بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

يا أَيُّهَا المُزَّمِّلُ

O you wrapped up in your mantle!

EXEGESIS

The root of the word muzzammil is z-m-l, which means to run fast while veering to one side, to limp, to ride behind another person, a companion, to hide, and to wrap oneself.‎‎^{‎‎‎[1]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 403.} The word muzzammil was actually mutazammil, derived from tazammul. Subsequently, the letter tāʾ was assimilated and merged with the letter zāʾ because its pronunciation is closer to it and also because the letter zāʾ as a pronounced letter is more clear and distinct than the letter tāʾ.‎‎^{‎‎‎[2]Tibyan, 10/161; Tabrisi, 10/567; Tabrisi.J, 4/381.} The word muzzammil is therefore an assimilated form of the active participle mutazammil and the latter means to wrap oneself in a garment‎‎^{‎‎‎[3]An Arabic-English Lexicon, 3/418.} and to enfold oneself in one’s cloak, denoting the Prophet.‎‎^{‎‎‎[4]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 403.} From the same root letters is also derived the word zamīl, meaning friend and companion.‎‎^{‎‎‎[5]Amthal, 19/126.}

EXPOSITION

This verse is in reference to the Prophet in a specific state: the state of being covered with a cloth or a mantle probably for sleep or some such matter. The Prophet was referred to in this way because the revelation came when the Prophet was in this particular state.^{‎‎‎[6]Mizan, 20/60.}

Qummī writes that the Prophet used to wrap himself in his garment and sleep and so God said O you wrapped up in your mantle! Stand vigil through the night, except a little.‎‎^{‎‎‎[7]Qummi, 2/392.} Suddī also understood this verse to mean: O one who is sleeping, for the Prophet had covered himself up for sleep.‎‎^{‎‎‎[8]Tabrisi.J, 4/382.}

Suyūṭī gives us the opinion of Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī who opined that this verse was revealed when the Prophet was on his bed.‎‎^{‎‎‎[9]Suyuti, 4/277.}

Rāzī however, shares with us the opinion of Kalbī who said that the Prophet had covered himself with a cloth in preparation for the prayers when this verse was revealed. This meaning was also the preferred one for al-Farrāʾ.^{‎‎‎[10]Razi, 30/681.}

In the absence of a unanimous opinion as to the reason why the Prophet had covered himself with a piece of cloth – whether for sleep or for prayers – the apparent meaning of this verse in light of its literary context should be used to understand its meaning. The literary context expressed in the succeeding few verses which command the Prophet to rise and recite the Quran would seem to suggest that the Prophet was indeed asleep or resting.

Mudarrisi writes that the address O you wrapped up in your mantle is one of affection, compassion, and gentleness, and denotes the close relationship between the Prophet and God. God addresses him with this appellation, used between those who enjoy a loving bond. He notes, however, that this address where the addressee is not explicitly named but is understood to refer to the Prophet as the object of revelation, has the potential to accommodate anyone who has covered themselves for sleep for the verse encompasses them as well, on the basis of the principle: ‘though I am addressing you but listen and hearken O neighbour’, which is the style in which the Quran has been revealed.‎‎^{‎‎‎[11]Mudarrisi, 17/14.}

Another significant meaning mentioned by some early authorities is that the address O you wrapped up in your mantle means: O one who has wrapped himself with the cloak of prophethood, i.e. one who has undertaken its onerous responsibilities.^{‎‎‎[12]Mizan, 20/60.} This had been the opinion and preference of ʿIkramah‎‎^{‎‎‎[13]Razi, 30/681; Tabrisi.J, 4/382.} as well as Ibn Abbas, both of whom are reported to have further explained this verse by saying that it means: now that you have borne the responsibility of this affair, so rise up with it.‎‎^{‎‎‎[14]Suyuti, 4/277.}

Tabatabai rejects this meaning, saying that there is no evidence in the apparent wording of this verse in favour of it,‎‎^{‎‎‎[15]Mizan, 20/60.} but Mudarrisi insists that this meaning has a basis in the lexical root of the noun muzzammil. He elucidates that the root letters of muzzammil are z-m-l. One of the meanings of this root is to carry, to bear,‎‎^{‎‎‎[16]Mudarrisi, 17/14.} and to ride behind another person,‎‎^{‎‎‎[17]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 403; Razi, 30/681.} and the meaning of izdamala (originally: iztamala) is ‘he took it up and carried it’ or ‘he raised it up on his back’, being a synonym of iḥtamala. The sentence zamalahu ʿalā al-baʿīr would mean ‘he carried it/him behind him on the camel’‎‎^{‎‎‎[18]Arabic-English Lexicon, 3/1252.} and so this verse can refer to the Prophet as one who had put on the garment of prophethood and borne its responsibilities. Mudarrisi then concludes that the one who is to shoulder the responsibilities of conveying transformative messages and teachings and who is to experience and bear the travails which accompany such reforms and their implementation, is more in need of the night vigil when he can draw support and succour from divine help and inspiration from Quranic messages. This would also apply to those individuals who have been chosen to bear the burden of spreading the teachings of God in the manner of the Prophet after him.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said: ‘Muzzammil is one of the names of the Prophet.’‎‎^{‎‎‎[19]Burhan, 5/516.}
2. Kalbī transmits this dialogue that he had with Imam al-Ṣādiq (a). He says: ‘The Imam asked me: “O Kalbī, how many names does Muhammad have in the Quran?” I replied: “Perhaps two or three.” He said: “Rather, O Kalbī, he has ten names … And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him [3:144]; And when Jesus son of Mary said: ‘O Children of Israel! Surely I am … giving the good news of a messenger who will come after me, his name being Aḥmad’ [61:6]; And when the servant of Allah stood up calling upon Him, they almost crowded around him [72:19]; Ṭā Hā. We did not send down to you the Quran that you should be miserable [20:1-2]; Yā Sīn. By the wise Quran, you are indeed one of the apostles, on a straight path [36:1-4]; Nūn. By the pen and what they write [68:1]; O you wrapped up (muddaththir) in your mantle! [74:1]; O you wrapped up (muzzammil) in your mantle! [73:1]; So be wary of Allah, O you who possess intellect and have faith! Allah has already sent down to you a reminder (al-dhikr) [65:10].” The Imam then explained: “Al-dhikr is one of the names of Muhammad and we are the family members of the reminder (ahl al-dhikr), hence, Kalbī, ask whatever you wish.”’‎‎^{‎‎‎[20]Burhan, 3/747.}
3. Ṭabarī relates a tale as the cause of descent of this verse. He writes, with a chain that ends at ʿĀʾishah, who said: ‘I used to place a straw mat for the Prophet on which he would say his prayers at night. The news of this nocturnal practice of the Prophet passed from mouth to mouth and the people gathered outside. He went out to meet them in a mood that seemed quite angry but he was gentle with them. He was afraid that the night prayers‎‎^{‎‎‎[21]Commonly known in Arabic and amongst Muslims as ṣalāt al-layl or ṣalāt al-tahajjud.} would be legislated as obligatory for them. So he addressed them as follows: “O people! Attach yourselves to deeds that you can perform for God does not tire of rewarding [people for a good act] until people tire of the act. And the best of deeds are those that you perform repeatedly.” Then the verses 73:1-4 descended and a person would bind himself with a rope and suspend himself from it. This state of affairs continued like this for eight months till God observed how much effort was being expended for His pleasure and He took pity on them and removed the obligation of this prayer, allowing them to maintain the normal obligatory prayers.’‎‎^{‎‎‎[22]Tabari, 29/80.}

