Tafsir of Al-Muzzammil 73:4

"Or add to it" is a conjunctive clause as previously stated, and the same applies to the pronoun. There is no disagreement regarding the two opinions concerning it; it is an option granted to him—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—to pray for half of the night, or less than half, or more. However, the first [opinion] is considered stronger because it establishes the standard of decrease and increase as the half that is conjoined with the prayer, which is preferable to establishing it as a half entirely devoid of it, even if they are equal in quantity.

Some have suggested that it is a substitute (badal) for the portion of the night remaining after the exception, with both pronouns referring to it. The statement that it is a substitute for "a little" is unsound, both for this reason and because the part deserving of the attention indicated by the substitution is the remaining portion after the exception, which is conjoined with the prayer, not the portion excluded that is devoid of it. It is not hidden that this is on the verge of completeness. Abu Hayyan similarly objected to this substitution, stating that if the pronoun "its half" were to refer to the substitute or the exempted-from, then: it is not permissible for it to refer to the substitute, because it would result in an unknown exception (the estimation being: "except for a little, [which is] half of the little"), and this has no valid meaning at all. Nor is it permissible for it to refer to the exempted-from, because the exception would become redundant; for if it were said, "Pray the night, its half, or decrease from it a little, or add to it," it would convey the meaning in a more concise, clearer, and less ambiguous manner.

To this, we respond: We choose the second [interpretation], and as for his claim of redundancy, we have already indicated its refutation. Some of the leading scholars clarified this by stating that it contains an alerting to the lightening and easing of the prayer, for the smallness of one of the two halves implies the smallness of the other, and an alerting to the disparity between that which is occupied by worship and that which is devoid of it. It also signifies that the part occupied by worship is equivalent to the whole, along with the clarity provided after ambiguity, which invites mental stability and increased interest.

Al-Samin also scrutinized the first argument, stating that his claim that it is an "unknown exception from an unknown" is incorrect, because the night is known, as are its parts, such as the half, what is below it, and what is above it. There is no harm in exempting an unknown from a known, as in the verse: "So they drank from it, except a few of them." Indeed, there is no harm even in substituting an unknown for an unknown, as in: "A group came to me, some of them pedestrians." Nevertheless, the relied-upon view is what preceded.

It was also suggested that "its half" is a partial substitute for "the night," and the exception is from it, with the speech implying a precedence and a postponement; the base meaning being: "Pray half of the night, except for a little." The pronouns in "from it" and "upon it" refer to the [amount] less than half, which is understood from the totality of the exempted-from. It is as if it were said: "Pray less than half of the night—by praying a third—or decrease from that lesser amount a little—by praying a quarter—or add to that lesser amount—by praying the half." Thus, the option here is between less than half, less than the lesser, and more than it, which is the half itself. Its ultimate meaning leads to an option between a half, a third, and a quarter. The difference between this view and what was previously mentioned is as clear as the morning.

In al-Kashshaf, it is understood—as has been said—that the option is for what lies beyond the half; that is, what is less than the half and more than the third, not reaching the half by increasing nor the third by decreasing. He said in al-Kash that the increase was set to be less than the half, and the decrease more than the third, because if they had reached a precise fraction, it would have been more appropriate to mention them by their explicit names. Furthermore, preferring the "little" a second time is evidence of the proximity to that lesser amount, and whatever reaches a precise fraction is not considered a "little" in the taste of this context. The same applies to the side of the increase; how could it be otherwise when the matter is based on it being less than the half? This is a forced interpretation.

The speech of some suggests that the mention of the third, the quarter, and the half is by way of example, not that "less," "decreased," and "increased" are limited to what was mentioned. It was also suggested that the speech is based on the intention of precedence and postponement as previously mentioned, but with both pronouns referring to the half, not to what is less than it as in the previous case. The meaning is an option between two matters: that he—upon him be the best of prayers and peace—prays less than half of the night definitively, or that he chooses between two matters: decreasing from the half or increasing from it. It is as if it were said: "Pray less than half of the night definitively, or decrease from the half, or add to it." It was said that because of the concern for the "little"—since it is the fundamental obligation—it was repeated, similar to [saying]: "Honor either Zayd or Amr." This was refuted as being forced, because the priority of the exception over the substitution makes it clear that the substitution is from the result after the exception, for estimating the postponement of the exception is a departure from the origin without evidence. Moreover, the apparent meaning here is the return of the two pronouns to the half after the exception, because it is the [subject] that precedes, not the absolute half. Furthermore, the apparent meaning is that the decrease is a concession, whereas the increase is an act of extra devotion, and paying attention to the [matter of] resolve is more important. Furthermore, it implies that praying the half is not permitted, which is refuted by the authentic reading among the seven: "Indeed, your Lord knows that you stand [in prayer] less than two-thirds of the night, and half of it, and a third of it," with the genitive case. If one were to argue from the permissibility of the "less" for the permissibility of the [half] via the concept of agreement (mafhum al-muwafaqa), it would follow that they would have to render the mention of increasing beyond the half void for the same reason. It is not hidden that some of this applies to the previously mentioned view. The claim that "the decrease is a concession" was objected to as being open to debate, as it is apparently of the category of "I completed ten, so [it is] from you," so the option is not literal. In this there is discussion.

