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Al-Muzzammil - 73:16
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فَعَصَى فِرْعَوْنُ الرَّسُولَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُ أَخْذًا وَبِيلً
But Fir'awn disobeyed the Messenger; so We seized him with a severe punishment.
أَخْذًا وَبِيلً
Severe punishment,
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi, and Ath-Thawri said:
This means severe.
This means, 'you should beware of denying this Messenger, lest you be afflicted by that which befell Fir'awn. Allah seized him with the seizing of One Mighty and Powerful.'
This is as Allah says,
فَأَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ نَكَالَ الاٌّخِرَةِ وَالاٍّوْلَى
So Allah seized him with punishment for his last and first transgression. (79:25)
'Therefore, you will be even more deserving of destruction and ruin if you deny your Messenger, because your Messenger is more noble and a greater than Prophet Musa, the son of 'Imran.'
This has been reported from Ibn 'Abbas and Mujahid.
Al-Muzzammil - 73:17
The Threat of the Day of Judgement
Allah says,
فَكَيْفَ تَتَّقُونَ إِن كَفَرْتُمْ يَوْمًا يَجْعَلُ الْوِلْدَانَ شِيبًا
Then how can you protect yourselves from the punishment, if you disbelieved, on a Day that will make the children gray-headed?
Ibn Jarir quoted in the recitation of Ibn Mas'ud:
"How can you, O people, fear a Day that makes the children grey-headed, if you disbelieve in Allah and do not testify to Him"
So the first interpretation would mean, 'how can you attain safety for yourselves from the Day of this great horror if you disbelieve'
It could imply the meaning, 'how can you all attain piety if you disbelieve in the Day of Judgement and reject it.'
Both of these meanings are good. However, the first interpretation is closer to the truth. And Allah knows best.
The meaning of Allah's statement,
يَوْمًا يَجْعَلُ الْوِلْدَانَ شِيبًا
On a Day that will make the children gray-headed, is that this will happen due to the severity of its horrors, its earth- quakes and its disturbing confusion. This is when Allah will say to Adam,
"Send a group to the Fire."
Adam will say, "How many"
Allah will then reply, "From every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine to the Fire, and one to Paradise."
Al-Muzzammil - 73:18
Then Allah says,
السَّمَاء مُنفَطِرٌ بِهِ
Whereon the heaven will be cleft asunder.
Al-Hasan and Qatadah both said, "This means, because of it (the Day of Judgement), due to its severity and its horror."
Then Allah says,
كَانَ وَعْدُهُ مَفْعُولاًا
His promise is certainly to be accomplished.
Meaning, the promise of this Day will be fulfilled.
This means it will occur and there is no way around it, and it will come to pass and there is no avoiding it.
Al-Muzzammil - 73:19
This is a Surah that Men of Sound Understanding receive Admonition from.
Allah says,
إِنَّ هَذِهِ
Verily, this meaning, this Surah.
تَذْكِرَةٌ
An admonition
Meaning, men of understanding receive admonition from it.
Thus, Allah says,
فَمَن شَاء اتَّخَذَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ سَبِيلً
Therefore whosoever wills, let him take a path to His Lord
Meaning, from those whom Allah wills that they be guided. This is similar to the stipulation that Allah mentions in another Surah,
وَمَا تَشَأءُونَ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَأءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيماً حَكِيماً
But you cannot will, unless Allah wills. Verily Allah is Ever All-Knowing, Al-Wise. (76:30)
Al-Muzzammil - 73:20
Abrogation of the Obligation to offer the Night Prayer and a Mention of its Valid Excuses
Then Allah says
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَى مِن ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُ وَثُلُثَهُ
وَطَايِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ
Verily, your Lord knows that you do stand a little less than two-thirds of the night, or half the night, or a third of the night, and also a party of those with you.
Meaning, sometimes like this and sometimes like that, and all of these are done unintentionally. However, you all are not able to be consistent with the night prayer Allah has commanded you, because it is difficult for you.
