Tafsir of Al-Muzzammil 73:2-4

Surah Al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One): Verses 2–4

And [commanded]: "Stand [in prayer] the night, except a little..."

There are two main perspectives regarding the command: {Stand [in prayer] the night}:

1. It was obligatory (Fard):
   • Ibn Abbas reported that standing in the night was obligatory for the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) due to the explicit command (Amr).
   • Abrogation (Naskh): They differed on the reason for its abrogation:
     • First View: It was obligatory before the five daily prayers were ordained, and was then abrogated by them.
     • Second View: Allah commanded: {Stand [in prayer] the night, except a little, half of it, or lessen it by a little, or add to it}. People did not know the exact measure required, so they would stand the entire night for fear of falling short of the obligatory amount. This became difficult, causing their feet and shins to swell. Allah then abrogated this command later in the same Surah with: {So read what is easy for you of the Qur'an} (Al-Muzzammil: 20). Ibn Abbas stated there was a year between this initial obligation and its abrogation. Another narration suggests this obligation was in Mecca and its abrogation in Medina. This specific obligation was then superseded by the five daily prayers.
     • Difference between the two views: The first view holds that the obligation of Tahajjud was abrogated directly by the command of the five prayers. The second view holds that the obligation of Tahajjud was first abrogated by the command to read what is easy (v. 20), and then this latter command was superseded by the obligation of the five prayers.

2. It was never obligatory (Not Fard):
   • Some scholars argued that Tahajjud was never obligatory for the Prophet (PBUH).
   • Evidence for Non-Obligation:
     • Allah says: {And some of the night, keep vigil with it as an additional prayer for you} (Al-Isra: 79), indicating it was an additional voluntary act (Nafilah). Ibn Abbas countered this by saying the meaning was an additional obligation.
     • If it were obligatory for the Prophet (PBUH), it would be obligatory for his Ummah based on the command: {And follow him} (Al-A'raf: 158). Abrogation of an obligation is contrary to the general principle.
     • Allah gave him options: {half of it, or lessen it by a little, or add to it}. This delegation to the individual's discretion suggests it was not strictly obligatory.
   • Rebuttal to the command {Stand the night}: Those who hold it was not obligatory argue that the apparent meaning of the command (Amr) here indicates recommendation (Nadb). Since Allah’s commands sometimes imply recommendation and sometimes obligation, we must choose the common ground between the two—which is favoring the action over leaving it—while maintaining the permissibility of leaving it based on the general principle. Thus, the command signifies recommendation.

• Abu as-Samal recited {Qum} with a fath (a) on the Mīm (Qum).
• Others recited it with a ḍamma (u) on the Mīm (Qum).
• Abu al-Fath Ibn Jinni stated that the purpose of the vowel is to avoid the meeting of two silent letters (Saakinayn). Any vowel achieves this goal.
• Qutrub narrated that some recited it as {Qum al-layl} (with a sukūn on the Mīm and Lām), and {Qul al-haqq} (with a rafʿ on the Mīm and Lām). He concluded: Whoever uses kasra (i) follows the basic rule; whoever uses ḍamma (u) follows the preceding letter; and whoever uses fath (a) leans toward the lightness of the fath.

{except a little, half of it, or lessen it by a little, or add to it}

People have discussed the interpretation of this verse extensively. I see two summarized approaches:

First Approach:

• The meaning of {except a little} is one-third (1/3).
• Evidence: The end of the Surah states: {Indeed, your Lord knows that you stand nearly two-thirds of the night, and half of it, and a third of it} (Al-Muzzammil: 20). This verse indicates that the maximum obligatory portion was two-thirds (2/3). Therefore, sleeping for one-third (1/3) was permissible.
• If 1/3 sleep is permissible, then {Stand the night, except a little} means stand two-thirds (2/3) of the night.
• Then, {half of it} means: or stand half of it, similar to saying, "Sit with Hasan or Ibn Sirin" (meaning, sit with either one you choose, omitting the conjunction waw).
• The structure is: Stand 2/3 of the night, OR stand 1/2, OR lessen from 1/2, OR add to 1/2.
• Under this interpretation, 2/3 is the maximum extent of addition, and 1/3 is the maximum extent of reduction. Thus, the obligatory amount is 1/3, and anything beyond that is recommended (Mandub).
• Addressing an objection: If 1/3 is obligatory, then the Prophet (PBUH) would have left the obligation, as Allah says He knows the Prophet stood less than 2/3, less than 1/2, and less than 1/3.
• Response: They estimated the third by Ijtihad (independent reasoning). Sometimes they erred in this estimation and fell slightly short of the true one-third determined by Allah’s measure of the parts. This is why Allah said: {He knows that you will not be able to keep count} (Al-Muzzammil: 20).

Second Approach:

• {half of it} is an explanation of {a little}. This is permissible because:
  1. Half of something is considered "little" relative to the whole.
  2. If the obligation was half, one would only be certain of fulfilling the duty by adding a small amount to it, making the remainder (the sleeping part) less than half.
• If this is established, then {Stand the night, except a little} means: Stand the night, except half of it. The result is: Stand half the night.
• Then, {or lessen it by a little} means: or lessen from this half by half of it, resulting in one-quarter (1/4).
• Then, {or add to it} means: or add to this half its half, resulting in three-quarters (3/4).
• Under this interpretation, the verse gives him the choice between standing exactly half, standing 1/4, or standing 3/4.
• The unavoidable obligation (Wajib) is standing one-quarter (1/4), and anything more is recommended (Mandub) or voluntary (Nafilah).
• This interpretation completely resolves the previous objection, as Allah stating the Prophet stood less than 2/3, 1/2, or 1/3 does not imply he left any obligation, since the required minimum was only 1/4.

{And recite the Qur'an in measured tones (Tartīl)}

• Al-Zajjaj said: Tartīl means clarifying it clearly (Tabyīn). Clarity is not achieved by rushing through the Qur'an; rather, it is achieved by making every letter distinct and giving it its due elongation (Ishbāʿ).
• Al-Mubarrid said: The root comes from the description of a tooth gap (Thaghr) that is rattal if there is a separation between the incisors that is not too wide.
• Al-Layth said: Tartīl is the arrangement/coordination of something. A rattal tooth gap is one of beautiful alignment. I recited the speech with tartīl if I recited it slowly and composed its arrangement well.
• The word {Tartīl} serves as an emphasis confirming the obligation of this command for the reciter.

When Allah commanded the night prayer, He commanded the Tartīl of the Qur'an so that the mind can focus on contemplating the realities and subtleties of those verses. Upon reaching the mention of Allah, one senses His Greatness and Majesty. Upon reaching the promise and the threat, hope and fear arise. Then, the heart is illuminated by the light of the knowledge of Allah. Rushing through the recitation indicates a lack of engagement with the meanings, because the soul rejoices in the mention of divine, spiritual matters. Whoever rejoices in something loves to mention it, and whoever loves something does not pass over it quickly. Thus, it becomes clear that the purpose of Tartīl is the presence of the heart and the attainment of knowledge.

{Indeed, We will entrust to you a weighty saying.}