Surah Al-Muzzammil 73:19-20 - Quran Translation Commentary

20.(O Messenger!) your Lord knows that you keep standing (in Salat prayer) for nearly two-third of the night or for one half of the night or for one-third of the night ¹⁸ and so also a group from your companions.¹⁹ Allah alone fixes the hours of the day and night.²⁰ HE knows that you cannot count them correctly. ²¹ So HE showered HIS Mercy upon you. Therefore recite of the Quran as much as may be easy for you. ²² HE knows that, among you, there will be sick and others will be traveling with land seeking grace of Allah and others will be fighting in the way of Allah. So recite as much of it as may be easy for you, ²³ and keep up Salat,²⁴ pay ‘Zakat’ (the poor-due) and give a goodly loan to Allah. ²⁵ Whatever good you will send forth for you, you will find it with Allah. ²⁶ It will be a better and greater Reward. Implore Allah to forgive you²⁷ Verily Allah is forgiving, Merciful.

Commentary

16. The Quran is admonishment and a remembrance.

17. It becomes thus clear that man can reach God only by accepting the admonition of the Holy Quran. The only Path leading to HIM is the path which Quran shows.

18. This last verse is also Makkan. But it was revealed long after the revelation of the foregoing ayah. The duration of night prayers has been, hereby, diminished.

The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was following the commands regarding night prayer given in the beginning of the Surah. This phrase mentions that he was sometimes spending two-thirds of the night in worship, sometimes one-half and sometimes one-third.

19. The emphatic command of night prayer was just for the Holy Prophet. But, in their zeal for worship, a group of his companions also used to join him in the salat and, most probably, that salat was being held in the Masjid Al Haraam. The joining by “a section” of the companions makes it clear that it was not an obligatory (Farz) prayer but an optional (Nafil) one. Had it been compulsory, all the companions would have joined in.

20. The lengthening and shortening of the night as well as changes in the duration of day time hours all is in the control of God. It is as per the measurement fixed by Allah. No one else has the power to lengthen or shorten the day or the night.

21. Since there were no clocks in that age, it was difficult to know when it was midnight and when did the last 1/3 rd of the night began. In the absence of watches and alarms it was not easy to know the exact time and to rise from sleep at the appropriate hour. So Almighty Allah did not put the followers of His Messenger to any hard trouble and issued an easy order which follows.

22. The recitation of Quran is an important constituent of Salat. So, as it is clear here from the context, ’Qira’at’ means Salat. It means whatever of the salat (Tahajjud prayer) you can offer easily, you may offer. It is not obligatory to remain standing for half of the night or for more or less than that. This also shows that there is no condition of the number of Rakats for this Qiyame Lail (optional night pra yers)- neither during the month of Ramazan nor in other months. Of course, what the Holy Prophet was doing in his last years was that he was offering eight rakats of salat nicely with lengthy recitations and prolonged Rukoo and Sujood. He used to recite long Surahs like Al Baqarah and An-Nisa and Aale- Imran. (Ayesha (R.A.) says:-

“He did not offer more than eleven raka’ats, either during Ramzan or otherwise. The beauty of four raka’at was beyond description especially in the matter of prolongation and pronunciation.Then again four rakats in the same wonderful way. Thereafter he was offering three rakats (of Vitr).”

(Bukhari, Kitabus Salat-ut- Taraveeh)

And Ayesha (Radiyallahu Anha) has also said:-

“He used to sleep in the earlier part of the night and to get up in the last part to offer salat.”

(Bukhari, Abwabut Tahajjud)

These nightly (nafil) salats can be offered in the form of two-two raka’ats” in any number.

It is in Hadeeth that a man inquired of the Holy Prophet as to how the night prayer should be performed’? He replied: Mathna - Mathna, that is, in the form of two-two raka’ats. ‘Then when there is a doubt about daybreak you may offer one raka’at of Vitr.”

(Bukhari, Abwabut Tahajjud)

If one is unable to offer he nightly optional salat (Tahajjud) he may recite any number of Quranic verses which he may be able to recite easily. According to a Hadeeth the Holy Prophet said:-

“Whosoever recites the last two ayah of Surah Baqarah in the night, it will suffice for him.” (Bukhari, Kitabul Fazaail al Quran)

23. This ayah gives idea of the circumstances which were to follow in future. A concession has been granted in view of that. Some people will be ill. Some will be traveling. Some will be battling in Jihad for the sake of Allah. In all these circumstances a lengthy night prayer would prove very hard. Hence this ease. Recite whatever you can recite easily of the Quran. Offer as many rakats of salat (optional) as you can comfortably.

24. Offer the obligatory salats regularly.

25. For explanation please see Surah Hadeed, note:21.

26. Whatever good deed you will do, aiming at the Hereafter, will become your safe capital. You will surely get it after death.

27. This is an inspiration that while doing good deeds man must also think of his sins and drawbacks and beseech Allah HIS pardon. Hadeeth also puts much emphasis on Istighfaar (beseeching Allah’s forgiveness).