Sūrat al-Muddaththir

Classification: Meccan. It consists of fifty-six verses. It was revealed after [Sūrat] al-Muzzammil.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

{ O you who are wrapped in your garments! } Meaning: O you who are covered in your cloak.

{ Arise and warn! } Meaning: Stand up to perform the task of warning the people of God’s punishment.

{ And your Lord glorify! } Meaning: Declare His greatness and proclaim His oneness, and do not associate anything with Him.

{ And your garments purify! } Meaning: Keep your clothes clean from filth, for the cleanliness of one’s garments is a sign of the purity of one’s character. It is also said that it means: "Purify your deeds from corruption."

{ And the idols avoid! } Meaning: Abandon the worship of idols and keep away from everything that leads to God’s wrath.

{Al-Muddaththir}: One who is wearing the dithar. The dithar is the garment worn over the shi‘ar—the shi‘ar being the garment that touches the body. From this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "The Ansar are the shi‘ar (inner garment) and the people are the dithar (outer garment)."

It is said that this is the first Surah revealed. Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): "I was on Mount Hira when I was called: 'O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah.' I looked to my right and left but saw nothing. I looked above me and saw something." In Aisha’s narration: "I looked above me and there he was, sitting on a throne between the heaven and the earth"—meaning the angel who called him. "I was terrified and returned to Khadija, saying: 'Wrap me up! Wrap me up!' Then Gabriel descended and said: 'O you who are wrapped in your mantle.'"

Al-Zuhri said: The first to be revealed was the Surah "Read in the name of your Lord" up to "what he did not know." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became distressed and began climbing the mountain peaks. Gabriel came to him and said: "You are the Prophet of Allah." He returned to Khadija and said: "Wrap me up and pour cold water over me," then "O you who are wrapped in your mantle" was revealed.

It is also said: He heard something from the Quraysh that he disliked and became grieved, so he covered himself with his garment, reflecting as a distressed person does. He was then commanded not to abandon warning them, even if they made him hear what he disliked or harmed him.

Ikrimah read it as a passive participle (al-muddaththar), from dathara-hu. He said: "You have wrapped yourself in this affair and it has clung to you," just as He said in Al-Muzzammil: "Rise from your resting place," or "Rise with determination and resolve."

{And warn}: Warn your people of the punishment of Allah if they do not believe. The correct view is that the meaning is: Perform the warning without restricting it to anyone.

{And your Lord, magnify}: Single out your Lord for takbir (magnification). This is describing Him with greatness and saying: "Allah is the Greatest." It is narrated that when this was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah is the Greatest," and Khadija magnified Him and rejoiced, certain that it was revelation. It may also refer to the takbir of prayer. The fa (in fa-kabbir) is used for the conditional sense, as if to say: Whatever happens, do not abandon His magnification.

{And your garments, purify}: A command that his garments be free from impurity, for the purity of garments is a condition for prayer without which it is not valid. It is the most appropriate and beloved state even outside of prayer; it is unbecoming for a pure believer to carry filth.

It is said: It is a command to shorten them, opposing the Arabs in their lengthening of garments and trailing of hems, as one cannot be safe from impurities touching them in that state.

It is said: It is a command to purify the soul from loathsome actions and reprehensible habits. It is said: "So-and-so is pure of garment, pure of pocket, hem, and sleeve" when describing him as free from faults and moral filth. "So-and-so is filthy of garment" refers to a treacherous person. This is because the garment clothes the human and encompasses him, so it is used as a metonym for him. Do you not see their saying: "Zayd’s garment pleased me," just as they say: "Zayd’s intellect and character pleased me"? They say: "Glory is in his garment" and "Generosity is under his cloak." Furthermore, usually, one who purifies his inner self and cleanses it is concerned with purifying and cleansing his outer self, refusing anything but the avoidance of filth and the preference for purity in all things.

{And the idols (al-rujz), avoid}: Read with both kasra and damma. It means punishment. Its meaning is: Abandon that which leads to it, such as the worship of idols and other sins. The meaning is: Steadfastness in abandoning it, for he was already distant from it.