Bismi Allahi arrahmani arraheem
tafseer
The two sections of this Surah were revealed in two separate periods.
The
first section (vv. 1-19) is unanimously a Makki Revelation, and this is
supported both by its subject matter and by the traditions of the
Hadith. As for the question, in which specific period of the life at
Makkah it was revealed, it is not answered by the tradition, but the
internal evidence of the subject matter of this section helps to
determine the period of its revelation.
First,
in it the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been instructed to the
effect: "Arise during the night and worship Allah so that you may
develop the capability to shoulder the heavy burden of Prophethood and
to discharge its responsibilities." This shows that this Command must
have been given in the earliest period of the Prophethood when training
was being imparted to the Holy prophet by Allah for this office.
Secondly,
a Command has been given in it that the Qur'an be recited in, the
Tahajjud Prayer for half the night, or thereabout. This Command by
itself points out that by that time at least so much of the Qur'an had
been revealed as could be recited for that long.
Thirdly,
in this section the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been exhorted
to have patience at the excesses being committed by his opponents, and
the disbelievers of Makkah have been threatened with the torment. This
shows that this section was revealed at a time when the Holy Prophet
(upon whom be peace) had openly started preaching Islam and the
opposition to him at Makkah had grown active and strong.
About
the second section (v. 20) although many of the commentators have
expressed the opinion that this too was sent down at Makkah, yet some
other commentators regard it as a Madani Revelation, and this same
opinion is confirmed by the subject matter of this section. For it
mentions fighting in the way of Allah, and obviously, there could be no
question of it at Makkah; it also contains the Command to pay the
obligatory zakat, and it is fully confirmed that the zakat at a specific
rate and with an exemption limit (nisab) was enjoined at Madinah.
Theme and Subject Matter
In
the first seven verses the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) has been
commanded to the effect: "Prepare yourself to shoulder the
responsibilities of the great Mission that has been entrusted to you;
its practical form is that you should rise during the hours of night and
stand up in Prayer for half the night, or for a little more or less of
it."
In
vv. 8-14, he has been exhorted to the effect: "Devote yourself
exclusively to that God Who is the Owner of the whole universe. Entrust
all your affairs to Him with full satisfaction of the heart. Bear with
patience whatever your opponents may utter against you. Do not be
intimate with them. Leave their affair to God: He Himself will deal with
them."
Then,
in vv. 15-19, those of the people of Makkah, who were opposing the Holy
Prophet (upon whom be peace) have been warned, so as to say: "We have
sent a Messenger to you just as We sent a Messenger to the Pharaoh. Just
consider what fate the Pharaoh met when he did not accept the
invitation of the Messenger of Allah. Supposing that you are not
punished by a torment in this world, how will you save yourselves from
the punishment for disbelief on the Day of Resurrection."
This
is the subject matter of the first section. The second section,
according to a tradition from Hadrat Sa'id bin Jubair, was sent down ten
years later, and in it the initial Command given in connection with the
Tahajjud Prayer, in the beginning of the first section, was curtailed.
The new Command enjoined, "Offer as much of the Tahajjud Prayer as you
easily can, but what the Muslims should particularly mind and attend to
is the five times obligatory Prayer a day:, they should establish it
regularly and punctually; they should discharge their zakat dues
accurately; and they should spend their wealth with sincere intentions
for the sake of Allah. In conclusion, the Muslims have been exhorted,
saying: "Whatever good works you do in the world, will not go waste, but
they are like the provision which a traveler sends up in advance to his
permanent place of residence. Whatever good you send up from the world,
you will find it with Allah, and the provision thus sent up is much
better than what you will have to leave behind in the world, and with
Allah you will also get a much better and richer reward than what you
have actually sent up before."
1To
address the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) with these words and then
to command him to rise and keep standing in the Prayer at night, shows
that at the tune he either lay asleep, or had wrapped himself up in a
sheet in order to go to sleep. Here, to address him with "O you who
sleeps covered up" instead of with "O Prophet, or O Messenger", is a
fine way of address, which by itself gives the meaning: "Gone is the
time when you used to enjoy peaceful sleep at will; now you lie under
the burden of a great mission, whose demands and duties are different as
well as onerous.
2This can have two meanings:
(1) "Pass the night standing up in the Prayer and spend only a little of it in sleep"; and
(2)"there
is no demand from you to pass the whole night in the Prayer, but have
rest as well and spend a little part of the night in worship too."
