Tabari (1 passage)

1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

   Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to me, saying: Dāwūd related to us, on the authority of ʿIkrima, concerning His saying: (O you who are enwrapped, arise in the night, except a little) — he said: you have been charged with this matter, so arise for it.

   Abū Jaʿfar said: and that which, of the two interpretations, is most fitting for the explanation of this is what Qatāda said, because He followed it with His saying: (arise in the night), and that was a clarification that his being described as "enwrapped in garments" was for the prayer (ṣalāh), and this is the clearer of the two meanings of it.

   And His saying: (arise in the night, except a little) — He says to His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: (arise in the night), O Muḥammad, entirely (except a little) of it (half of it) — He says: arise during half of the night (or diminish from it a little) — and adds to it — He says: or add to it. Allah, exalted be His remembrance, gave him the choice, when He had prescribed for him arising in the night, between these measures: whichever of them he willed, he did. And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions, according to what is related, used to arise in the night, in the manner of their arising in the month of Ramaḍān, according to what is related, until this was made light for them.

   * Mention of who said that:

   Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Abū Usāma related to us, on the authority of Misʿar, saying: Simāk al-Ḥanafī related to us, saying: I heard Ibn ʿAbbās say: when the beginning of al-Muzzammil was revealed, they used to arise approximately as their arising in Ramaḍān, and between its beginning and its end lay nearly a year.

   Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Bishr related to us, on the authority of Misʿar, saying: Simāk related to us, that he heard Ibn ʿAbbās say — and he mentioned something similar. Except that he said: approximately as their arising in the month of Ramaḍān.

   Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Yazīd ibn Ḥayyān related to us, on the authority of Mūsā ibn ʿUbayda, saying: Muḥammad ibn Ṭaḥlāʾ, the client (mawlā) of Umm Salama, related to me, on the authority of Abū Salama ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: I prepared for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, a reed mat upon which he prayed in the night. Then the people heard of that and gathered, and he came out as if angry — and he was merciful toward them — for he feared that arising in the night would be prescribed upon them, and he said: "O people, take upon yourselves of the deeds what you are able to perform, for Allah does not tire of rewarding until you tire of performing, and the best of deeds is that which you persevere in performing." And the Qurʾān was revealed: (O you who are enwrapped, arise in the night, except a little, half of it or diminish from it a little, or add to it), until it even reached the point that a man would tie a rope and hold himself up by it. Thus they remained for eight months, and then Allah saw what they were striving for of His good pleasure, and He had mercy upon them and brought them back to the obligation (al-farīḍa) and relinquished arising in the night.

   Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Mūsā ibn ʿUbayda al-Ḥimyarī, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Ṭaḥlāʾ, on the authority of Abū Salama ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: I bought for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, a reed mat, and he arose upon it at the beginning of the night, and the people heard his prayer, and a group of people gathered. When he saw their assembling, that displeased him, and he feared that it would be prescribed upon them. He entered the house as if angry, and they began to clear their throats and cough until he came out to them, and he said: "O people, truly Allah does not tire until you tire — that is, of rewarding — so take upon yourselves of the deeds what you are able to perform, for the best of deeds is the most consistently maintained, even if it be little." And it was revealed to him: (O you who are enwrapped, arise in the night, except a little) — the sūra. He said: and it was prescribed upon them, and it was revealed with the status of an obligation, until even one of them would tie a rope and hold himself up by it. When Allah saw what they were imposing upon themselves of what they were striving for, seeking the Face of Allah and His good pleasure, He lifted that from them, and said: Indeed, your Lord knows that you stand for nearly two-thirds of the night, and half of it ... up to He knows that you will not be able to do it, so He turns to you in forgiveness. And thus He brought them back to the obligation, and lifted the voluntary act (al-nāfila) from them, except for what they voluntarily added to it.

