74:1 Al-Muddaththir (The Cloaked One)

تقدم أن المزمل والمدثر بمعنى واحد، وأن الله أمر رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم، بالاجتهاد في عبادة الله القاصرة والمتعدية، فتقدم هناك الأمر له بالعبادات الفاضلة القاصرة، والصبر على أذى قومه،

ثبت في صحيح البخاري من حديث يحيى بن أبي كثير عن أبي سلمة عن جابر أنه كان يقول أول شيء نزل من القرآن "يا أيها المدثر" وخالفه الجمهور فذهبوا إلى أن أول القرآن نزولا قوله تعالى "اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق" كما سيأتى ذلك هناك إن شاء الله تعالى قال البخاري حدثنا يحيى حدثنا وكيع عن علي بن المبارك عن يحيى بن أبي كثير قال: سألت أبا سلمة بن عبدالرحمن عن أول ما نزل من القرآن فقال "يا أيها المدثر" قلت يقولون "اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق" فقال أبو سلمة سألت جابر بن عبدالله عن ذلك وقلت له مثل ما قلت لي فقال جابر لا أحدثك إلا ما حدثنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال "جاورت بحراء فلما قضيت جواري هبطت فنوديت فنظرت عن يميني فلم أر شيئا ونظرت عن شمالي فلم أر شيئا ونظرت أمامي فلم أر شيئا ونظرت خلفي فلم أر شيئا فرفعت رأسي فرأيت شيئا فأتيت خديجة فقلت دثروني وصبوا علي ماء باردا - قال - فدثروني وصبوا علي ماء باردا" قال فنزلت "يا أيها المدثر قم فأنذر وربك فكبر" هكذا ساقه من هذا الوجه. وقد رواه مسلم من طريق عقيل عن ابن شهاب عن أبى سلمة قال أخبرني جابر بن عبدالله أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يحدث عن فترة الوحي فقال في حديثه "فبينا أنا أمشي إذ سمعت صوتا من السماء فرفعت بصري قبل السماء فإذا الملك الذي جاءني بحراء قاعد على كرسي بين السماء والأرض فجئثت منه حتى هربت إلى الأرض فجئت إلى أهلى فقلت زملوني زملوني فزملوني فأنزل الله تعالى "يا أيها المدثر قم فأنذر- إلى- فاهجر" - قال أبو سلمة والرجز الأوثان - ثم حمي الوحي وتتابع هذا لفظ البخاري وهذا السياق هو المحفوظ وهو يقتضي أنه قد نزل الوحي قبل هذا لقوله "فإذا الملك الذي كان بحراء" وهو جبريل حين أتاه بقوله "اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق خلق الإنسان من علق اقرأ وربك الأكرم الذي علم بالقلم علم الإنسان ما لم يعلم" ثم إنه حصل بعد هذا فترة ثم نزل الملك بعد هذا. ووجه الجمع أن أول شيء نزل بعد فترة الوحي هذه السورة كما قال الإمام أحمد حدثنا حجاج حدثنا ليث حدثنا عقيل عن ابن شهاب قال سمعت أبا سلمة بن عبدالرحمن يقول أخبرني جابر بن عبدالله أنه سمع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول "ثم فتر الوحي عني فترة فبينا أنا أمشي سمعت صوتا من السماء فرفعت بصري قبل السماء فإذا الملك الذي جاءني قاعد على كرسي بين السماء والأرض فجئثت منه فرقا حتى هويت إلى الأرض فجئت أهلي فقلت لهم زملوني زملوني فزملوني فأنزل الله تعالى "يا أيها المدثر قم فأنذر وربك فكبر وثيابك فطهر والرجز فاهجر" ثم حمي الوحي وتتابع" اخرجاه من حديث الزهري به وقال الطبراني حدثنا محمد بن علي بن شعيب السمسار حدثنا الحسن بن بشر البجلي حدثنا المعافى بن عمران عن إبراهيم بن يزيد سمعت ابن أبي مليكة يقول سمعت ابن عباس يقول إن الوليد بن المغيرة صنع لقريش طعاما فلما أكلوا منه قال ما تقولون في هذا الرجل؟ فقال بعضهم ساحر وقال بعضهم ليس بساحر وقال بعضهم كاهن وقال بعضهم ليس بكاهن وقال بعضهم شاعر وقال بعضهم ليس بشاعر وقال بعضهم بل سحر يؤثر فأجمع رأيهم على أنه سحر يؤثر فبلغ ذلك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فحزن وقنع رأسه وتدثر فأنزل الله تعالى "يا أيها المدثر قم فأنذر وربك فكبر وثيابك فطهر والرجز فاهجر ولا تمنن تستكثر ولربك فاصبر".

