Surah Al-Muddaththir

The Shrouded

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is called Surah Al-Muddaththir. In the opening verse of this chapter, Allah begins by addressing the Prophet as ‘Oh you wrapped up in your mantle.’ Thus, this chapter takes its name from the word muddaththir (wrapped in mantle) which appears in this first verse. The original meaning of the word muddaththir is being covered up completely with a garment when sleeping. Addressing the Prophet with this characteristic suggests Allah’s affection for him. In regards to the importance of this call, according to Zamakhshari and Ibn Kathir, it can be shown through traditions that this was the first verse revealed to the Prophet. However, it should be noted that this opinion is not favoured among the other Quranic commentators. With this opinion in mind, it serves as proof for the reason why this chapter has been named Surah al-Muddaththir.

Chapter Number

Surah Muddaththir is the 74th chapter of the Quran.

Number of Verses

This chapter contains 56 verses.

Place of Revelation

This chapter is considered to have been revealed in Mecca.

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 1-7

Addresses the Prophet to begin warning the people and carry out his role as a Messenger.

Verse 3

‘Magnify your Lord’ refers to the magnificent position of Allah in such a way which acts as a warning to prevent equivocating and comparing others with His magnificence whether through words, actions, beliefs, or worship. Nothing has supremacy over Him. He has no partner. There is no way to describe Him, and no imperfection can be ascribed to Him. The meaning of ‘Allahu Akbar’ is that Allah is greater than any trait that can ever be used to describe Him. Another meaning of ‘magnify’ in this verse is the takbeer which is recited in prayers. Coupled with the previous verse which discussed the grandeur of Allah, these 2 verses together legislate and command towards prayers (I don’t understand how these verses discusses the grandeur of Allah,nor about prayer-see verses 1-3??)

The meaning of ‘and purify your cloak’ in verse 4 is that one should attempt to reform one’s actions. This is due to the fact that man’s actions act as clothing for the soul, and therefore perhaps this is a metaphor for self-purification.

In verse 5, the meaning behind ‘keep away from all impurity’ is abandoning sins. ‘Impurity’ means any type of evil deed, disliked, or vulgar behaviour.

Verses 8-37

The ungratefulness of the disbelievers; increase in the punishment for stubborn people; denying the truth of the Quran; and the appropriate types of rewards and punishments for people from the angels. What is meant in verse 8, ‘when the trumpet will be sounded’ is the arrival of the Day of Resurrection which will be marked by the blowing of a trumpet. Verse 11 ‘Leave Me [to deal] with him whom I created alone’ is a sort of threat against mankind by reminding them that they came out of the wombs of their mothers alone.

Verses 37-56

The people of the right hand questioning those who are being tormented in hell about where they are and what led them there; the people of the left hand responding; and the Quranic explanation of why the help of their arbitrators will be rejected. Neglecting the prayers, overlooking feeding the orphans, abusiveness, and disregarding the possibility of a resurrection, are some of the explanations that will be given by the sinners when they are asked by the people of the right hand as to how they ended up where they are now.

According to the Sunni Traditions

Verse 1: “O you wrapped up in your mantle.”

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ١ عن ابن شهاب قال: سمعت أبا سلمة بن عبد الرّحمن یقول: أخبرنی جابر بن عبد اللّه أنه سمع رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم یقول: «ثم فتر الوحی عنی فترة فبینا أنا أمشی سمعت صوتا من السماء، فرفعت بصری قبل السماء فإذا الملک الذی جاءنی بحراء الآن قاعد علی کرسی بین السماء و الأرض فجثیت منه فرقا حتی هویت إلی الأرض، فجئت أهلی فقلت لهم زملونی زملونی فزملونی، فأنزل اللّه تعالی: یا أَیهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَ رَبَّک فَکبِّرْ وَ ثِیابَک فَطَهِّرْ وَ الرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ ثم حمی الوحی و تتابع»

Ibn Shahab says: “I heard Abu Salamah ibn Abd al-Rahman saying that Jabir ibn Abdullah told me that he heard the Prophet of Allah saying, ‘Then, revelations stopped coming to me for some time…. While I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. Then, I raised my eyes towards the sky when I 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 ran away from him until I fell on the ground. Then, I went to my family and told them to wrap me up, which they did. Allah revealed to me: ‘O you wrapped up in your mantle! Rise up and warn! Magnify your Lord, and purify your cloak, and keep away from all impurity!’ Then, the revelations started to come with more intensity and more frequently.’”