Thus, Allah says,
وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ
And Allah measures the night and the day.
Meaning, sometimes the night and day are equal, and sometimes one of them will be longer or shorter than the other.
عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ
He knows that you are unable to pray the whole night
Meaning, the obligation which He prescribed for you.
مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْانِ
عَلِمَ
So, recite you of the Qur'an as much as may be easy.
Meaning, without specification of any set time.
This means, stand and pray during the night as much as is easy (for you). Allah uses the term recitation (Qira'ah) to mean prayer (Salah).
This is as Allah says in Surah Subhan (Al-Isra'),
وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلتِكَ
And offer your Salah neither aloud, (17:110)
Meaning, your recitation.
وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا
Nor in low voice. (17:110)
Then Allah says,
أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَى وَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي الاَْرْضِ
يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
He knows that there will be some among you sick, others traveling through the land, seeking of Allah's bounty, yet others fighting in Allah's cause.
Meaning, He knows that there will be people of this nation who will have excuses for not praying the (voluntary) night prayer. They are those who are ill and therefore they are not able to perform it, and those who are traveling in the land seeking the bounty of Allah in business and trade, and others who will be busy with that which is more important to them. An example of this is going on expeditions to fight in the way of Allah.
This Ayah, rather, this entire Surah was revealed in Makkah even though fighting was not legislated until after it was revealed. Thus, it is among the greatest of the signs of Prophethood, because it informs about unseen matters of the future.
Thus, Allah says,
فَاقْرَوُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ
So recite as much of the Qur'an as may be easy,
Meaning, stand and pray at night whatever is easy for you to do of it.
Allah said;
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَأةَ وَاتُوا الزَّكَاةَ
And perform Salah and give Zakah,
Meaning, establish your obligatory prayers and pay your obligatory Zakah.
This is a proof for those who say that Zakah was made obligatory in Makkah, but the various amounts of Nisab and how much was to be given was clarified in Al-Madinah. And Allah knows best.
Ibn 'Abbas, 'Ikrimah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others from the Salaf have said, "Verily, this Ayah abrogated the standing for prayer at night that Allah previously made obligatory for the Muslims."
It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said to a man,
خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَة
Five obligatory prayers during a day and a night (are obligatory).
The man said, "Is there anything other than this (of prayer) that is obligatory upon me"
The Messenger of Allah replied,
لَاا إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّع
No, except what you may do voluntarily.
The Command to give Charity and do Good Deeds
Allah says,
وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا
And lend to Allah a handsome loan.
Meaning, from charitable donations. For verily, Allah will reward for this the best and most abundant of rewards.
This is as Allah says,
مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً
Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? (2:245)
Then Allah says,
وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لاَِنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا
And whatever good you send before you for yourselves, you will certainly find it with Allah, better and greater in reward.
Meaning, for all that you send before yourselves, you will get it (back) and it will be better than what you kept for yourselves in the worldly life.
Al-Hafiz Abu Ya'la Al-Mawsili reported from Al-Harith bin Suwayd, from 'Abdullah that Messenger of Allah said,
أَيُّكُمْ مَالُهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَالِ وَارِثِهِ
Which of you hold his wealth to be more beloved to him than the wealth of his heir?
They said, "O Messenger of Allah! There is not a single one of us who does not hold his wealth to be more beloved to him than the wealth of his heir."
The Messenger of Allah then said,
اعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُون
Know what you are saying!
They replied, "What do we know other than this, O Messenger of Allah"
He then said,
إِنَّمَا مَالُ أَحَدِكُمْ مَا قَدَّمَ وَمَالُ وَارِثِهِ مَا أَخَّر
The wealth of one of you is only that which he sends forth, and the wealth of his heir is that which he leaves behind.
Al-Bukhari also recorded this Hadith.
Then Allah says,
وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And seek forgiveness of Allah. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.
Meaning, remember Him and seek forgiveness from Him often for all of your matters. For verily, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful to whoever seeks His forgiveness.
This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Al-Muzzammil, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah.
