Al-Muzzammil: 20

Ayah

Word by Word

إِنَّ

Indeed

رَبَّكَ

your Lord

يَعۡلَمُ

knows

أَنَّكَ

that you

تَقُومُ

stand

أَدۡنَىٰ

a little less

مِن

than

ثُلُثَيِ

two thirds

ٱلَّيۡلِ

(of) the night

وَنِصۡفَهُۥ

and half of it

وَثُلُثَهُۥ

and a third of it

وَطَآئِفَةٞ

and (so do) a group

مِّنَ

ٱلَّذِينَ

those who

مَعَكَۚ

(are) with you

وَٱللَّهُ

And Allah

يُقَدِّرُ

determines

ٱلَّيۡلَ

the night

وَٱلنَّهَارَۚ

and the day

عَلِمَ

He knows

أَن

that

لَّن

not

تُحۡصُوهُ

you count it

فَتَابَ

so He has turned

عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ

to you

فَٱقۡرَءُواْ

so recite

مَا

what

تَيَسَّرَ

is easy

مِنَ

ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِۚ

the Quran

عَلِمَ

He knows

أَن

that

سَيَكُونُ

there will be

مِنكُم

among you

مَّرۡضَىٰ

sick

وَءَاخَرُونَ

and others

يَضۡرِبُونَ

traveling

فِي

ٱلۡأَرۡضِ

the land

يَبۡتَغُونَ

seeking

مِن

فَضۡلِ

(the) Bounty

ٱللَّهِ

(of) Allah

وَءَاخَرُونَ

and others

يُقَٰتِلُونَ

fighting

فِي

سَبِيلِ

(the) way

ٱللَّهِۖ

(of) Allah

فَٱقۡرَءُواْ

So recite

مَا

what

تَيَسَّرَ

is easy

مِنۡهُۚ

of it

وَأَقِيمُواْ

and establish

ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ

the prayer

وَءَاتُواْ

and give

ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ

the zakah

وَأَقۡرِضُواْ

and loan

ٱللَّهَ

Allah

قَرۡضًا

a loan

حَسَنٗاۚ

goodly

وَمَا

And whatever

تُقَدِّمُواْ

you send forth

لِأَنفُسِكُم

for yourselves

مِّنۡ

خَيۡرٖ

good

تَجِدُوهُ

you will find it

عِندَ

with

ٱللَّهِ

Allah

هُوَ

خَيۡرٗا

(is) better

وَأَعۡظَمَ

and greater

أَجۡرٗاۚ

(in) reward

وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ

And seek forgiveness

ٱللَّهَۖ

(of) Allah

إِنَّ

Indeed

ٱللَّهَ

Allah

غَفُورٞ

(is) Oft-Forgiving

رَّحِيمُۢ

Most Merciful

Translation

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.

Tafsir

This is a Surah that Men of Sound Understanding receive Admonition from

Allah says,

إِنَّ هَذِهِ

Verily, this

meaning, this Surah.

تَذۡكِرَةٌ

an admonition,

meaning, men of understanding receive admonition from it.

Thus, Allah says,

فَمَن شَاء اتَّخَذَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ سَبِيلً

therefore whosoever wills, let him take a path to His Lord.

meaning, from those whom Allah wills that they be guided.

This is similar to the stipulation that Allah mentions in another Surah,

وَمَا تَشَأءُونَ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَأءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً

But you cannot will, unless Allah wills. Verily Allah is Ever All-Knowing, Al-Wise. (76:30)

Abrogation of the Obligation to offer the Night Prayer and a Mention of its Valid Excuses

Then Allah says

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعۡلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدۡنَى مِن ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيۡلِ وَنِصۡفَهُ وَثُلُثَهُ

وَطَايِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ

Verily, your Lord knows that you do stand a little less than two-thirds of the night, or half the night, or a third of the night, and also a party of those with you.

meaning, sometimes like this and sometimes like that, and all of these are done unintentionally. However, you all are not able to be consistent with the night prayer Allah has commanded you, because it is difficult for you.

Thus, Allah says,

وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ اللَّيۡلَ وَالنَّهَارَ

And Allah measures the night and the day.

meaning, sometimes the night and day are equal, and sometimes one of them will be longer or shorter than the other.

عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحۡصُوهُ فَتَابَ

He knows that you are unable to pray the whole night,

meaning, the obligation which He prescribed for you.

مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الۡقُرۡانِ

عَلِمَ

So, recite you of the Qur'an as much as may be easy.

meaning, without specification of any set time.

This means, stand and pray during the night as much as is easy (for you). Allah uses the term recitation (Qira'ah) to mean prayer (Salah).

This is as Allah says in Surah Subhan (Al-Isra'),

وَلَا تَجۡهَرۡ بِصَلتِكَ

And offer your Salah neither aloud, (17:110)

meaning, your recitation.

وَلَا تُخَافِتۡ بِهَا

Nor in low voice. (17:110)

Then Allah says,

أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرۡضَى وَاخَرُونَ يَضۡرِبُونَ فِي الاَۡرۡضِ

يَبۡتَغُونَ مِن فَضۡلِ اللَّهِ وَاخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

He knows that there will be some among you sick, others traveling through the land, seeking of Allah's bounty, yet others fighting in Allah's cause.

meaning, He knows that there will be people of this nation who will have excuses for not praying the (voluntary) night prayer. They are those who are ill and therefore they are not able to perform it, and those who are traveling in the land seeking the bounty of Allah in business and trade, and others who will be busy with that which is more important to them. An example of this is going on expeditions to fight in the way of Allah.