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The First Ayat to be revealed after `Read!

It has been confirmed in the Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Salamah that Jabir bin `Abdullah informed him that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ speaking about the time period (of the pause in) revelation. The Prophet said,

«فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي إِذْ سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي قِبَلَ السَّمَاءِ، فَإِذَا الْمَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاءَ، قَاعِدٌ عَلَى كُرْسِيَ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، فَجُئِثْتُ مِنْهُ حَتْى هَوَيْتُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَجِئْتُ إِلَى أَهْلِي فَقُلْتُ: زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي فَزَمَّلُونِي. فَأَنْزَلَ (اللهُ تَعَالى):

يأَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ - قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ

فَاهْجُرْ

ثُمَّ حَمِيَ الْوَحْيُ وَتَتَابَع»

(While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky. So I lifted my gaze towards the sky and saw the same angel who had come to me at the cave of Hira'. He was sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. So I fled from him (in fear) until I fell down to the ground. Then, I went to my family and I said, `Wrap me up, wrap me up. So, they wrapped me up! So Allah revealed, (O you wrapped up! Arise and warn!) until (And keep away) Here, Abu Salamah added, `Ar-Rujz means idols.' (After this, the revelation started coming strongly and frequently in succession.) This is the wording of Al-Bukhari. The way this Hadith is narrated necessitates that revelation had descended before this. This is due to the Prophet's statement,

«فَإِذَا الْمَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي بِحِرَاء»

(The same angel who had come to me at the cave of Hira'.)" That angel was Jibril, who had came to him with Allah's statement,

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ - خَلَقَ الإِنسَـنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ - اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الاٌّكْرَمُ - الَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ - عَلَّمَ الإِنسَـنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

(Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created. He has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.) (96:1-5) After this first occurrence (in the cave) there was a period of time that passed, then the angel descended again. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Salamah bin `Abdur-Rahman that Jabir bin `Abdullah informed him that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying,

«ثُمَّ فَتَرَ الْوَحْيُ عَنِّي فَتْرَةً، فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَمْشِي سَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، فَرَفَعْتُ بَصَرِي قِبَلَ السَّمَاءِ، فَإِذَا الْمَلَكُ الَّذِي جَاءَنِي، قَاعِدٌ عَلى كُرْسِيَ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ، فَجُئِثْتُ مِنْهُ فَرَقًا حَتْى هَوَيْتُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، فَجِئْتُ أَهْلِي فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: زَمِّلُونِي زَمِّلُونِي فَزَمَّلُونِي، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَالى:

يأَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ - قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ - وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ - وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ - وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ

ثُمَّ حَمِيَ الْوَحْيُ وَتَتَابَع»

(Then the revelation ceased coming to me for a period of time.Then, while I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. So I lifted my gaze towards the sky to see the same angel who had come to me, sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. So I fled from him a short distance before I fell down to the ground. Then I came to my family and said to them, `Wrap me up, wrap me up! So, they wrapped me up! Then Allah revealed, (O you wrapped up! Arise and warn! And magnify your Lord. And purify your garments. And keep away from Ar-Rujz!)( After this, the revelation started coming strongly and frequently in succession.) They both (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) recorded this Hadith by way of Az-Zuhri. At-Tabarani recorded from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Verily, Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah prepared some food for the Quraysh. So when they had eaten from it he said, `What do you have to say about this man' Some of them said, `He is a magician.' Others said, `He is not a magician.' Then some of them said, `He is a soothsayer.' But others said, `He is not a soothsayer.' Some of them said, `He is a poet.' But others said, `He is not a poet.' Some of them said, `This is magic from that of old.' Thus, they eventually all agreed that it was magic from ancient times. Then, when this news reached the Prophet , he became grieved, covered his head and wrapped himself up. This is when Allah revealed,

يأَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ - قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ - وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ - وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ - وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ - وَلاَ تَمْنُن تَسْتَكْثِرُ - وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ

(O you enveloped in garments! Arise and warn! And magnify your Lord (Allah)! And purify your garments! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)! And give not a thing in order to have more (or consider not your deeds of obedience to Allah as a favour to Him). And be patient for the sake of your Lord (i.e., perform your duty to Allah)!) Concerning Allah's statement,

قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ

(Arise and warn!) means, prepare to go forth with zeal and warn the people. With this the Prophet attained messengership just as he attained prophethood with the first revelation.

وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ

(And magnify your Lord!) to declare the greatness of Him. Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas;

وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ

(And purify your garments!) "This means, do not let your garments that you wear be from earnings that are unlawful." It has also been said, "Do not wear your clothes in disobedience." Muhammad bin Sirin said,

وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ

(And purify your garments!) "This means clean them with water." Ibn Zayd said, "The idolators would not clean themselves, so Allah commanded him to clean himself and his garments." This view was preferred by Ibn Jarir. Sa`id bin Jubayr said,

وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ

(And purify your garments!) "This means purify your heart and your intentions." Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi and Al-Hasan Al-Basri both said, "And beautify your character." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ

(And keep away from Ar-Rujz!) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas, "Ar-Rujz are idols, so keep away from them." Similar to this was said by Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri and Ibn Zayd, "Verily, it is the idols." This is like Allah's statement,

يأَيُّهَا النَّبِىِّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُطِعِ الْكَـفِرِينَ وَالْمُنَـفِقِينَ

(O Prophet! have Taqwa of Allah, and obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites.) (33:1) and Allah's statement,

وَقَالَ مُوسَى لاًّخِيهِ هَـرُونَ اخْلُفْنِى فِى قَوْمِى وَأَصْلِحْ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

(And Musa said to his brother Harun: "Replace me among my people, act well and follow not way of the corrupters.") (7:142) Then Allah says,

وَلاَ تَمْنُن تَسْتَكْثِرُ

(And give not a thing in order to have more.) Ibn `Abbas said, "Do not give any gift seeking to get (back in return) more than it." Khusayf reported from Mujahid;

وَلاَ تَمْنُن تَسْتَكْثِرُ

(And give not a thing (Tamnun) in order to have more.) "Do not slacken in seeking more good. Tamnun in the language of the Arabs means to become weak." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ

(And be patient for the sake of your Lord!) meaning, make your patience with their harms be for the Face of your Lord, the Mighty and Majestic. This was stated by Mujahid. Ibrahim An-Nakha`i said, "Be patient in your giving for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic."

Reminding of the Day of Judgement

Concerning Allah's statement,

فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِى النَّاقُورِ - فَذَلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ - عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ غَيْرُ يَسِيرٍ

(Then, when the Naqur is sounded. Truly, that Day will be a Hard Day -- far from easy for the disbelievers) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Zayd bin Aslam, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd, all said,

النَّاقُورِ

(Naqur) "It is the Trumpet." Mujahid said, "It is in the shape of a horn." Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Abu Sa`id Al-Ashaj told them that Asbat bin Muhammad related to them from Mutarrif, from `Atiyah Al-`Awfi, from Ibn `Abbas,

فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِى النَّاقُورِ

(Then, when the Trumpet is sounded.) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«كَيْفَ أَنْعَمُ وَصَاحِبُ الْقَرْنِ قَدِ الْتَقَمَ الْقَرْنَ وَحَنَى جَبْهَتَهُ يَنْتَظِرُ مَتَى يُؤْمَرُ فَيَنْفُخُ؟»

(How can I be comfortable when the one with the horn has placed it in his mouth, leaned his forehead forward, and is waiting to be commanded so that he can blow) The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "What do you command us, O Messenger of Allah" He replied,

«قُولُوا: حَسْبُنَا اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ، عَلَى اللهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا»

(Say: "Allah is sufficient for us, and what an excellent Trustee He is. We put our trust in Allah.") It has been recorded like this by Imam Ahmad on the authority of Asbat. Concerning Allah's statement,

فَذَلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ

(Truly, that Day will be a Hard Day.) meaning, severe.

عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ غَيْرُ يَسِيرٍ

(Far from easy for the disbelievers.) meaning, it will not be easy for them. This is as Allah says,

يَقُولُ الْكَـفِرُونَ هَـذَا يَوْمٌ عَسِرٌ

(The disbelievers will say: "This a Hard Day.") (54:8) We have reported from Zurarah bin Awfa, the judge of Al-Basrah, that he lead the people in the morning prayer and he recited this Surah. Then, when he reached Allah's statement,

فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِى النَّاقُورِ - فَذَلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ - عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ غَيْرُ يَسِيرٍ

(Then, when the Naqur is sounded. Truly, that Day will be a Hard Day -- far from easy for the disbelievers.) he made a moaning sound and then he fell down dead. May Allah have mercy on him.

ذَرْنِى وَمَنْ خَلَقْتُ وَحِيداً - وَجَعَلْتُ لَهُ مَالاً مَّمْدُوداً - وَبَنِينَ شُهُوداً - وَمَهَّدتُّ لَهُ تَمْهِيداً - ثُمَّ يَطْمَعُ أَنْ أَزِيدَ - كَلاَّ إِنَّهُ كان لاٌّيَـتِنَا عَنِيداً - سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُوداً - إِنَّهُ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ - فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ - ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ - ثُمَّ نَظَرَ - ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ - ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ - فَقَالَ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ - إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ - سَأُصْلِيهِ سَقَرَ - وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا سَقَرُ - لاَ تُبْقِى وَلاَ تَذَرُ