It was also suggested that the substitution is from "a little," as we mentioned first, but with the second "little" meaning "half of the half," which is the quarter, and the pronoun "upon it" referring to this little amount, and the "added" portion being half of the quarter. It is as if it were said: "Pray half of the night, or decrease from the half a little (its half), or add to this little a little (its half)." Its result is: "Pray half of the night, or half of its half, or add to the half of the half, half of the half of the half." Thus, the option—in a case of sixteen hours, for instance—would be between praying eight hours, four, or six. It is not hidden that the absolute nature of "or add to it" is clearly indicative that it is not restricted to "a little," for if it were for sufficiency, it would have sufficed to use the first [form] in "or decrease," etc. Hence it was said: It is permissible to make the increase—because it is absolute—a completion of the third, so the option is between half, a third, and a quarter. The problem with this is that there is no evidence for making it a completion of the third, except for the correspondence of the reading in the genitive case for "its half" and "its third."

The Imam suggested that what is intended by "a little" in His saying—the Almighty—"except a little" is the third, and said that "its half" is based on the omission of the conjunction, as if it were said: "Two-thirds of the night, or pray its half, or decrease from the half, or add to it." He elaborated on this and defended it, yet its state is not hidden to those who have surrounded the preceding information with knowledge. Yes, interpreting the "little" as a third is narrated from al-Kalbi and Muqatil, and from Wahb ibn Munabbih its interpretation as less than a tenth or a sixth. It is—according to what we have provided—a half. Those who hold the view of the permissibility of exempting half or more, as detailed in the fundamentals (usul), have used it as evidence. Al-Tabrizi said: The command to pray and the option for increase and decrease occurred regarding the two-thirds of the latter part of the night, because the first third is the time of 'atma (nightfall). The exception is directed at what is commanded; it is as if it were said: "Pray two-thirds of the night, except a little," then "its half" was made a substitute for "a little," so the "little" became interpreted as half of the two-thirds, which is "a little" according to what was mentioned previously. Or "decrease from it"—that is, from the commanded, which is the prayer of the two-thirds—"a little"—that is, what is less than its half—"or add to it." Thus, it is as if the option for increase and decrease is occurring regarding the two-thirds. This is as you see.

It was said: The exception is from the numbers of the night, not its parts, for its definiteness is for totality, as there is no precedent for it, and the pronoun refers to it considering the parts, assuming there is a use of istikhdam (a figure of speech) or something similar. The option is between praying the half, that which is less than it, and that which is more than it. This is very far-fetched. In short, the exegetes have spoken at length on this verse, to the point that they have mentioned things that should not be used to interpret the speech of Allah, the Exalted. The most apparent of the views to me, the furthest from being forced, and the most befitting the magnificence of the Revelation, is what we mentioned first. And Allah the Almighty knows best what is in His Exalted and Glorious Book.

And, if Allah wills, that which relates to the command in His saying—the Almighty—"Pray the night, etc." will follow.

"And recite the Quran" (i.e., during what was mentioned of the prayer) means: recite it with deliberation, slowness, and clear distinction of the letters, in a profound recitation, such that the listener is able to count them. It is from their saying "a tooth is ratil"—with a silent or kasra-vowelled 't'—when it is spaced, its teeth not touching one another. Al-'Askari recorded in al-Mawa'iz from Ali—may Allah honor his face—that the Messenger of Allah—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—was asked about this verse, and he said: "Clarify it clearly, do not scatter it like the scattering of dates, and do not read it hurriedly like poetry. Pause at its wonders and stir the hearts with it, and let not the concern of any of you be the end of the surah."