But
in view of the theme that follows the first meaning seems to be more
relevant, and the same is supported by Ad-Dahr: 26, in which it has been
said: "Prostrate yourself before Him in the night and glorify Him
during the long hours of night."
3This
is an explanation of the duration of time commanded to be spent in
worship. In it the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) was given the
option to spend half of the night in the Prayer, or a little less than
that, or a little more than that. But the style shows that half the
night has been regarded as preferable, for the measure is the same,
which may be decreased or increased, as the people may like and choose.
4"Recite
the Qur'an ......": Do not recite it quickly and in haste, but slowly
and distinctly: pause at every verse so that the mind understands the
meaning and purport of Divine Revelation well and takes effect from it.
if it contains the mention of Allah's Being and Attributes, it may
awe-inspire the heart with His glory and majesty; if it expresses His
mercy, the heart may be filled with feelings of gratitude to Him; if it
mentions His wrath and His punishment, the heart may be overwhelmed by
fear of Him; if it enjoins something or forbids something, one may
understand what has been enjoined and what has been forbidden. In short,
the recital does not only consist in uttering the words with the
tongue, but it should involve thoughtful consideration of the meaning.
When Hadrat Anas was asked about the Holy Prophet's method of reciting
the Qur'an, he replied: The Holy Messenger stretched the words when
reciting them. For example, when he recited Bismillah ir-Rahman it-Rahim
he would stretch and prolong the sound of Allah, Rahman and Rahim
(Bukhari). When Hadrat Umm Salamah was asked the same question, she
replied that the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) recited every verse
separately and distinctly and observed a pause at the end of every
verse. For instance, he recited AI-hamdu-lillah-i Rabb-il'alamin, and
paused, then recited ar-Rahman ir-Rahim, and paused, and then recited
Malik-i yaum id-di'n. "(Musnad Ahmad, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi).
In
another tradition, Hadrat Umm Salamah has stated that the Holy Prophet
recited each word distinctly and clearly. (Tirmidhi, Nasa'i). Hadrat
Hudhaifah bin Yaman says: "Once I stood beside the Holy Prophet in the
Night Prayer to see how he recited the Qur'an. I noticed that he
glorified Allah where He should be glorified, invoked and supplicated
Allah where He should be invoked and supplicated, and sought refuge of
Allah where His refuge should be sought." (Muslim, Nasa'i). Hadrat Abu
Dharr has stated that once during the Night Prayer when the Holy Prophet
(upon whom be peace) came to the sentence: In to adhdhib-hmn ... (If
You punish them, then they are Your servants; and if You forgive them,
then You are Almighty, All-Wise), he went on repeating it over and over
again until it became dawn." (Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari).
5That
is, "You are being commanded to stand up in the Night Prayer because We
are going to send down on you a weighty word, to bear the burden of
which you must develop necessary power in yourself, and you can develop
this power only by abandoning your ease and comfort of the night and by
standing up in the Prayer and passing half the night or thereabout in
the worship of your Lord. "The Qur'an has been called a weighty Word
also for the reason that acting on its commands, demonstrating its
teaching practically, extending its invitation in the face of the whole
world, and bringing about a revolution in the entire system of belief
and thought, morals and manners, civilization and social life, according
to it, is indeed the weightiest task any human being ever has been
charged with:
It
has been called a weighty Word also because bearing the burden of its
revelation was a difficult and heavy duty. Hadrat Zaid bin Thabit says:
"Once Revelation came down upon the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) in
a state when he was resting his head upon my knee. I felt such a
pressure of the weight on my knee that I thought it would break." Hadrat
`A`ishah says: "I have seen the state of the Holy Prophet's receiving
Revelation during intense cold, drops of perspiration started falling
from his forehead." (Bukhari, Muslim, Malik, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i): In
another tradition Hadrat `A`ishah has stated: "Whenever Revelation came
down on the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) while he was riding on his
she-camel, the she-camel would be forced to rest her chest on the
ground and could not move until the Revelation was over." (Musnad Ahmad.
Hakim, Ibn Jarir).
6About
the meaning of the word nashi'at al-lail, as used in the original, the
commentators and lexicographers have expressed four different
viewpoints:
(1) That nashi'at implies the person himself who rises at night;
(2) that it implies the hours of night;
(3) that it means the rising by night; and
(4) that it does not only apply to the rising in the night but rising after having had some sleep,
Hadrat `A`ishah and Mujahid have adopted this fourth viewpoint.
