Surah Al-Muzzammil (73) — Ayah 1

(Ayah 1) ➊ {يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ: ’’ الْمُزَّمِّلُ ‘‘} was originally {’’اَلْمُتَزَمِّلُ‘‘}, the letter "taa" was changed to "zaa" and merged into "zaa", meaning "the one wrapped in a garment". This verb form is intransitive.
➋ { يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ :} "O you who are wrapped in a garment!" These words show that at the time of the revelation of these verses, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was lying wrapped in a garment. In this address, there is much gentleness, grace, and love expressed towards the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), because it is the custom of the Arabs that when they want to speak softly and lovingly to someone, they address them with a word that indicates the person's current state, just as when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) lying on the ground in the mosque, he said: [ قُمْ أَبَا تُرَابٍ! ] [ بخاري، الصلاۃ، باب نوم الرجال في المسجد : ۴۴۱ ] "O dusty one! Get up."
➌ What was the reason for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) lying in his cloak? There are three opinions on this. The first is that it is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that at the time of the first revelation: «اِقْرَاْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ », when the angel pressed him three times with force, he came home to Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: [ زَمِّلُوْنِيْ زَمِّلُوْنِيْ ] [ بخاري، الوحي، باب کیف کان بدء الوحي : ۳ ] "Cover me, cover me." Similarly, it is narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (may Allah be pleased with them both) that after the revelation had ceased for a while, when revelation came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he described it: "I was walking when I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the same angel who had come to me at Hira, sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I was frightened by him and returned and said: [ زَمِّلُوْنِيْ زَمِّلُوْنِيْ ] Then Allah the Exalted revealed the verses from {’’ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ ‘‘} to {’’ وَ الرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ ‘‘}." [ بخاري، الوحي، باب کیف کان بدء الوحي : ۴ ] On both occasions, the words {’’زَمِّلُوْنِيْ‘‘} indicate that the awe and fear that would come over the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) due to the meeting with the angel and the descent of revelation would cause him to wrap himself in a garment. Allah Almighty commanded him to stand in prayer at night to prepare him to bear the heavy burden of revelation. From this, it is understood that with the night prayer, he was being prepared to bear the burden of revelation, and subsequently, revelation began to come continuously and abundantly.
The second opinion is: "O you who are wrapped in a cloak and sleeping! The time for laziness and sleep is over, stand in prayer at night..." The third opinion is that the Quraysh of Mecca gathered in Dar al-Nadwah and began to decide on a name for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that would prevent people from coming to him. Someone said he is a soothsayer, others said he is not a soothsayer. Someone said he is mad, that too was denied. Some said he is a magician, others said he is not a magician. In short, the polytheists said such things and left. When these things reached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he was greatly distressed, and in this state of worry and grief, he wrapped himself in a cloak and lay down. Jibreel (peace be upon him) came and said: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ» "O you who are wrapped in a garment!" and said: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ » "O you who are wrapped in a cloak!" The purpose is that you should not become disheartened and saddened by their words and wrap yourself in a cloak and lie down, but rather stand in prayer at night; this will give you the strength to bear this heavy burden, be patient with what they say, and separate from them in a good way. Ibn Kathir has narrated this opinion from Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) in Musnad Bazzar, but in its chain is a narrator, Mualla bin Abdur Rahman, about whom it is said in Taqreeb: {’’مُتَّهَمٌ بِالْوَضْعِ وَ قَدْ رُمِيَ بِالرَّفْضِ‘‘} "He is accused of fabricating hadiths and is also accused of being a Rafidi."

O you who wrap himself in clothing (1)

1. (O Muhammad ﷺ!) You who wrap yourself [1] [2] (in a cloak to sleep),

[1] This surah has two rukus. The first ruku was revealed in Makkah, unanimously agreed upon, and in the early period. The second ruku appears to have been revealed during the Madinan period. In it, there is mention of fighting in the way of Allah and of obligatory charity, i.e., zakat, and both of these matters were made obligatory in the Madinan period. In the Makkan period, permission for fighting in the way of Allah was not even granted, and although there was a command for spending in the way of Allah, the rulings of zakat had not yet been revealed.
[2] From the style of address, it appears that these verses were revealed at a time when the Prophet ﷺ had already lain down on his bed, wrapped in his sheet to sleep. And in this subtle manner of address, the Prophet ﷺ is being instructed that the days of stretching out your feet and sleeping without concern are over; now your responsibilities are of a different kind.