Note: This report would seem far from credible, for this verse and the succeeding verses with the exception of the last are unanimously held to be Meccan verses, while ʿĀʾishah married the Prophet in Medina even though she was betrothed to him prior to his migration. Therefore, this explanation needs to be left aside as beyond utility for understanding this verse, notwithstanding the fact that the period of eight months being the duration between the beginning and end of this surah has been subjected to criticism earlier from a different perspective.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

One of the reasons for the revelation of this verse mentioned by Rāzī is that it was revealed when the Prophet was fast asleep on his bed and wrapped up and so this address was in the form of censure, where he was asked to wake up and busy himself in worship.‎‎^{‎‎‎[23]Razi, 30/681.} Zamakhsharī also mentions this explanation, writing that it refers to the state of the Prophet who was asleep, wrapped up on his bed. Thus the verse is in the form of a censure, criticising the Prophet for behaving as if he is not concerned about anything and does not care.‎‎^{‎‎‎[24]Zamakhshari, 4/634.}

Mudarrisi critiques the idea that this verse was revealed in the form of censure against the Prophet. This is because this idea goes contrary to the Quran which depicts the care and concern that the Prophet had for the prophetic message to the extent that he was close to destroying himself for its sake, and bore so many difficulties for its propagation that God addresses him as follows: Ṭā Hā. We did not send down to you the Quran that you should be miserable, but only as an admonition to him who fears [his Lord] [20:1-3]. These verses describes the zeal with which the Prophet applied himself to the recitation of the Quran.^{‎‎‎[25]Mudarrisi, 17/13.} Imam al-Bāqir (a) said: ‘The Messenger used to stand vigil on tiptoe. Hence God, the glorified and exalted, revealed Ṭā Hā. We did not send down to you the Quran that you should be miserable, but only as an admonition to him who fears [his Lord] [20:1-3].’

Abū Baṣīr reports from Imam al-Bāqir (a) as follows: ‘Once, the Messenger was in ʿĀʾishah’s apartments, it being her turn to spend that night with the Prophet. She said: “O Messenger of God, why do you tire yourself thus when God has pardoned your previous and future sins?” He replied: “Then, O ʿĀʾishah, should I not be a grateful servant?”’‎‎^{‎‎‎[26]Kafi, 2/77, h. 6.}

Therefore, the claim that this verse was revealed as a censure for the Prophet seems unsubstantiated by the image the Quran portrays about the Prophet. Moreover, if the predilection of the Prophet – even before the commencement of his prophetic mission – for solitude, contemplation, and worship, which historical sources mention, is taken into account, then the claim that the Prophet was averse to worship, vigils, and remembrance of God loses further credibility.

[1] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 403.
[2] Tibyan, 10/161; Tabrisi, 10/567; Tabrisi.J, 4/381.
[3] An Arabic-English Lexicon, 3/418.
[4] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 403.
[5] Amthal, 19/126.
[6] Mizan, 20/60.
[7] Qummi, 2/392.
[8] Tabrisi.J, 4/382.
[9] Suyuti, 4/277.
[10] Razi, 30/681.
[11] Mudarrisi, 17/14.
[12] Mizan, 20/60.
[13] Razi, 30/681; Tabrisi.J, 4/382.
[14] Suyuti, 4/277.
[15] Mizan, 20/60.
[16] Mudarrisi, 17/14.
[17] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 403; Razi, 30/681.
[18] Arabic-English Lexicon, 3/1252.
[19] Burhan, 5/516.
[20] Burhan, 3/747.
[21] Commonly known in Arabic and amongst Muslims as ṣalāt al-layl or ṣalāt al-tahajjud.
[22] Tabari, 29/80.
[23] Razi, 30/681.
[24] Zamakhshari, 4/634.
[25] Mudarrisi, 17/13.
[26] Kafi, 2/77, h. 6.