Treasure of Knowledge Part II - Some wisdoms of surah-yi Muzzammil
Some wisdoms of surah-yi Muzzammil
Tags: surah-yi Muzzammil, `ibadat, shabkhizi, Tartil-i Qur'an, hadith-i nafsi. zakat, qarz-i hasanah, remembrance, worship, spiritual progress
Question 1: Who is the one 'wrapped up in garments' and what is the reason for this address?
Answer: “Enwrapped in garments” or “folded in mantle” (muzzammil) is one of the blessed names of the holy Prophet. According to some people the reason for this title is that the disbelievers of Quraysh called him a magician (sahir) during the early days of his prophethood which made him sad and [thus] he wrapped himself in garments. Some others say that during the initial days of prophethood the revelation [of Qur'an] used to make him sweat so he used to ask: “Wrap me up in a mantle!” and its ta'wil is: “Hide my inner status (batini haythiyyat) which is full of the secrets of reality (asrar-i haqiqat) from the people of the world”.
Question 2: God, the Wise, has alluded here to sleep on time at night and to wake up early for dhikr-u `ibadat. What is its wisdom? Why did He not order to remain in nightlong vigil?
Answer: The wisdom hidden here is that in this way not only does the tired body become fresh, but also the soul and mind of a mu'min become free from all worries. It is only then that the attention can be focussed on dhikr-u `ibadat. The wise Qur'an also mentions the nightlong vigil (76:26) and its wisdom and benefits are different from this.
Question 3: At what time in the night should dhikr-u `ibadat be commenced according to surah-yi Muzzammil?
Answer: The special `ibadat should be commenced either after one-third of the night has passed or after half of it or even when two-third has passed.
Question 4: This surah commands to recite the holy Qur'an. What does this mean?
Answer: Qur'an means the glorious Qur'an, which was revealed to the holy Prophet. Further, each of the great names of God is an important component of the holy Qur'an. In fact, the miraculous spirit and the light of the Qur'an is hidden in it with a certain condition.
Question 5: Why is there flexibility in the duration of the nocturnal `ibadat?
Answer: It is so because the physical state of a mu'min is not always the same. Sometimes he is very tired, at times he is sick and sometimes he travels.
Question 6: Tell us the meaning of tartil-i Qur'an?
Answer: Tartil-i Qur'an means to recite the Qur'an in a proper order. Furthermore, if for [the purpose of] `ibadat a great name of God is given from the Qur'an then [tartil-i Qur'an means] to recite that name with complete concentration, correct pronunciation and wakefulness of the heart.
Question 7: What is `ibadat a preparation to achieve?
Answer: The fulfilment of dhikr-u `ibadat is a true mu'min's preparation as a result of which God bestows on him Divine help, special guidance and high aspiration.
Question 8: What does weighty word (qawl-i thaqil, 73:5) indicate?
Answer: Qawl-i thaqil's special connection is with the noble personality of the holy Prophet and it is a great wisdom. For a mu'min it alludes to unlimited spiritual progress.
Question 9: What are the benefits of nocturnal `ibadat?
Answer: It crushes the carnal soul, advances Divine remembrance and purifies and progresses the intellect.
Question 10: What else crushes the carnal soul?
Answer: The carnal soul is subjugated by refraining from useless talk, through solitude, starvation and above all by doing nocturnal dhikr-u `ibadat.
Question 11: Why does the dhikr progress through the vigil of the night (shabkhizi)?
Answer: This is because night is not only free from worldly occupations and is peaceful, but also by God's command it is effective in making Divine remembrance progress miraculously (25:62).
Question 12: What is the wisdom in asking the holy Prophet who had prolonged activities in the day time to wake up in the night for `ibadat, whilst in fact everyone knew that despite such extensive activities the holy Prophet never discontinued his dhikr-u `ibadat in the day time?
Answer: This is a bright proof of the superiority of nocturnal `ibadat on diurnal `ibadat.
Question 13: It is commanded: “Remember your Lord's name and devote yourself to Him with an exclusive devotion”. What is the secret that in this verse remembrance (dhikr) is mentioned first and attention (tawajjuh) later?
