بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Muzzammil 73:1
The Enshrouded One · Juz 29 · Page 574
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُزَّمِّلُ ١
O you who wraps himself [in clothing],1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) addresses the Prophet (ﷺ), who was asleep, wrapped in his garments. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 73:1
The Holy Prophet ﷺ is addressed in this verse with reference to a particular style of wrapping himself in his clothes. The first event of this kind occurred when the Holy Prophet received first revelation in the cave of Hira'. Being his first experience, he felt it very hard, and was caught by, a shivery cold, and once he reached home, he asked his blessed wife Khadijah ؓ to wrap him in a blanket which she did. Some narrations have reported another event: When the Holy Prophet was accused, by the pagans of Makkah, of being a magician who separated between friends, he felt aggrieved, and wrapped himself in his clothes out of grief. Addressing him with reference to these events is a loving style _ adopted by Allah Ta'ala to console him. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)
Commentary
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ '0 you wrapped up in clothes [ 73:1] '. The word muzzammil literally means 'one wrapped up in clothes' and its near-synonym 'muddaththir' comes in the next Surah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ is addressed in this verse with reference to a particular style of wrapping himself in his clothes. The first event of this kind occurred when the Holy Prophet received first revelation in the cave of Hira'. Being his first experience, he felt it very hard, and was caught by a shivery cold, and once he reached home, he asked his blessed wife Khadijah ؓ to wrap him in a blanket which she did. A detailed account of this event is reported by Bukhari in the very first chapter of his book. Then the revelation stopped for some time. Speaking of this temporary break in the revelation [ termed as fatrat-ul-wahy ], Sayyidna Jabir ؓ reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in his narrative:
"Whilst I was walking along, I heard a voice from heaven and I raised up my eyes. Lo! The Angel that had appeared to me in Hira was sitting on a chair between heaven and earth, and I was struck with awe on account of him and returned home and said, Wrap me up, wrap me up [ zammiluni, zammiluni ]. Then Allah revealed the first five verses of Surah Al-Muddththir (chapter 74)." [ Bukhari and Muslim ]
According to this narrative, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is affectionately addressed as '0 you, enveloped in a mantle,' whereas in this Surah he is addressed as '0 you wrapped up in clothes'. Both forms of address are used affectionately and endearingly to console him. The latter title of address 'muzzammil' as it appears in this Surah could probably be connected to another incident (referred to in the footnote) but it, nonetheless, shows deep love and affection for the Holy Prophet ﷺ . [ Ruh-ul-Ma` ani ]. Having addressed him with this special title, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is told in the following verses that praying to Allah in the stillness of night [ salat-ut-tahajjud ] will prepare him for the heavy task entrusted to him. Some details of the night-prayer have also been set out.
Page 574
سورة المزمل
Al-Muzzammil
The Enshrouded One · Meccan · 20 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
73:1
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُزَّمِّلُ ١
O you who wraps himself [in clothing],1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) addresses the Prophet (ﷺ), who was asleep, wrapped in his garments. ↩
73:2
قُمِ ٱلَّيۡلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا ٢
Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little -
73:3
نِّصۡفَهُۥٓ أَوِ ٱنقُصۡ مِنۡهُ قَلِيلًا ٣
Half of it - or subtract from it a little
73:4
أَوۡ زِدۡ عَلَيۡهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ تَرۡتِيلًا ٤
Or add to it, and recite the Qur’ān with measured recitation.
73:5
إِنَّا سَنُلۡقِي عَلَيۡكَ قَوۡلٗا ثَقِيلًا ٥
Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the revelation, which when descending on the Prophet (ﷺ) bore down upon him with a great weight. Another meaning is "important ordinances." ↩
73:6
إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطۡـٔٗا وَأَقۡوَمُ قِيلًا ٦
Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue]1 and more suitable for words.2
73:7
إِنَّ لَكَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ سَبۡحٗا طَوِيلٗا ٧
Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation.
73:8
وَٱذۡكُرِ ٱسۡمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلۡ إِلَيۡهِ تَبۡتِيلٗا ٨
And remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with [complete] devotion.
73:9
رَّبُّ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبِ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَٱتَّخِذۡهُ وَكِيلٗا ٩
[He is] the Lord of the East and the West; there is no deity except Him, so take Him as Disposer of [your] affairs.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., trust in Allāh and rely upon Him. ↩
73:10
وَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَٱهۡجُرۡهُمۡ هَجۡرٗا جَمِيلٗا ١٠
And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.
73:11
وَذَرۡنِي وَٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ أُوْلِي ٱلنَّعۡمَةِ وَمَهِّلۡهُمۡ قَلِيلًا ١١
And leave Me with [the matter of] the deniers, those of ease [in life], and allow them respite a little.
73:12
إِنَّ لَدَيۡنَآ أَنكَالٗا وَجَحِيمٗا ١٢
Indeed, with Us [for them] are shackles and burning fire
73:13
وَطَعَامٗا ذَا غُصَّةٖ وَعَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا ١٣
And food that chokes and a painful punishment -
73:14
يَوۡمَ تَرۡجُفُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَٱلۡجِبَالُ وَكَانَتِ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَثِيبٗا مَّهِيلًا ١٤
On the Day the earth and the mountains will convulse and the mountains will become a heap of sand pouring down.
73:15
إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡكُمۡ رَسُولٗا شَٰهِدًا عَلَيۡكُمۡ كَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنَ رَسُولٗا ١٥
Indeed, We have sent to you a Messenger as a witness upon you just as We sent to Pharaoh a messenger.
73:16
فَعَصَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنُ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُ أَخۡذٗا وَبِيلٗا ١٦
But Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger, so We seized him with a ruinous seizure.
73:17
فَكَيۡفَ تَتَّقُونَ إِن كَفَرۡتُمۡ يَوۡمٗا يَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡوِلۡدَٰنَ شِيبًا ١٧
Then how can you fear, if you disbelieve, a Day that will make the children white-haired?1
1 translator’s note
- Another meaning is "How can you avoid [punishment]" on such a Day? ↩
73:18
ٱلسَّمَآءُ مُنفَطِرُۢ بِهِۦۚ كَانَ وَعۡدُهُۥ مَفۡعُولًا ١٨
The heaven will break apart therefrom;1 ever is His promise fulfilled.
1 translator’s note
- From the terror of that Day. ↩
73:19
إِنَّ هَٰذِهِۦ تَذۡكِرَةٞۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلًا ١٩
Indeed, this is a reminder, so whoever wills may take to his Lord a way.