Al-Muzzammil · Makki · ayah 3 of 20

Al-Muzzammil 73:3

نِّصْفَهُۥٓ أَوِ ٱنقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا

“Half of it - or subtract from it a little”

Saheeh International

Essence

The night's measure is a range, half or a little less, giving obedience room to breathe; the Prophet ﷺ lived it almost to the hour.

A reflection

Half a cup, or a little less

The previous ayah said: stand the night, except a little. This one sharpens it. Niṣfahu, half of it. Awi-nquṣ minhu qalīlan, or reduce from it a little. The next ayah completes the range: or add to it.

The root of niṣf pictures a cup filled exactly to its middle, one of two equal parts of a whole. The root of unquṣ pictures a coin passed across the counter that weighs a little less than its face says. Reduce, take a little off.

A classical commentary sets out how the measure works. Stand half the night. Or reduce from the half a little, down towards a third. Or add to it a little, up towards two thirds. In effect: two thirds, a half, or a third.

So the command, which sounded like one fixed demand, opens into a choice. There is a centre, half the night. There is room on either side.

This is a pattern worth noticing in how Allah commands. The direction is clear and serious. Within it, the person is trusted to find their measure, according to their strength on a given night.

The same structure runs through much of a believer's life. Give in charity, from what you have. Pray the night, half or a little less or a little more. Allah sets the shape. He leaves the person room to fill it honestly.

The question this ayah leaves you with is not whether you can do everything. It is whether you will stand within the range He gave.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.