   Show original Arabic

   حدثنا محمد بن المثنى، قال: ثني عبد الأعلى، قال: ثنا داود، عن عكرِمة، في قوله: ( يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلا قَلِيلا ) قال: زُملت هذا الأمر فقم به. قال أبو جعفر: والذي هو أولى القولين بتأويل ذلك، ما قاله قتادة؛ لأنه قد عقبه بقوله: ( قُمِ اللَّيْلَ ) فكان ذلك بيانا عن أن وصفه بالتزمُّل بالثياب للصلاة، وأن ذلك هو أظهر معنييه. وقوله: ( قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلا قَلِيلا ) يقول لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم : ( قُمِ اللَّيْلَ ) يا محمد كله ( إِلا قَلِيلا ) منه ( نِصْفَهُ ) يقول: قم نصف الليل ( أَوِ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلا أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ ) يقول: أو زد عليه؛ خَيره الله تعالى ذكره حين فرض عليه قيام الليل بين هذه المنازل أي ذلك شاء فعل، فكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه فيما ذُكر يقومون الليل، نحو قيامهم في شهر رمضان فيما ذُكر حتى خفف ذلك عنهم. * ذكر من قال ذلك: حدثنا أبو كريب، قال: ثنا أبو أُسامة، عن مِسْعَرٍ، قال: ثنا سماك الحنفي، قال: سمعت ابن عباس يقول: لما نـزل أوّل المزمل، كانوا يقومون نحوًا من قيامهم في رمضان، وكان بين أوّلها وآخرها قريب من سنة. حدثنا أبو كريب، قال: ثنا محمد بن بشر، عن مِسْعَرٍ، قال: ثنا سماك، أنه سمع ابن عباس يقول، فذكر نحوه. إلا أنه قال: نحوا من قيامهم في شهر رمضان. حدثنا ابن وكيع، قال: ثنا يزيد بن حيان، عن موسى بن عبيدة، قال: ثني محمد بن طَحْلاء مولى أمّ سلمة، عن أبي سلمة بن عبد الرحمن، عن عائشة قالت: كنت أجعل لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حصيرا يصلي عليه من الليل، فتسامع به الناس، فاجتمعوا، فخرج كالمغضَب، وكان بهم رحيما، فخشي أن يُكتب عليهم قيام الليل، فقال: " يا أيُّها النَّاسُ اكْلفُوا مِنَ الأعْمالِ ما تُطِيقُونَ، فإنّ الله لا يَمَلُّ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ حَتَّى تَمَلُّوا مِنَ العَمَلِ وخَيْرُ الأعْمال ما دُمْتُمْ عَلَيْه " ونـزل القرآن: ( يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلا قَلِيلا نِصْفَهُ أَوِ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلا أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ ) حتى كان الرجل يربط الحبل ويتعلق، فمكثوا بذلك ثمانية أشهر، فرأى الله ما يبتغون من رضوانه فرحمهم فردّهم إلى الفريضة وترك قيام الليل. حدثنا ابن حميد، قال: ثنا مهران، عن موسى بن عبيدة الحميري، عن محمد بن طحلاء، عن أبي سلمة بن عبد الرحمن، عن عائشة قالت: كنت أشتري لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حصيرا، فكان يقوم عليه من أوّل الليل، فتسمع الناس بصلاته، فاجتمعت جماعة من الناس؛ فلما رأى اجتماعهم كره ذلك، فخشي أن يكتب عليهم، فدخل البيت كالمغضب، فجعلوا يتنحنحون ويتسعَّلون حتى خرج إليهم، فقال: " يا أيُّها النَّاس إنَّ الله لا يَمَلُّ حتى تَمَلُّوا - يعنى من الثواب - فاكْلُفوا مِنَ العَمَلِ ما تُطِيقُون فإنَّ خَيَْر العَمَلِ أدْوَمُهُ وَإنْ قَلَّ" ,ونـزلت عليه: ( يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ قُمِ &; 23-679 &; اللَّيْلَ إِلا قَلِيلا ) السورة قال: فكتبت عليهم، وأنـزلت بمنـزلة الفريضة حتى إن كان أحدهم ليربط الحبل فيتعلق به؛ فلما رأى الله ما يكلفون مما يبتغون به وجه الله ورضاه، وضع ذلك عنهم، فقال: إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَى مِنْ ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُ ... إلى عَلِمَ أَنْ لَنْ تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ فردّهم إلى الفريضة، ووضع عنهم النافلة، إلا ما تطوّعوا به.