This Ayah, rather, this entire Surah was revealed in Makkah even though fighting was not legislated until after it was revealed. Thus, it is among the greatest of the signs of Prophethood, because it informs about unseen matters of the future.

Thus, Allah says,

فَاقۡرَوُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنۡهُ

So recite as much of the Qur'an as may be easy,

meaning, stand and pray at night whatever is easy for you to do of it.

Allah said;

وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَأةَ وَاتُوا الزَّكَاةَ

and perform Salah and give Zakah,

meaning, establish your obligatory prayers and pay your obligatory Zakah.

This is a proof for those who say that Zakah was made obligatory in Makkah, but the various amounts of Nisab and how much was to be given was clarified in Al-Madinah. And Allah knows best.

Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others from the Salaf have said,

Verily, this Ayah abrogated the standing for prayer at night that Allah previously made obligatory for the Muslims.

It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said to a man,

خَمۡسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الۡيَوۡمِ وَاللَّيۡلَة

Five obligatory prayers during a day and a night (are obligatory).

The man said, Is there anything other than this (of prayer) that is obligatory upon me

The Messenger of Allah replied,

لَاا إِلاَّ أَنۡ تَطَوَّع

No, except what you may do voluntarily.

The Command to give Charity and do Good Deeds

Allah says,

وَأَقۡرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنًا

and lend to Allah a handsome loan.

meaning, from charitable donations. For verily, Allah will reward for this the best and most abundant of rewards.

This is as Allah says,

مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقۡرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرۡضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضۡعَافًا كَثِيرَةً

Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? (2:245)

Then Allah says,

وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لاَِنفُسِكُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيۡرًا وَأَعۡظَمَ أَجۡرًا

And whatever good you send before you for yourselves, you will certainly find it with Allah, better and greater in reward.

meaning, for all that you send before yourselves, you will get it (back) and it will be better than what you kept for yourselves in the worldly life.

Al-Hafiz Abu Ya`la Al-Mawsili reported from Al-Harith bin Suwayd, from `Abdullah that Messenger of Allah said,

أَيُّكُمۡ مَالُهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيۡهِ مِنۡ مَالِ وَارِثِهِ

Which of you hold his wealth to be more beloved to him than the wealth of his heir?

They said, O Messenger of Allah! There is not a single one of us who does not hold his wealth to be more beloved to him than the wealth of his heir.

The Messenger of Allah then said,

اعۡلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُون

Know what you are saying!

They replied, What do we know other than this, O Messenger of Allah

He then said,

إِنَّمَا مَالُ أَحَدِكُمۡ مَا قَدَّمَ وَمَالُ وَارِثِهِ مَا أَخَّر

The wealth of one of you is only that which he sends forth, and the wealth of his heir is that which he leaves behind.

Al-Bukhari also recorded this Hadith.

Then Allah says,

وَاسۡتَغۡفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And seek forgiveness of Allah. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.

meaning, remember Him and seek forgiveness from Him often for all of your matters. For verily, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful to whoever seeks His forgiveness.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Al-Muzzammil, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah.

Assuredly your Lord knows that you stand vigil less than two thirds of the night, or [at times] a half of it or a third of it (if read wa-nisfihi wa-thuluthihi, then these constitute a supplement to thuluthay, 'two thirds'; if read wa-nisfahu wa-thuluthahu, then a supplement to adnaa, 'less than') - his keeping vigil in the way mentioned is in accordance with what was enjoined on him at the beginning of this soora - along with a group of those with you (wa-taa'ifatun mina'lladheena ma'aka constitutes a supplement to the subject [of the verb] taqoomu, 'you stand vigil', but it may also constitute, although it is not certain, a separating clause). The keeping vigil by some of his companions in this way indicates their emulation of him. Some of them could not tell how much of the night they had spent in prayer and how much of it had remained, and would therefore keep vigil all night as a precaution; and so they used to keep vigil [in this way] for a whole year or more with their feet swollen, until God alleviated matters for them. He, exalted be He, says: and God keeps measures, He keeps count of, the night and the day. He knows that (an: softened in place of the hardened form, its subject having been omitted, that is to say, annahu) you will not be able to keep count of it, that is, the [length of the] night, so that you may perform the vigil at the time in which it is required unless you stay up all night, which is hard on you, and so He has relented to you, making you revert to what is easier. So recite as much as is feasible of Al-Qur'an, during prayer, by performing as much prayer as is feasible. He knows that (an: softened in place of the hardened form, that is to say, annahu) some of you will be sick, while others will be travelling in the land, seeking the bounty of God, seeking of His provision through commerce and otherwise, and others will be fighting in the way of God: for each of the three groups mentioned the keeping of nightly vigil is hard, and so God has alleviated things for them by [enjoining on them] what is feasible. Later this was abrogated by the five [daily] prayers. So recite as much as is feasible of it (as [explained] above) and perform, obligatory, prayer and pay alms and lend God, by expending in the way of good in addition to what is due from your wealth [as alms], a goodly loan, out of the goodness of [your] hearts. For whatever good you send ahead for [the sake of] your souls, you will find that, with God, it will be better, than what you left behind (huwa khayran: huwa is for separation; what follows it [khayran, 'better'] is comparable to a definite, even if it is not [actually] so, on account of the impossibility of it being given [the al- of] definition) and greater in terms of reward. And seek forgiveness from God; assuredly God