7The
word ashaddu wat'an as used in the Text is so vast in meaning that it
cannot be explained in any one sentence. Its one meaning is: As the
rising for worship by night and standing up for a long tithe in the
Prayer is against human nature and the self of man seeks ease and
comfort at that time. this act is an exercise which is most effective in
controlling and disciplining the self. The person who governs himself
by this method and gains dominance over his body and mind becomes able
to use his power in the way of God, can work more efficiently and firmly
to make the message of true Faith prevail in the world. The second
meaning is: This is a very effective means of producing harmony and
concord between the heart and the tongue, for during these hours of the
night none else intervenes between the servant and his God, and whatever
man utters with his tongue in this state, is the very voice of his
heart. The third meaning is: This is a very efficacious means of
bringing about conformity between the exterior and the interior of man, ,
for the person who in the solitude of the night would abandon his
comfort and ease and arise for worship, would do so only out of
sincerity: there can be no tinge of display and hypocrisy in this. The
fourth meaning is: As this worship is harder on man than the worship of
the daytime, it develops steadfastness in him: he is enabled to walk in
the path of God more firmly and can face and endure the hardships of
that way with greater constancy and determination.
8Literally:
"Makes the speech most upright and sound." But the purport is to say
that at that time man can read the Qur'an with greater peace of mind,
attention and understanding. lbn `Abbas has explained it thus: "That it
is the most suitable time for man to ponder over the Qur'an well.” (Abu
Da'ud).
9After
making mention of the occupation of the daytime, the exhortation to
"remember the name of your Lord" by itself gives the meaning: "Never be
heedless of the remembrance of your Lord even when you are deeply
involved in your worldly occupations, and continue. to commemorate His
name in one way or another at all times." (For explanation, see E.N. 63
of Surah AI-Ahzab).
10"
Wakil is a person in whom one has complete faith; so much so that one
can entrust all one's affairs to him with full satisfaction of the
heart. Thus, the verse means: "Do not feel distressed at the hardships
that you are experiencing at the storm of opposition that has been
provoked by your invitation to we Faith. Your Lord is He Who is the
Owner of the East and the West, (i.e. of the whole universe) besides
Whom no one else possesses the powers of Godhead. Entrust your affair to
Him and be satisfied that He will fight your case, He will deal with
your opponents, and He will look after all your interests well. "
11"Depart
from them" does not mean "Break off all ties with them and stop
preaching to them", but it means; "Do not have intimate and friendly
relations with them: disregard their foolish behavior and their
nonsense." However, you should do so without showing any grief, anger or
temper but gracefully like a noble person, who would disregard the
abusive remarks of a mean person without minding them at all. This
should not create the misunderstanding that the Holy Prophet's conduct
was any different from it; therefore, Allah gave him this instruction.
As a matter of fact, the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) was already
following this very mode of conduct; this instruction was given in the
Qur'an so as to tell the disbelievers: "It is not due to any weakness on
the part of the Prophet that he is not responding to what you are
saying against him, but Allah Himself has taught His Messenger to adopt
this noble way of conduct in response to your foolish behavior. "
12These
words clearly contain the sense that the people who were actually
denying the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) in Makkah and were
inciting the common people to oppose and resist him by stirring up
prejudices and by deceit and fraud were the well-to-do, prosperous and
affluent people, for it was their interests, which were being hit by
Islam's message of reform. The Qur'an tells us that this was not
peculiar only to the Holy Prophet's case but in every age this very
class of the people have been the main obstacle to every movement of
reform. For example, see Al-A`raf; 60, 6b, 75, 88; Al-Mu'minun: 33;
Saba; 34 35; Az-Zukhruf: 23.
13Heavy
fetters in Hell will not be put on the criminals' feet to stop them
from escape but in order that they are not able to stand up and move;
these will not be used to prevent their escape but as an instrument of
their torment.
14Since
at that time the cohesive force to bind the parts of the mountains
together will cease to work, first they will become like crumbling dunes
of fine sand, then because of the earthquake which will be shaking the
earth; the sand will scatter and shift and the whole earth will turn
into an empty level plain. This last state has been described in Ta Ha:
105-107, thus: "They ask you: where will the mountains go on that Day?