Verse 8: “When the Trumpet will be sounded.”

فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِي النَّاقُورِ٨ عن ابن عباس فَإِذا نُقِرَ فِی النَّاقُورِ فقال: قال رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم: «کیف أنعم و صاحب القرن قد التقم القرن و حنی جبهته ینتظر متی یؤمر فینفخ؟» فقال: قال أصحاب رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم: فما تأمرنا یا رسول اللّه؟ قال: «قولوا حسبنا اللّه و نعم الوکیل علی اللّه توکلنا»

Ibn Abbas narrates from the Prophet of Allah: “How can I be comfortable while the one with the horn has placed it in his mouth, leaned his forehead forward, and is waiting to receive orders so that he can blow [into it]?” The companions said, “O Prophet of Allah, what do you order us to do?” He replied, “Say ‘Allah is enough for us, He is the best representative, and we rely on Him alone.’”

Verse 17: “Soon I will overwhelm him with hardship.”

سَأُرْهِقُهُ صَعُودًا١٧ عن أبی الهیثم عن أبی سعید عن رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم قال: «ویل واد فی جهنم یهوی فیه الکافر أربعین خریفا، قبل أن یبلغ قعره، و الصعود جبل من نار یصعد فیه الکافر سبعین خریفا، ثم یهوی به کذلک فیه أبدا»

Abu al-Haytham narrates from Abu Saeed who narrates that the Prophet of Allah said: “In Wayl Waad [a certain level] in Hell, a disbeliever will be thrown down for [a period of time lasting] 40 autumn seasons before he hits the bottom of it. Then, he will be forced to climb a mountain of fire for [a period of time lasting] 70 autumn seasons. After that, he will be thrown down off of it; and this will be repeated forever.”

Verse 30: “There are nineteen [keepers] over it.”

عَلَيْهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ٣٠ عن مجالد عن الشعبی عن جابر بن عبد اللّه رضی اللّه عنه قال: جاء رجل إلی النبی صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم فقال: یا محمد غلب أصحابک الیوم. فقال: «بأی شی‌ء؟» قال: سألتهم یهود هل أعلمکم نبیکم عدة خزنة أهل النار؟ قالوا: لا نعلم حتی نسأل نبینا صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم قال رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم: «أ فغلب قوم سئلوا عما لا یعلمون فقالوا لا نعلم حتی نسأل نبینا صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم؟ علی بأعداء اللّه لکنهم قد سألوا نبیهم أن یریهم اللّه جهرة» فأرسل إلیهم فدعاهم قالوا: یا أبا القاسم کم عدة خزنة أهل النار؟ قال: «هکذا» و طبق کفیه ثم طبق کفیه مرتین و عقد واحدة و قال لأصحابه: «إن سئلتم عن تربة الجنة فهی الدرمک» فلما سألوه فأخبرهم بعدة خزنة أهل النار قال لهم رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم: «ما تربة الجنة؟» فنظر بعضهم إلی بعض فقالوا: خبزة یا أبا القاسم. فقال: «الخبز من الدرمک»

