سُوْرَةُ الْمُزَّمِّلِ
Surah Al-Muzzammil (73) — Ayah 6
إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ هِىَ أَشَدُّ وَطْـًٔا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا ﴿6﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, the rising by night (for Tahajjud prayer) is very hard and most potent and good for governing oneself, and most suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
نَاشِئَةَ
nāshi-ata
(the) rising
ٱلَّيْلِ
al-layli
(at) the night
هِىَ
hiya
it
أَشَدُّ
ashaddu
(is) very hard
وَطْـًۭٔا
waṭan
and most potent
وَأَقْوَمُ
wa-aqwamu
and more suitable
قِيلًا
qīlan
(for) Word
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 6) ➊ {اِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ الَّيْلِ هِيَ اَشَدُّ …: ’’ نَاشِئَةَ الَّيْلِ ‘‘} (rising at night) is the verbal noun of {’’نَشَأَ يَنْشَأُ‘‘} (F, K) on the pattern of {’’عَافِيَةٌ‘‘} and {’’كَاذِبَةٌ‘‘}. {’’ نَشَأَ مِنْ مَّكَانِهِ‘‘} means he rose from his place. {’’ وَطْاً ‘‘ ’’وَطِئَ يَطَأُ‘‘} (S) is its verbal noun, meaning to trample with the feet, to crush. {’’ اَقْوَمُ ‘‘} means straighter, more correct. It is a verbal noun like {’’ قِيْلًا ‘‘ ’’ قَوْلاً‘‘}.
➋ That is, rising at night is very burdensome on the temperament and surpasses all other things in crushing the self. It should be clear that those who can endure the greatest physical pain, even their courage fails in the face of the pain of sleeplessness. By leaving something as desirable as sleep and performing the most difficult act of standing (in prayer), such strength to endure hardship is developed in the self that it becomes capable of bearing the burden of divine revelation and the heavy responsibility of the Prophetic mission. {’’ اَقْوَمُ قِيْلًا ‘‘} At night, when there is silence everywhere and people are asleep, when a person stands before his Lord at that blessed time, there is nothing to distract his attention. The words that come from his mouth at that time come from both the tongue and the heart, and there is no element of showing off or being heard by others in this act, because no one else is watching or listening, so it is considered more correct in speech. Then, the last part of the night is especially a time of acceptance, as narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِيْنَ يَبْقٰی ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرُ يَقُوْلُ مَنْ يَّدْعُوْنِيْ فَأَسْتَجِيْبَ لَهُ؟ مَنْ يَّسْأَلُنِيْ فَأُعْطِيَهُ؟ مَنْ يَّسْتَغْفِرُنِيْ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ؟ ] [بخاري، التہجد، باب الدعاء والصلاۃ من آخر اللیل : ۱۱۴۵۔ مسلم: ۷۵۸ ] "Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven, when the last third of the night remains, and says: 'Who is there to call upon Me so that I may answer his supplication? Who is there to ask of Me so that I may give to him? Who is there to seek forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?'"
➋ That is, rising at night is very burdensome on the temperament and surpasses all other things in crushing the self. It should be clear that those who can endure the greatest physical pain, even their courage fails in the face of the pain of sleeplessness. By leaving something as desirable as sleep and performing the most difficult act of standing (in prayer), such strength to endure hardship is developed in the self that it becomes capable of bearing the burden of divine revelation and the heavy responsibility of the Prophetic mission. {’’ اَقْوَمُ قِيْلًا ‘‘} At night, when there is silence everywhere and people are asleep, when a person stands before his Lord at that blessed time, there is nothing to distract his attention. The words that come from his mouth at that time come from both the tongue and the heart, and there is no element of showing off or being heard by others in this act, because no one else is watching or listening, so it is considered more correct in speech. Then, the last part of the night is especially a time of acceptance, as narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالٰی كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَی السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِيْنَ يَبْقٰی ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرُ يَقُوْلُ مَنْ يَّدْعُوْنِيْ فَأَسْتَجِيْبَ لَهُ؟ مَنْ يَّسْأَلُنِيْ فَأُعْطِيَهُ؟ مَنْ يَّسْتَغْفِرُنِيْ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ؟ ] [بخاري، التہجد، باب الدعاء والصلاۃ من آخر اللیل : ۱۱۴۵۔ مسلم: ۷۵۸ ] "Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven, when the last third of the night remains, and says: 'Who is there to call upon Me so that I may answer his supplication? Who is there to ask of Me so that I may give to him? Who is there to seek forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?'"