Say: My Lord will reduce them to fine dust and scatter it away. He will
turn the earth into an empty level plain, wherein you will neither see
any curve no crease."
15The
address now turns to the disbelievers of Makkah, who were denying the
Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) and persecuting him relentlessly.
16Sending
the Holy Prophet to be a witness over the people also means that he
should testify to the Truth by his word and deed before them in the
world and also that in the Hereafter when Allah's Court is established,
he will testify that he had presented the whole Truth before the people
in the world. (For further explanation, see E.N. 144 of Al-Baqarah, E.N.
64 of An-Nisa', An-Nahl: 84, 89, E.N. 82 of Al-Azab, E.N. 14 of
Al-Fath).
17That
is, "In the first place, you should be afraid that if you do not accept
the invitation of the Messenger sent by Us, you will have to meet the
same evil end in this world, which the Pharaoh has already met in
consequence of this very crime. But even if no torment is sent on you in
the world, how will you save yourselves from the punishment of the Day
of Resurrection?"
18About
this verse in which reduction has been made in the injunction
concerning the Tahajjud Prayer, there are different traditions. Musnad
Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Da'ud have related a tradition, on the authority
of Hadrat `A'ishah, saying that this second command was sent down one
year after the first command, and the standing up in the Prayer at night
was made voluntary instead of obligatory. Another tradition which Ibn
Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim have related, again on the authority of Hadrat
`A'ishah, says that this command came down 8 months after the first
command, and a third tradition which Ibn Abi Hatim has related again
from her, says that it came down 16 months later. Abu Da'ud, Ibn Jarir
and Ibn Abi Hatim have cited the period of one year from Hadrat
`Abdullah bin 'Abbas.
But
Hadrat Sa'id bin Jubair has stated that it was sent down ten years
later. (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim). In our opinion this last view is most
sound, for the subject-matter of the first section clearly shows that
it was sent down in Makkah and that too in the earliest stage when at
the most four years might have passed since the advent of Prophethood.
Contrary to this, this second section, .in view of the express evidence
of its subject matter, seems to have been revealed at Madinah when
fighting had started with the disbelievers and the zakat also had been
enjoined as an obligatory duty. On this basis inevitably the two
sections should have been sent down at an interval of at least ten years
between them.
19Although
the initial command to the Holy Prophet was to keep standing up in the
Prayer for half the. night, or thereabout, it was difficult to compute
the time precisely in the absorption of the Prayer, especially when
there were no watches either to measure time accurately; therefore,
sometimes two thirds of the night passed in the prayer and sometimes
only one-third of it.
20In
the initial command only the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) was
addressed and only he was instructed to stand up in the Prayer by night.
But since the Muslims at that time were ardently desirous of following
him in everything he did and of earning more and more good and virtues,
many of the Companions also performed this Night Prayer regularly.
21As
the Prayer is prolonged due mainly to a lengthy recital of the Qur'an,
it is said: "You may recite as much of the Qur'an as you easily can in
the Tahajjud Prayer This would automatically cause the Prayer to be
shortened" . Although the words here are apparently in the imperative
mood, it is agreed by all that Tahajjud is not an obligatory but a
voluntary Prayer. In the Hadith also it has been explained that on an
inquiry by a person the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) replied: "Five
times Prayer in the day and night is obligatory on you. He asked: Is
anything besides this also binding on me? The Holy Prophet said: No,
unless you may like to offer something of your own accord. " (Bukhari,
Muslim).
This
verse also shows another thing. Just as the bowing (ruku ) and
prostration (sajdah.) are obligatory in the Prayer, so is the recital of
the Qur'an. For just as Allah at other places has used the words ruku'
and sajdah for the prayer, so here He has mentioned recital of the
Qur'an, which implies its recital in the Prayer. If somebody objects to
this conclusion, saying: When the Tahajjud Prayer itself is voluntary,
how can recital of the Qur'an in it be obligatory? The answer is: Even
in case of the voluntary Prayer it is incumbent on one to fulfil all the
pre-requisites of the Prayer and to perform all its basic elements and
obligatory parts. No one can say that in case of the voluntary Prayer,
purity of the garments and body, ablutions and concealment of the satar
(minimal part of the body to be covered) are not obligatory, and the
standing up and sitting and performance of ruku`and sajdah also in it
are only voluntary.
