Al-Muzzammil · Makki · ayah 20 of 20

Al-Muzzammil 73:20

۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ثُلُثَىِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُۥ وَثُلُثَهُۥ وَطَآئِفَةٌ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَىٰ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ ۙ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَٱقْرَءُوا۟ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا ۚ وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌۢ

“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[1785] 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.[1786] 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.”

Saheeh International

Essence

The surah's last ayah answers its first: Allah saw the year of standing, knew they could not keep count, and eased the night.

A reflection

He alone measures the night

Wa-Llāhu yuqaddiru al-layla wa al-nahār. And Allah measures the night and the day.

A classical commentator points out the word order. The name of Allah is placed first, before the verb, and that placement signals exclusivity. Only Allah can measure the night and the day and know the exact length of their hours. You cannot.

Another commentator draws the contrast plainly. Allah knows the measures of night and day as they truly are. You know them only by estimating and striving, and estimates go wrong.

Then: ʿalima an lan tuḥṣūhu, fa-tāba ʿalaykum. He knew you would not be able to keep count of it, so He turned to you.

That is a direct word to the ego. The ego likes to think it can track everything: its hours, its deeds, its worship, its progress. It counts and recounts, and is proud when the numbers look good. The ayah says gently: you cannot count the night. Only He can.

And He did not leave them alone with their failure to count. One commentator explains fa-tāba: He turned back to you, from heaviness to lightness, from hardship to ease. Another compares it to forgiveness lifting the burden from a penitent.

This is majesty that bends towards weakness. The One who alone measures every hour of every night looks at a group of exhausted believers, unable to count, and lightens their load. His greatness is not only that He knows. It is what He does with what He knows.

The full entry has 7 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.