O you enveloped in your mantle the Prophet s al-muddaththir is actually al-mutadaththir but the tā’ has been assimilated with the dāl that is to say the one who is enwrapped in his clothes when the Revelation Gabriel comes down on him

Commentary

Surah Al-Muddththir is one of the Surahs that was sent down in very early days of the revelation. Therefore, some of the scholars considered this Surah to be the first one in order of revelation. However, according to the well-known authentic aliadith, the first instalment of revelation comprised the initial verses of Surah Iqra'. Traditions show that after a few verses of this Surah had been revealed, further revelation stopped for a period of time. The period of time during which there was a temporary cessation of revelation is termed as fatrat-ul-wahy. Towards the end of this period, an incident took place that is recounted by the Holy Prophet thus:

While I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. So I lifted my gaze towards the sky and saw the same angel who had come to me in the cave of Hira'. He was sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. So I was struck with awe until I fell down to the ground. Then, I went to my family and I said, "Wrap me up, wrap me up" So, they wrapped me up! Allah revealed the initial verses of Surah Al-Muddaththir. (Sahihain).

The Holy Prophet is addressed in this Surah as: يٰٓاَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ

(0 you, enveloped in a mantle...74:1) The word al-Muddaththir is derived from dithar which refers to a 'thick, warm over-garment [ such as a cloak or mantle ] which a person wears in winter over his other clothes in order to protect himself from cold.' The form of address is affectionate and endearing as was explained under Al-Muzzammil in the preceding Surah. The two forms of address, al-Muzzammil and al-Muddaththir, are near-synonyms. Ruh-ul-Ma ani cites a report from Jabir Ibn Zaid who says that Al-Muddaththir was revealed after Al-Muzzammil. Some scholars attribute this narration to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas w as well. However, according to the narration previously reported from Sahihain, it is clear that the first Surah to be revealed [ after the temporary cessation ] was Al-Muddaththir. If Al-Muzzammil was revealed before this, Sayyidna Jabir Ibn ` Abdullah [ the narrator of the Hadith ] would have narrated it. Clearly, Al-Muzzammil and Al-Muddaththir, are near-synonyms. Therefore, it is very likely that the two Surahs might have been revealed in connection with the same incident - when the Holy Prophet, whilst walking, heard a voice from the sky and saw Jibra'il Amin sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth, and then went to the house and wrapped himself in a mantle. This at least confirms the point that the initial verses of the two Surahs were among the first verses to be revealed after the temporary break in the revelation. It is however not clear as to which set of the verses was revealed first, and which was revealed subsequently. Authentic narratives confirm that the initial verses of Surah Iqra' were first to be revealed. Al-Muzzammil and Al-Muddaththir were though revealed approximately the same time in connection with the same incident, there is a difference between the two: The injunctions given at the beginning of Al-Muzzammil are related to the Holy Prophet's personal purification and perfection, and in Al-Muddaththir the injunctions are related to preaching, propagation and human reform.

O enwrapped in thy cloak, stand up and warn! “O source of bounteousness, O rising place of beauty, O chosen by the Majestic! O you who have pulled the cloak of mortal nature over your head and covered yourself with the rug of human na- ture. If you want proximity to Me, stand up through Me and drop from yourself everything other than Me. Rise up from yourself and rise up from your own rising up! Flee to the sanctuary of My exaltedness! Lift off the cloak of mortal nature from yourself, remove the rug of human nature from the road of the heart so that the heart may be a vast plain! Let it fly like a bird in the world of desire on the air of seeking until it arrives at the nest of proximity.” A great man was asked, “What is the meaning of proximity?” “If you mean the servant's proximity to the Real, expressing that is easy and alluding to it simple: It is service in seclusion, hidden from the people; the unveiling of the Haqiqah, hidden from the angels; immersion in companionship, hidden from oneself. “If you are talking about the Real's proximity to the servant, that cannot be put into words, nor do expression and allusion have any access to it. It is nothing but what He Himself says: 'Surely I am near [2:186]: Unsought, uncalled, unperceived, I am near. Compared to My closeness, the eye's blackness is distant from the eye's whiteness, for I am nearer than that, and the breath is far from the lips, for I am nearer than that. I am not near to your intellect's preserve, for I am near to My own attributes in the description of My own firstness.'” The Pir of the Tariqah said, “If people were to see the light of proximity in the recognizer, they would all be burned away, and if the recognizer were to see the light of proximity in himself, he would burn away. The knowledge of proximity does not fit into tongue and ear. It is a narrow road, and proximity disdains companionship with the tongue's water and clay. Whenever proxim- ity shows its face, how can the universe and man wait around?” As long as you are with you, what good is this talk to you? For this is the Fountain of Life, the world disowned.