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
- Ya aiyuhal muzzammil
- Qumil laila illaa qaleelaa
- Nisfahooo awinqus minhu qaleelaa
- Aw zid 'alaihi wa rattilil Qur'aana tarteela
- Innaa sanulqee 'alaika qawlan saqeelaa
- Inn naashi'atal laili hiya ashadddu wat anw wa aqwamu qeelaa
- Inna laka fin nahaari sabhan taweelaa
- Wazkuris ma rabbika wa tabattal ilaihi tabteelaa
- Rabbul mashriqi wal maghriibi laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa fattakhizhu wakeelaa
- Wasbir 'alaa maa yaqoo loona wahjurhum hajran jameelaa
- Wa zarnee walmukaz zibeena ulin na'mati wa mahhilhum qaleelaa
- Inna ladainaaa ankaalanw wa jaheemaa
- Wa ta'aaman zaa ghussa tinw wa'azaaban aleemaa
- Yawma tarjuful ardu waljibaalu wa kaanatil jibaalu kaseebam maheelaa
- Innaa arsalnaaa ilaikum rasoolan shaahidan 'aleykum kamaaa arsalnaaa ilaa Fir'awna rasoolaa
- Fa'asaa Fir'awnur Rasoola fa akhaznaahu akhzanw wabeelaa
- Fakaifa tattaqoona in kafartum yawmany yaj'alul wildaana sheeba
- Assamaaa'u munfatirum bih; kaana wa'duhoo maf'oola
- Inna haazihee tazkiratun fa man shaaa'at takhaza ilaa Rabbihee sabeelaa
- Inna Rabbaka ya'lamu annaka taqoomu adnaa min sulusa yil laili wa nisfahoo wa sulusahoo wa taaa'ifatum minal lazeena ma'ak; wal laahu yuqaddirul laila wanna haar; 'alima al lan tuhsoohu fataaba 'alaikum faqra'oo maa tayassara minal quraan; 'alima an sa yakoonu minkum mardaa wa aakharoona yadriboona fil ardi yabtaghoona min fadlil laahi wa aakharoona yuqaatiloona fee sabeelil laahi faqra'oo ma tayassara minhu wa aqeemus salaata wa aatuz zakaata wa aqridul laaha qardan hasanaa; wa maa tuqadimoo li anfusikum min khairin tajidoohu 'indal laahi huwa khayranw wa a'zama ajraa; wastaghfirul laahaa innal laaha ghafoorur raheem.
- Transliteration: Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.
- O thou folded in garments!
- Stand (to prayer) by night, but not all night,-
- Half of it,- or a little less,
- Or a little more; and recite the Qur´an in slow, measured rhythmic tones.
- Soon shall We send down to thee a weighty Message.
- Truly the rising by night is most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (framing) the Word (of Prayer and Praise).
- True, there is for thee by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties:
- But keep in remembrance the name of thy Lord and devote thyself to Him whole-heartedly.
- (He is) Lord of the East and the West: there is no god but He: take Him therefore for (thy) Disposer of Affairs.
- And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity).
- And leave Me (alone to deal with) those in possession of the good things of life, who (yet) deny the Truth; and bear with them for a little while.
- With Us are Fetters (to bind them), and a Fire (to burn them),
- And a Food that chokes, and a Penalty Grievous.
- One Day the earth and the mountains will be in violent commotion. And the mountains will be as a heap of sand poured out and flowing down.
- We have sent to you, (O men!) a messenger, to be a witness concerning you, even as We sent a messenger to Pharaoh.
- But Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger; so We seized him with a heavy Punishment.
- Then how shall ye, if ye deny (Allah), guard yourselves against a Day that will make children hoary-headed?-
- Whereon the sky will be cleft asunder? His Promise needs must be accomplished.
- Verily this is an Admonition: therefore, whoso will, let him take a (straight) path to his Lord!
- Thy 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, and so doth a party of those with thee. But Allah doth appoint night and day in due measure He knoweth that ye are unable to keep count thereof. So He hath turned to you (in mercy): read ye, therefore, of the Qur´an as much as may be easy for you. He knoweth that there may be (some) among you in ill-health; others travelling through the land, seeking of Allah´s bounty; yet others fighting in Allah´s Cause, read ye, therefore, as much of the Qur´an as may be easy (for you); and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan. And whatever good ye send forth for your souls ye shall find it in Allah´s Presence,- yea, better and greater, in Reward and seek ye the Grace of Allah: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
- Transliteration: Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.
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