المزمل
The Enshrouded One
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
yāayyuhā l-muzamilu
O you who wraps himself [in clothing]
qumi al-layla illā qalīlan
Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little -
niṣ'fahu awi unquṣ min'hu qalīlan
Half of it - or subtract from it a little
aw zid ʿalayhi warattili l-qur'āna tartīlan
Or add to it, and recite the Qur’ān with measured recitation.
innā sanul'qī ʿalayka qawlan thaqīlan
Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word.
inna nāshi-ata al-layli hiya ashaddu waṭan wa-aqwamu qīlan
Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words.
inna laka fī l-nahāri sabḥan ṭawīlan
Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation.
wa-udh'kuri is'ma rabbika watabattal ilayhi tabtīlan
And remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with [complete] devotion.
rabbu l-mashriqi wal-maghribi lā ilāha illā huwa fa-ittakhidh'hu wakīlan
[He is] the Lord of the East and the West; there is no deity except Him, so take Him as Disposer of [your] affairs.
wa-iṣ'bir ʿalā mā yaqūlūna wa-uh'jur'hum hajran jamīlan
And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.
wadharnī wal-mukadhibīna ulī l-naʿmati wamahhil'hum qalīlan
And leave Me with [the matter of] the deniers, those of ease [in life], and allow them respite a little.
inna ladaynā ankālan wajaḥīman
Indeed, with Us [for them] are shackles and burning fire.
waṭaʿāman dhā ghuṣṣatin waʿadhāban alīman
And food that chokes and a painful punishment -
yawma tarjufu l-arḍu wal-jibālu wakānati l-jibālu kathīban mahīlan
On the Day the earth and the mountains will convulse and the mountains will become a heap of sand pouring down.
innā arsalnā ilaykum rasūlan shāhidan ʿalaykum kamā arsalnā ilā fir'ʿawna rasūlan
Indeed, We have sent to you a Messenger as a witness upon you just as We sent to Pharaoh a messenger.
faʿaṣā fir'ʿawnu l-rasūla fa-akhadhnāhu akhdhan wabīlan
But Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger, so We seized him with a ruinous seizure.
fakayfa tattaqūna in kafartum yawman yajʿalu l-wil'dāna shīban
Then how can you fear, if you disbelieve, a Day that will make the children white-haired?
al-samāu munfaṭirun bihi kāna waʿduhu mafʿūlan
The heaven will break apart therefrom; ever is His promise fulfilled.
inna hādhihi tadhkiratun faman shāa ittakhadha ilā rabbihi sabīlan
Indeed, this is a reminder, so whoever wills may take to his Lord a way.
inna rabbaka yaʿlamu annaka taqūmu adnā min thuluthayi al-layli waniṣ'fahu wathuluthahu waṭāifatun mina alladhīna maʿaka wal-lahu yuqaddiru al-layla wal-nahāra ʿalima an lan tuḥ'ṣūhu fatāba ʿalaykum fa-iq'raū mā tayassara mina l-qur'āni ʿalima an sayakūnu minkum marḍā waākharūna yaḍribūna fī l-arḍi yabtaghūna min faḍli l-lahi waākharūna yuqātilūna fī sabīli l-lahi fa-iq'raū mā tayassara min'hu wa-aqīmū l-ṣalata waātū l-zakata wa-aqriḍū l-laha qarḍan ḥasanan wamā tuqaddimū li-anfusikum min khayrin tajidūhu ʿinda l-lahi huwa khayran wa-aʿẓama ajran wa-is'taghfirū l-laha inna l-laha ghafūrun raḥīmun
Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muḥammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allāh determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’ān. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allāh and others fighting for the cause of Allāh. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakāh and loan Allāh a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allāh. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.