Mujaalid narrates from al-Shaba from Jabir ibn Abdullah that a man came to the Prophet and said: “O Muhammad, your companions have been defeated today.” The Prophet replied, “With what?” The man said: “A Jew asked them: ‘Has your Prophet told you which groups [of people] will be safe from the people of Hell?’ They replied: ‘We know nothing until we ask our Prophet.’” The Prophet of Allah said, “Are people who are asked about something considered defeated when they reply ‘we know nothing until we ask our Prophet?’ It is necessary for me with Allah’s enemies, but they had asked their Prophet to show Allah to them openly. He invited them to come to him. They said: “O Abu al-Qasim, how many groups are safe from the people of Hell?” He replied, “Like this” while he squeezed and closed his palms. Then, he squeezed close his palms 2 [more] times, put them together once, and said “If you had asked about the dirt in heaven, then [I would have told you that] it is soft, delicate soil.” When they finished asking him, he told them several of the groups which will be safe from the people of Hell. The Prophet said to them, “What is the dirt of heaven?” The companions looked at one another and said: “A loaf of bread, O Abu al-Qasim?” He replied, “Bread is from soft, delicate soil.”

Verse 31: “We have assigned only angels as keepers of the Fire, and We have made their number merely a stumbling block for the faithless, and that those given the Book may be reassured, and the faithful may increase in [their] faith, and that those given the Book may not doubt and the faithful [as well], and that those in whose hearts is a sickness may say, and the faithless [along with them], ‘What did Allah mean by this description?’ Thus does Allah lead astray whomever He wishes, and guides whomever He wishes. No one knows the hosts of your Lord except Him, and it is just an admonition for all humans.”

وَمَا جَعَلۡنَآ أَصۡحَٰبَ ٱلنَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَٰٓئِكَةٗۖ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا عِدَّتَهُمۡ إِلَّا فِتۡنَةٗ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيَسۡتَيۡقِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَيَزۡدَادَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنٗا وَلَا يَرۡتَابَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَلِيَقُولَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٞ وَٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلٗاۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡبَشَرِ ٣١ عن مجاهد عن مورق عن أبی ذر قال: قال رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم: «إنی أری ما لا ترون و أسمع ما لا تسمعون أطت السماء و حق لها أن تئط ما فی‌ها موضع أربع أصابع إلا علیه ملک ساجد، لو علمتم ما أعلم لضحکتم قلیلا و لبکیتم کثیرا و لا تلذذتم بالنساء علی الفرشات و لخرجتم إلی الصعدات تجأرون إلی اللّه تعالی» فقال أبوذر: و اللّه لوددت أنی شجرة تعضد

Mujaahid narrates from Mawriq, from Abu Dharr, that the Prophet of Allah said: “Certainly, I see what you do not see and I hear what you do not hear parts missing in translation… the sky and its right is that it … whatever is in it in the place of four fingers except there is an angel prostrating on it. If you knew what I knew, then you would definitely laugh less, cry more, have less intercourse with women, and leave towards high places where you would be close to Allah, the Exalted.” Then Abu Dharr said: “I swear to Allah that I would love to be a tree that supports.”

عن عطاء بن أبی رباح عن جابر بن عبد اللّه قال: قال رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم: «ما فی السموات السبع موضع قدم و لا شبر و لا کف إلا و فیه ملک قائم أو ملک ساجد أو ملک راکع، فإذا کان یوم القیامة قالوا جمیعاً سبحانک ما عبدناک حق عبادتک إلا أنا لم نشرک بک شیئا»

Ata ibn Abu Rabah narrates from Jabir ibn Abdullah from the Prophet of Allah that: “Whatever is in the seven heavens is in the place of a footstep, not a hand span, not a palm, except that there is an angel standing, or prostrating, or bowing. So, on the Day of Judgement they will say all together ‘You are free from imperfections from whatever we have worshipped for You, while it was Your right of worship - except that we do not make anything as a partner with You.’”

Verse 56: “And they will not remember unless Allah wishes. He is worthy of [your] being wary [of Him] and He is worthy to forgive.”

وَمَا يَذْكُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوَى وَأَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ٥٦ حدثنا ثابت البنانی عن أنس بن مالک رضی اللّه عنه قال: قرأ رسول اللّه صلّی اللّه علیه و سلّم هذه الآیة هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوی وَ أَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ و قال «قال ربکم أنا أهل أن أتقی فلا یجعل معی إله فمن اتقی أن یجعل معی إلها کان أهلا أن أغفر له»

Thaabit al-Banani narrates from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet of Allah read these verses: ‘He is worthy of [your] being wary [of Him] and He is worthy to forgive’ and said: “Your Lord has said, ‘I am the One who is [worthy of being] kept aware of. So do not place any gods along with Me. Whoever is aware that he has placed a god along with Me, he is one that is [worthy of being] forgiven.’” how can the one who places a god with Him be worthy of forgivness??

