Tafsir Al-Jalalayn: Al-Muzzammil, Ayah 20
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Tafsir
(Lo! thy Lord) O Muhammad (knoweth how thou keepest vigil sometimes nearly) less than (two thirds of the night) up to half of the night, (or (sometimes) half) and sometimes you keep vigil half of the night (or a third thereof) and you keep vigil a third of the night; it is also said this means: and sometimes less than half of the night, (as do a party of those with thee) and a group of believers with you who keep vigil of the night in prayer. (Allah measureth the night and the day) Allah knows the hours of the day and night. (He knoweth that ye count it not) i.e. keep track of the hours of the night; it is also said that this means: He knows you will not be able to persevere in that which you are commanded of prayer in the night, (and turneth unto you in mercy) and so He forgives you if you do not pray at night. (Recite, then, of the Qur'an) when you perform the prayers (that which is easy for you) 100 verses and more; and it is also said this means: whatever you wish to recite of the Qur'an. (He knoweth that there are sick folk among you) wounded people among you who cannot pray at night, (while others travel in the land) fleeing from something or (in search of Allah's bounty) of Allah's provision and other things, and it is hard on them to pray at night, (and others (still) are fighting for the cause of Allah) for the obedience of Allah who will find it hard to pray at night. (So recite of it) of the Qur'an in your prayers (that which is easy (for you), and establish worship) complete the five daily prayers including what is required for its validity of ritual ablution, bowings, prostrations and the observation of their due times (and pay the poor-due) from your wealth (and (so) lend unto Allah) by giving to charity; and it is also said: by doing righteous works (a goodly loan) truly and sincerely from your hearts. (Whatsoever good) alms or righteous works (ye send before you for your souls, ye will surely find it) find its reward (with Allah) in Paradise preserved for you, neither stolen, drowned, burnt or eaten by borer, (better) than what you have left in the life of the world (and greater in the recompense) than that which you have. (And seek forgiveness of Allah) from your sins. (Lo! Allah is Forgiving) He forgives whoever repents, (Merciful) towards he who dies repentant, because of the mercy of he who is enveloped in his cloak'.
Related Hadiths
In Surat al-Muzzammil (73), the verse: "Keep vigil at night but a little, a half thereof" (2-3) has been abrogated by the following verse: "He knoweth that ye count it not, and turneth unto you in mer...
“Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends when one third of the night remains, every night and He says: ‘Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who w...
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to his companions, "Is it difficult for any of you to recite one third of the Qur'an in one night?" This suggestion was difficult for them so they said, "Who among us has the pow...
"When a third of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) stood and said: 'O you people! Remember Allah! Remember Allah! The Rajifah is coming, followed by the Radifah, death and what it br...
“And perform prayers at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful.” The man said: “O Messenger of Allah,...
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Allah provides respite until, when half or two thirds of the night had passed, He says: “My slave does not ask of anyone other than Me. Whoever calls upon Me, I will...
“And perform the prayer, at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful.” He said: “O Messenger of Allah, ...
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to in...
that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would stand for prayer during the middle of the night, he would say: “O Allah, to You is the Praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the earth, and to You is ...
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the heaven of the world and says, 'Is there anyone who invokes Me (de...
Al-Jalalayn Commentary
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 adnā ‘less than’ — his keeping vigil in the way mentioned is in accordance with what was enjoined on him at the beginning of this sūra — along with a group of those with you wa-tā’ifatun mina’lladhīna ma‘aka constitutes a supplement to the subject of the verb taqūmu ‘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 the Qur’ān 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.