Surah Al-Muzzammil (73) — Ayah 2

(Ayah 2 to 4) ➊ {قُمِ الَّيْلَ اِلَّا قَلِيْلًا … :} Stand (in prayer) during the night, except for a little part of it. {’’ نِصْفَهٗۤ ‘‘ ’’ الَّيْلَ ‘‘} is in apposition, except for that {’’ الَّيْلَ ‘‘} from which {’’ قَلِيْلًا ‘‘} has been excluded. Since the word {’’ قَلِيْلًا ‘‘} is ambiguous, it is now being explained how much of the night should be spent standing, leaving a little part. It is said: Stand for half the night, or a little less than half, or a little more than half. In the last verse of this surah, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the noble companions, after the revelation of these verses, used to stand in prayer for about two-thirds of the night, half the night, and a third of the night. From this, it is understood that "a little less than half" means a third, and "a little more than half" means close to two-thirds. The pronouns in {’’ مِنْهُ ‘‘} and {’’ عَلَيْهِ ‘‘} refer back to { ’’ نِصْفَهٗۤ ‘‘ }. This explanation resolves the question of whether there is repetition in {’’ اِلَّا قَلِيْلًا ‘‘} after {’’ اَوِ انْقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيْلًا ‘‘}. Another solution to this question is to translate {’’ قُمِ الَّيْلَ اِلَّا قَلِيْلًا ‘‘} as: "Stand in prayer during the night, but if you miss a night, there is no harm." From {’’ نِصْفَهٗۤ ‘‘} this statement begins, explaining how much of the night should be spent standing; this interpretation is also correct.

➋ In these verses, Allah Almighty has commanded the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to stand in prayer at night and has emphasized it. Tahajjud, Witr, Qiyam Ramadan, and Tarawih are all names for Qiyam al-Layl (standing in prayer at night). There is a difference of opinion among the scholars as to whether this prayer is obligatory or Sunnah, and if it is obligatory, was it obligatory only upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or upon the entire Ummah? In Qurtubi, it is mentioned that Hasan and Ibn Sirin are of the opinion that the night prayer is obligatory upon every Muslim, even if he prays only as much as the time it takes to milk a goat, but most scholars say, and the authentic view is, that Qiyam al-Layl is not obligatory upon the Ummah, rather it is a Sunnah that has been greatly emphasized. At the end of Surah Al-Muzzammil, it is said: «اِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ اَنَّكَ تَقُوْمُ اَدْنٰى مِنْ ثُلُثَيِ الَّيْلِ وَ نِصْفَهٗ وَ ثُلُثَهٗ وَ طَآىِٕفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِيْنَ مَعَكَ» [ المزمل : ۲۰ ] "And a group among your companions also stands with you." From this, it is understood that, besides the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), only a group of the companions used to stand in prayer; if it were obligatory, then all the companions would have stood, not just a group.

In the Sahihayn, it is narrated from Talhah bin Ubaidullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) explained the pillars of religion to a questioner and, among the prayers, only made five prayers obligatory during the day and night. He asked: "Is there anything else obligatory upon me besides this?" The Prophet replied: [ لاَ، إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ ] [ بخاري، الإیمان، باب الزکاۃ من الإسلام : ۴۶۔ مسلم : ۱۱ ] "No, except what you do voluntarily." In the Sahihayn, it is also narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that in one Ramadan, for three nights, people joined the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in prayer in congregation. On the fourth night, he did not come out, and said: [ أَنِّيْ خَشِيْتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ ] [ بخاري، التھجد، باب تحریض النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم … : ۱۱۲۹۔ مسلم : ۷۶۱ ] "I feared that (this prayer) might become obligatory upon you." If Qiyam al-Layl were obligatory, why would he fear it becoming obligatory upon them? As for whether Qiyam al-Layl was obligatory upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or not, see the commentary of Surah Bani Isra'il, verse (79).

Despite not being obligatory, the emphasis and virtue of Qiyam al-Layl are mentioned abundantly in the Qur'an and Hadith. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَفْضَلُ الصَّلَاةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ الْمَكْتُوْبَةِ الصَّلَاةُ فِيْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ ] [ مسلم، الصیام، باب فضل صوم المحرم : ۲۰۳ /۱۱۶۳] "After the obligatory prayers, the most virtuous prayer is the night prayer." Allah Almighty has described His believing and pious servants as: « تَتَجَافٰى جُنُوْبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَّ طَمَعًا وَّ مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰهُمْ يُنْفِقُوْنَ » [ السجدۃ : ۱۶ ] "Their sides forsake their beds, they call upon their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend from what We have provided them." And He said: « كَانُوْا قَلِيْلًا مِّنَ الَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُوْنَ » [ الذاریات : ۱۷ ] "They used to sleep but little by night." And He said: «وَ مِنَ الَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهٖ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسٰۤى اَنْ يَّبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُوْدًا » [ بني إسرائیل : ۷۹ ] "And during a part of the night, keep awake with it as an additional (worship) for you; it may be that your Lord will raise you to a praised station." Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ مَنْ قَامَ بِعَشْرِ آيَاتٍ لَّمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِيْنَ وَمَنْ قَامَ بِمِائَةِ آيَةٍ كُتِبَ مِنَ الْقَانِتِيْنَ وَمَنْ قَامَ بِأَلْفِ آيَةٍ كُتِبَ مِنَ الْمُقَنْطِرِيْنَ ] [ أبو داوٗد، تفریع أبواب شھر رمضان، باب تحزیب القرآن : ۱۳۹۸، وقال الألباني صحیح ] "Whoever stands (in prayer) with ten verses will not be written among the heedless, whoever stands with a hundred verses will be written among the devout worshippers, and whoever stands with a thousand verses will be written among those with treasures." Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ رَحِمَ اللّٰهُ رَجُلاً قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلّٰی وَأَيْقَظَ امْرَأَتَهُ فَإِنْ أَبَتْ نَضَحَ فِيْ وَجْهِهَا الْمَاءَ، رَحِمَ اللّٰهُ امْرَأَةً قَامَتْ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّتْ وَأَيْقَظَتْ زَوْجَهَا فَإِنْ أَبٰی نَضَحَتْ فِيْ وَجْهِهِ الْمَاءَ] [أبوداوٗد، التطوع، باب قیام اللیل : ۱۳۰۸، وقال الألباني حسن صحیح ] "May Allah have mercy on a man who gets up at night, prays, and wakes his wife (and she prays); if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face. May Allah have mercy on a woman who gets up at night, prays, wakes her husband (and he prays); if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face."

