سُوْرَةُ الذَّارِياتِ
Surah Adh-Dhaariyat (51) — Ayah 17
كَانُوا۟ قَلِيلًا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allâh) and praying, with fear and hope].
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كَانُوا۟
kānū
They used to
قَلِيلًۭا
qalīlan
little
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلَّيْلِ
al-layli
the night
مَا
mā
[what]
يَهْجَعُونَ
yahjaʿūna
sleep
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
17. 1. The meaning of ھجوع is to sleep at night. In ما یھجعون, ما is for emphasis. They used to sleep little at night, meaning they did not spend the whole night in heedlessness and luxury by sleeping. Rather, they would spend a part of the night in the remembrance of Allah and supplicating in His presence. As the hadith also emphasizes standing in prayer at night. For example, in one hadith it is stated: "O people! Feed the people, maintain ties of kinship, spread the greeting of salam, and stand in prayer at night while people are asleep, you will enter Paradise in peace." (Musnad Ahmad 5:451).