According to the Shia Traditions

Verse 4: “And purify your cloak.”

وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ٤ و فی الخصال، عن أمیر المؤمنین فی حدیث الأربعمائة: تَشْمِیرُ الثِّیابِ طَهُورلَهَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَک وَ تَعَالَی وَ ثِیابَک فَطَهِّرْ أَی فَشَمِّر

In Al-Khisaal, it has been narrated from Amir al-Momineen in narration 400 that he said: “Rolling up clothes is [a way] to keep it clean. Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has said ‘and purify your cloak’ which means to roll them up.”

Verse 52: “Rather every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah].”

بَلْ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْتَى صُحُفًا مُنَشَّرَةً٥٢ و فِی رِوَایةِ أَبِی الْجَارُودِ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ فِی قَوْلِهِ بَلْ یرِیدُ کلُّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ- أَنْ یؤْتی صُحُفاً مُنَشَّرَةً وَ ذَلِک أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا یا مُحَمَّدُ قَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ بَنِی إِسْرَائِیلَ کانَ یذْنِبُ الذَّنْبَ- فَیصْبِحُ وَ ذَنْبُهُ مَکتُوبٌ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ وَ کفَّارَتُهُ- فَنَزَلَ جَبْرَئِیلُ عَلَی النَّبِی وَ قَالَ- یسْأَلُک قَوْمُک سُنَّةَ بَنِی إِسْرَائِیلَ فِی الذُّنُوبِ- فَإِنْ شَاءُوا فَعَلْنَا ذَلِک بِهِمْ- وَ أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِمَا کنَّا نَأْخُذُ بِهِ بَنِی إِسْرَائِیلَ فَزَعَمُوا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ کرِهَ ذَلِک لِقَوْمِه

Abu Jarood narrates from Abu Jafar regarding the verse: ‘Rather every one of them desires to be given unrolled scriptures [from Allah]’ that they had said: “O Muhammad, we have heard that a man from the Tribe of Israel was sinning and when morning came, while his sin and punishment was being written down, Jibrail descended to the Prophet and said, ‘Your people are asking you about the legacy of sinning of the Tribe of Israel. If they want, We can deal with them just like that.’” He took them just as we took the Tribe of Israel. They assumed that the Prophet of Allah did not like that for his own people.

Verse 56: “And they will not remember unless Allah wishes. He is worthy of [your] being wary [of Him] and He is worthy to forgive.”

وَمَا يَذْكُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوَى وَأَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ٥٦ عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِی قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- هُوَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوی وَ أَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ قَالَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَک وَ تَعَالَی أَنَا أَهْلٌ أَنْ أُتَّقَی وَ لَا یشْرِک بِی عَبْدِی شَیئاً وَ أَنَا أَهْلٌ إِنْ لَمْ یشْرِک بِی عَبْدِی شَیئاً أَنْ أُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَ قَالَ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَک وَ تَعَالَی أَقْسَمَ بِعِزَّتِهِ وَ جَلَالِهِ أَنْ لَا یعَذِّبَ أَهْلَ تَوْحِیدِهِ بِالنَّارِ أَبَداً

Abu Baseer narrates from Abu Abdillah about the verse: ‘He is worthy of [your] being wary [of Him] and He is worthy to forgive.’ He said that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has stated: “I am the One that is [worthy of being] kept aware of. My servant does not place anything alongside Me. I am the One that if My servant does not place anything alongside Me, then I will enter him into heaven.” Abu Abdullah said: “Certainly, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has sworn by His honour and His Majesty that He will never punish the people who attest to His Oneness with the Fire ever.”