بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Muzzammil 73:13
The Enshrouded One · Juz 29 · Page 574
وَطَعَامٗا ذَا غُصَّةٖ وَعَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا ١٣
And food that chokes and a painful punishment -
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 73:13
The verse says in conclusion: وَّعَذَابًا اَلِيْمًا (...and a
painful punishment... 73:13).
Having described specific forms of punishment, this description is general - indicating that there will be many more horrible and terrible forms of punishment which man cannot even imagine. [ 0 Allah, save us from all forms of punishment!]
The Righteous Elders' Fear of the Hereafter
Imam Alhmad, Ibn Abi Dawud, Ibn ` Adiyy and Baihaqi record a narration that a person heard this verse and fell fainted. One day Hasan al-Basri (رح) تعالیٰ was fasting. When the food was brought to him at the time of iftar (ending the fast), this verse occurred in his mind and he could not eat. As a result, he sent it away. The following day he was fasting again. The same thing happened in the evening and he sent the food away. On the third day the same thing happened. So, his sons went to Thabit Bunani, Yazid Dabb, and Yahya Al-Bakka' and recounted the story. All three personalities went to Hasan and insisted on his eating something. At their insistence, the latter ate a little. [ Ruh-u1-Ma’ ani ]
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.