Among the times of the night, the last part of the night is the most virtuous for standing in prayer. Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُوْنُ الرَّبُّ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ فِيْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرِ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَكُوْنَ مِمَّنْ يَّذْكُرُ اللّٰهَ فِيْ تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ فَكُنْ ] [ ترمذي، الدعوات، باب : ۳۵۷۹، و صححہ الألباني في صحیح الجامع ] "The Lord is closest to the servant in the last part of the night, so if you can be among those who remember Allah at that time, then do so." The best way of Qiyam al-Layl is the way of Dawud (peace be upon him). Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَحَبُّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَی اللّٰهِ صَلاَةُ دَاوٗدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَكَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيَقُوْمُ ثُلُثَهُ وَ يَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ ] [ بخاري، التھجد، باب من نام عند السحر : ۱۱۳۱ ] "The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud (peace be upon him); he would sleep half the night, stand in prayer for a third of it, and sleep for a sixth of it."

➌ {’’ وَ رَتِّلِ الْقُرْاٰنَ ‘‘} And recite the Qur'an with measured recitation. {’’ تَرْتِيْلًا ‘‘} is a verbal noun for emphasis, meaning to recite with full deliberation. In this, it is explained what should be recited during the night standing; thus, the command is to recite the Qur'an and to recite it with measured recitation. Several things are included in tartil (measured recitation). The first is to recite slowly and with full reflection. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to recite with full deliberation in accordance with this command. Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: [ وَ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ بِالسُّوْرَةِ فَيُرَتِّلُهَا حَتّٰی تَكُوْنَ أَطْوَلَ مِنْ أَطْوَلَ مِنْهَا ] [ مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین، باب جواز النافلۃ قائمًا و قاعدًا… : ۷۳۳ ] "And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would recite a surah and recite it so slowly that it would become longer than a surah longer than it." The second thing included in tartil is that every word should be understood distinctly. Ya'la bin Mamlak asked Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the recitation and prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). She first described his night prayer: [ ثُمَّ نَعَتَتْ قِرَاءَتَهٗ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَنْعَتُ قِرَاءَةً مُّفَسَّرَةً حَرْفًا حَرْفًا ] [ ترمذي، فضائل القرآن، باب ما جاء کیف کانت قراء ۃ النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ۲۹۲۳ ] "Then Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) described his recitation, and she described a recitation in which every letter was made clear." The third thing is to pause at every verse. Some people join verse to verse in one breath without pausing and consider it a virtue, whereas this is against the Sunnah, as Umm al-Mu'minin Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: [ كَانَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُقَطِّعُ قِرَاءَتَهٗ وَ فِيْ رِوَايَةِ أَبِيْ دَاوٗدَ : يُقَطِّعُ قِرَاءَتَهٗ آيَةً آيَةً يَقْرَأُ : « الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» ثُمَّ يَقِفُ « اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ » ثُمَّ يَقِفُ ] [ ترمذي، القرائات، باب في فاتحۃ الکتاب : ۲۹۲۷۔ أبو داوٗد : ۴۰۰۱، وصححہ الألباني في صحیح الجامع الصغیر ] "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would recite his recitation separately." And in the narration of Abu Dawud: "He would recite each verse separately." He would recite {’’ اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَ ‘‘} and pause, then recite {’’ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ‘‘} and pause." The fourth thing is to elongate the letters of madd (prolongation). Qatadah said: [ سُئِلَ أَنَسٌ كَيْفَ كَانَتْ قِرَاءَةُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَقَالَ كَانَتْ مَدًّا ثُمَّ قَرَأَ: « بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ» يَمُدُّ بِبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ وَ يَمُدُّ بِالرَّحْمٰنِ وَ يَمُدُّ بِالرَّحِيْمِ ] [ بخاري، فضائل القرآن، باب مد القراءۃ : ۵۰۴۶ ] "Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the recitation of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he said: 'His recitation was drawn out.' Then he recited {’’ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ‘‘}. He would elongate {’’ بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘}, and he would elongate {’’ الرَّحْمٰنِ ‘‘}, and he would elongate {’’الرَّحِيْمِ ‘‘}." The fifth is to recite the Qur'an in a beautiful tone and melodious voice. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَّمْ يَتَغَنَّ بِالْقُرْآنِ ] [ بخاري، التوحید، باب قول اللّٰہ تعالٰی : {وأسروا قولکم…} : ۷۵۲۷ ] "Whoever does not recite the Qur'an in a beautiful tone and melodious voice is not one of us." In short, tartil means to recite the Noble Qur'an with full reflection, slowly, with clear pronunciation of the words, elongating the letters of madd, and as beautifully as possible.