Tafseer of The Enshrouded One · Al-Muzzammil · 73:3
Half of it - or subtract from it a little
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
ʿAlī related to me; he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us; he said: Muʿāwiyah related to us, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His saying: qumi l-layla illā qalīlan • niṣfahu awi nquṣ minhu qalīlan • aw zid ʿalayhi wa-rattili l-qurʾāna tartīlan ("Stand in the night, except a little — half of it, or diminish from it a little, or increase it, and recite the Qurʾān with careful recitation"). Allah commanded His Prophet and the believers to stand the night, except a little, and that was burdensome for the believers. Then He lightened it for them and showed them mercy, and Allah revealed after this: ʿalima an sayakūnu minkum marḍā wa-ākharūna yaḍribūna fī l-arḍi ("He knows that there will be among you the sick and others who travel through the land") — up to His saying: fa-qraʾū mā tayassara minhu ("so recite what is easy of it"). Thus Allah granted leeway — to Him be praise — and imposed no restriction.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; he said: Yaʿqūb related to us, on the authority of Jaʿfar, on the authority of Saʿīd; he said: when Allah revealed to His Prophet: yā ayyuhā l-muzzammilu ("O you who are wrapped in a cloak"), he said: the Prophet ﷺ remained in this state for ten years, in which he stood the night as Allah had commanded him, and a group of his Companions stood with him. Then Allah revealed to him after ten years: inna rabbaka yaʿlamu annaka taqūmu adnā min thuluthayi l-layli wa-niṣfahu wa-thuluthahu wa-ṭāʾifatun mina lladhīna maʿaka ("Indeed, your Lord knows that you stand for less than two-thirds of the night, and half of it, and a third of it, and a group of those who are with you") — up to His saying: wa-aqīmū l-ṣalāta ("and establish the prayer"). Thus Allah lightened it for them after ten years.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; he said: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, on the authority of Yazīd, on the authority of ʿIkrimah and al-Ḥasan; the two of them said: concerning the Surah al-Muzzammil: qumi l-layla illā qalīlan • niṣfahu awi nquṣ minhu qalīlan • aw zid ʿalayhi wa-rattili l-qurʾāna tartīlan was abrogated (nasakhathā) by the verse in which it says: ʿalima an lan tuḥṣūhu fa-tāba ʿalaykum fa-qraʾū mā tayassara mina l-qurʾāni ("He knows that you will not be able to sustain it, so He turned to you in forgiveness; so recite what is easy of the Qurʾān").
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us; he said: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatādah: qumi l-layla illā qalīlan. They stood for a year, or two years, until their shins and feet swelled. Then Allah revealed after that a lightening at the end of the surah.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; he said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Qays ibn Wahb, on the authority of Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān; he said: when there was revealed: yā ayyuhā l-muzzammilu, they rose with it for a year, until their feet and shins swelled, until there was revealed: fa-qraʾū mā tayassara minhu. Then the people found relief.
&; 23-680 &;
He said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Jarīr the seller of cloak-cloth, on the authority of al-Ḥasan; he said: praise be to Allah; it is a voluntary act (taṭawwuʿ) after an obligation (farīḍah).
Abū Kurayb related to us; he said: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Mubārak, on the authority of al-Ḥasan; he said: when there was revealed: yā ayyuhā l-muzzammilu… the verse, the Muslims stood for a year; some of them were able to do it and some of them were not able to do it, until the dispensation (rukhṣah) was revealed.
He said: Wakīʿ related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿIkrimah, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās; he said: when the beginning of al-Muzzammil was revealed, they stood approximately as their standing in the month of Ramadan, and between its beginning and its end was approximately a year.
