Surah Muzzammil
Qur’a$nic Exegesis
INTRODUCTION
Surah Muzzammil forms a pair with Surah Muddaththir the succeeding surah with regard to the subject discussed in them. It directs the Prophet (sws) to prepare himself for bearing the burden of a heavy responsibility, while Surah Muddaththir explains this very responsibility: the Prophet (sws) after indhar (warning), the first phase of his mission, should launch the second phase: indhar-i-‘am (open warning).
The surahis addressed to the Prophet (sws) and also to his addressees: the leadership of the Quraysh.
It is evident that with the revelation of this surah in Makkah began the phase of indhar-i-‘am of the Prophet’s mission (sws).
CENTRAL THEMES
The central theme of Surah Muzzammilis to direct the Prophet (sws) to abandon his state of sorrow resulting from the reaction of his people and prepare to bear the heavy responsibility of indhar-i-‘amto his nation and to inform the leadership of the Quraysh that they have very little time left; if they do not mend their ways, they should get ready to face the consequences.
Explanation
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِیْمِِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful.
یَا أَیُّہَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ (1) قُمِ اللَّیْْلَ إِلَّا قَلِیْلاً (2) نِصْفَہُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْہُ قَلِیْلاً (3) أَوْ زِدْ عَلَیْْہِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِیْلاً (4) إِنَّا سَنُلْقِیْ عَلَیْْکَ قَوْلاً ثَقِیْلاً (5) إِنَّ نَاشِءَۃَ اللَّیْْلِ ہِیَ أَشَدُّ وَطْء اً وَأَقْوَمُ قِیْلاً (6) إِنَّ لَکَ فِیْ اَلنَّہَارِ سَبْحاً طَوِیْلاً (7) وَاذْکُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّکَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَیْْہِ تَبْتِیْلاً (8) رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ لَا إِلَہَ إِلَّا ہُوَ فَاتَّخِذْہُ وَکِیْلاً (9) وَاصْبِرْ عَلَی مَا یَقُولُونَ وَاہْجُرْہُمْ ہَجْراً جَمِیْلاً (10) وَذَرْنِیْ وَالْمُکَذِّبِیْنَ أُولِیْ النَّعْمَۃِ وَمَہِّلْہُمْ قَلِیْلاً (11) إِنَّ لَدَیْْنَا أَنکَالاً وَجَحِیْماً (12) وَطَعَاماً ذَا غُصَّۃٍ وَعَذَاباً أَلِیْماً (13) یَوْمَ تَرْجُفُ الْأَرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ وَکَانَتِ الْجِبَالُ کَثِیْباً مَّہِیْلاً (14) إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَیْْکُمْ رَسُولاً شَاہِداً عَلَیْْکُمْ کَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَی فِرْعَوْنَ رَسُولاً (15) فَعَصَی فِرْعَوْنُ الرَّسُولَ فَأَخَذْنَاہُ أَخْذاً وَبِیْلاً (16) فَکَیْْفَ تَتَّقُونَ إِن کَفَرْتُمْ یَوْماً یَجْعَلُ الْوِلْدَانَ شِیْباً (17) السَّمَآءُ مُنفَطِرٌ بِہِ کَانَ وَعْدُہُ مَفْعُولاً (18) إِنَّ ہَذِہِ تَذْکِرَۃٌ فَمَن شَاء اتَّخَذَ إِلَی رَبِّہِ سَبِیْلاً (19) إِنَّ رَبَّکَ یَعْلَمُ أَنَّکَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَی مِن ثُلُثَیِ اللَّیْْلِ وَنِصْفَہُ وَثُلُثَہُ وَطَاءِفَۃٌ مِّنَ الَّذِیْنَ مَعَکَ وَاللَّہُ یُقَدِّرُ اللَّیْْلَ وَالنَّہَارَ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوہُ فَتَابَ عَلَیْْکُمْ فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ عَلِمَ أَن سَیَکُونُ مِنکُم مَّرْضَی وَآخَرُونَ یَضْرِبُونَ فِیْ الْأَرْضِ یَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّہِ وَآخَرُونَ یُقَاتِلُونَ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللَّہِ فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنْہُ وَأَقِیْمُوا الصَّلَاۃَ وَآتُوا الزَّکَاۃَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّہَ قَرْضاً حَسَناً وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِکُم مِّنْ خَیْْرٍ تَجِدُوہُ عِندَ اللَّہِ ہُوَ خَیْْراً وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْراً وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّہَ إِنَّ اللَّہَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِیْمٌ (20)
O ye enfolded in your shawl1! stand [in prayer] by night, but not all night. Half the night, or even less or a little more and [in this prayer of yours] recite the Qur’anin a slow measured tone2. Because soon We shall lay on you the burden of a heavy word [the burden of open warning3]. Verily, this rising by night is very suitable for the mind’s peace and the heart’s resolve4 and for the speech’s correctness5. Because during the daytime you will be hard-pressed with [this task; so pray at this time] and remember the name of your Lord6 and [in this loneliness of the night] devote yourself entirely to Him. He is the Lord of the East and the West. There is no god but He. Therefore, take Him alone as your Guardian, and bear with patience what they say and with dignity ignore them7. And leave their matter, the matter of these who deny, who enjoy the comforts of life to Me8 and give them a little respite. We have in store for them heavy fetters and a blazing fire, and choking food and a painful torment -- on the Day when the earth and the mountains shall tremble violently and the mountains shall be as if they are disbanding heaps of sand. (1-14)
To you [O People of the Quraysh!] We have sent forth a Prophet as a witness upon you just as we sent a Prophet to Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh disobeyed this Prophet; so We seized him with a dreadful punishment9. So how then will you, if you also deny, save yourself from the Day which shall make the children gray-haired. The heavens are ripping apart with its burden10 and [O People of the Quraysh!] His promise [--the promise of your Lord] is certain to be fulfilled. Verily, [before the Day of Judgement comes] this is a reminder. So whoever wants, he can take the path which leads to His Lord. (15-19)
[O Prophet! We had enjoined upon you to stand by night]. Your Lord, indeed, knows that [in complying with this directive] sometimes you stand two thirds of the night and sometimes half and sometimes one third of it, and so does a group among your followers. And Allah alone [keeping in regard the need of people] appoints the day and night in due measure. He knew that you would not be able to follow this [routine]. So He turned towards you mercifully. Recite then from this Qur’an [in this prayer] as much as you are able to11. He knows that [not much time will elapse before] there are among you who will be sick and others who will be travelling to seek the bounty12 of Allah and others who will be fighting for the cause of Allah; recite then from this as much as is possible for you, and [in the daytime and at night] establish regular prayers and pay zakahand [for the cause of your religion and state] lend to Allah a befitting13 loan, and remember whatever good you send forth for yourselves you shall find it with Allah better than before and greater in reward. And seek Allah’s forgiveness: verily He is Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful. (20)