sha'irun natarrabassu bihee raybal manoon" (52:30), he is just a poet, wait for him, he will die and go and his memory will fade away, "sha'ir".

These were the things that they were telling to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and it was very annoying. And Allah says, have patience. Do not worry what they say. You know, they said all these things to previous Prophets. All the previous Prophets were accused of being a poet or being insane or being magicians, sorcerers and all these things. You have patience over what they say.

"Wahjurjum hajran jameela"(73:10), what is graceful turning away? It means turning away from responding to what they say, but do not leave them. Of course you have to continue preaching to them. So "hajran jameel", just like, for example, "Wa la tuti' al kafireena wal munafiqeen", do to not obey kafireen and hypocrites, "wa da' adhahum"(33:48), forget about the annoyance that they make, what they do with you. Forget about it. "Wa da' adhahum wa tawakkal 'ala Allah." Have your trust in Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala.

So "Wahjurjum hajran jameela", a graceful turning away in a graceful manner, means turn away from their ignorant chatters and accusations but do not cut off from them in terms of preaching, talking to them, advising them, conveying My message to them. You do this. So this is "hajran jameel".

So some mystics may take this verse "Wahjurjum hajran jameela" for supporting the idea of retiring from the society, going to retreats, spiritual retreats. This does not mean that because the Prophet was not advised to leave the society. We know that. Actually he was sent to the society. "Wa ma arsalnaka illa kaaffatan lil nas" (34:28), We have not sent you but as someone who was sent to all the people. He was actually commanded to go. So this "hajran jameel" means you leave what they say and continue your preaching, continue to be there. "Wahjurjum hajran jameela".

Now, what about these people who belie you, who deny your message, who say that you are a liar? "Wa dharni wal mukathibeena oolil na'ma"(73:11), leave these deniers to Me. This is a very great threat isn't it? When someone for example is annoying someone else, for example, is disturbing people, you go there as a very powerful person and say, you go aside, leave them to me, for example. I know what to do. Now, Allah says leave them to Me. You do not need to respond to their accusations. You do not need to do anything about them. Leave them to me.

"Wa dharni wal mukathibeena oolil na'ma"(73:11), Leave Me with the deniers or leave Me to deal with the deniers, the (ones in) opulence, and give them a little respite, "wa mahhilhum qaleela"(73:11).

So again, for the Prophet who goes to the society to give the message, the difficulties were almost insurmountable. However, Allah says do not pay attention to all these things. Leave these to me, leave these people to me. You do not need to do anything. And I know what to do with them. Just give them some respite.

Now, "mukkadhabeen" are actually described as being "oolil na'ma". Now, "ni'ma", we know what it means. "Ni'ma" means blessings that we receive from Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala. "Na'ma" is different. "Na'ma" is opulence, wealth, having huge resources. This is "Na'ma". So "Ni'ma" is a blessing, but "Na'ma" is not necessarily a blessing. I mean, wealth, comforts, it is not necessarily a blessing. And these people of Mecca, these heads of Quraysh, for example, who are very wealthy, very comfortable, living very comfortably, all amenities of life at their disposal, Allah says leave Me and these deniers who are opulent, comfortable, wealthy, leave them to Me. "Wa dharni wal mukathibeena oolil na'ma"(73:11). So there is a difference between "Ni'ma" and "Na'ma", which one necessarily does not include the others.

"Wa dharni wal mukathibeena oolil na'ma wa mahhilhum qaleela"(73:11), give them a little respite. What is this little respite? Until the Day of Judgment. It is a very short time for Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, isn't it? Or until we die, of course when we die, everything for us is finished in this world. So until they die, it is not long and give them that respite, "wa mahhilhum qaleela"(73:11).

"Innahum yarawnahu ba'eeda"(70:6), "Wa naraahu qareeba" (70:7). They see death or they see the day of judgment - of course this verse is about the day of judgment - they see it to be very far away, very far fetched, but We see it very close.

"Inna ladayna ankaalan wa jaheema" (73: 12). Now, what am I going to do with them when I tell you, leave them with Me, leave these people with Me, what am I going to do? "Inna ladayna ankaalan wa jaheema"(73:12), with Us are heavy fetters, shackles and a fierce fire."Wa ta'aman dha ghussattin"(73:13), and the food that chokes in the throats and a painful punishment.

Now there are four things that Allah mentions here. I just mention them, then because it needs a very good exposition, I leave it for next week.

"Inna ladayna ankaalan"(73:12), first of all there are fetters with Us and "jaheem". "Jaheem" means another name for "jahannam", for hell. It means a huge fire, "jaheem" means huge fire. "Inna ladayna" - so, fetters. This meaning of fetters, being Allah having fetters on the day of judgment for punishing the ungrateful is a very meaningful thing. It has a metaphorical meaning, it has a real meaning which I will discuss that later on.

So fetters or shackles and then huge fire and then food. Of course they need food in hell, they have to eat food and they have to drink. But there is a food which chokes in the throat, and a great punishment. So this great punishment is different from these three. So there are fetters, there is "jaheem", huge fire, there is choking food, and in addition to all these, there is a huge punishment which inshaAllah we will discuss them next week. Wa salla-lahu 'ala Muhammadin wa alihi at-tahireen.