Answer: Internal and spiritual attention is not related to physical teaching, rather it is automatically created as a result of abundant dhikr therefore, dhikr is mentioned first and then attention.
Question 14: What are the things one should forget during dhikr?
Answer: During dhikr, a dhakir should forget everything completely, to the extent of himself, except that he should not consider God separate and far away from the meaning and reality of the ism [he is reciting].
Question 15: It is said: “He is the Lord of the east and the west”. What does this Divine teaching indicate?
Answer: It means that God nurtures all the ranks (hudud) of the world of religion (`alam-i din) with His spiritual help. Thus a mu'min-i dhakir, in whatever rank he is, should also expect that he will continue to receive the fruits of dhikr-u `ibadat.
Question 16: Verse nine commands to make the true Lord one's advocate (wakil). Please tell us if advocacy (tawakkul) comes first or worship (`ibadat)?
Answer: It is evident from this verse that the true Lord should be worshipped first and that too in the light of recognition and then comes the stage of tawakkul.
Question 17: What does patience (sabr) in verse 10 mean?
Answer: If we consider surah-yi Muzzammil a continuous and integrated topic of dhikr-u `ibadat, patience (sabr) means that the statements of the deniers (munkirin) not only cause physical sadness, but also affect dhikr-u `ibadat in the form of insinuations (waswasahs) and its remedy is to engage oneself in God's remembrance with patience and endurance.
Question 18: Verse eleven mentions denial, what does that mean?
Answer: Not to understand religion and its spirit is to deny God and the holy Prophet, because lack of religious recognition results in denial.
Question 19: What is hadith-i nafsi and how is it created?
Answer: The insinuations and whisperings of the carnal soul (nafs-i ammarah) is called hadith-i nafsi and it usually happens during `ibadat and is due to worldly impurities.
Question 20: Until when are the infidels and hypocrites reprieved?
Answer: The respite for them is of three kinds: Maximum respite is till the resurrection, minimum till the advent of a sudden chastisement and intermediate respite is till the arrival of [their] death.
Question 21: What is the ta'wil of 'food that chokes'?
Answer: False teachings regarding God and religion are irrational and illogical and are thus unpleasant and unpalatable for the soul.
Question 22: What is the ta'wil of heavens, mountains and earth?
Answer: The Prophet and Imam's light is the heaven of spirituality, the souls of hujjat-like ranks are the mountains and the souls of the followers (murids) are earth and sand.
Question 23: Why will the earth and mountains shake on the day of resurrection and why will the mountains become moving sand?
Answer: This is because the souls of the followers and those of the hujjats have to move with the occurrence of resurrection. Also numerous ordinary human souls will scatter from the great souls of hujjat like ranks just as the mountains being smashed turn into heaps of running sand.
Question 24: Why is the messengership of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) compared to that of Hazrat Musa (May peace be through him), whereas God severely punished the Pharaoh and his people on account of their denial of Hazrat Musa (May peace be through him)'s messengership, but those who denied the messengership of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) were not punished?
Answer: The messengership and prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) is analogous to that of Hazrat Musa (May peace be through him) in that just as Harun (May peace be through him) was Musa's wazir, `Ali (May peace be through him) was Muhammad's wazir. Those who denied the messengership of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) were not physically punished because the resurrection was impending, thus the holy Prophet was commanded to give them respite.
Question 25: How is the holy Prophet witness over the community (ummat)?
Answer: The holy Prophet's light i.e., the Imam of the time is always living and present in the world and in this sense he is witness over the community.
Question 26: Which is the day that makes children grey-headed and how?
Answer: It is the spiritual cycle in which little children like the old people will behave with intellect and knowledge.
Question 27: How and why will 'the heaven be rent asunder'?
Answer: On the day of resurrection 'the heaven will be rent asunder' is in the sense that in the spiritual cycle spirituality will overwhelm the people of the world.
Question 28: God's promise is done (maf`ul) which means that it is already accomplished. How is it possible?
Answer: Without any doubt God's promise regarding resurrection is the same as has always been happening [in the past], just as God's habit (sunnat) today is the same as before (48:23).
Question 29: How can a human being take the path to his Lord?
Answer: The nearness and closeness to God can be acquired through obedience and worship in the light of the guidance of the True Guide.
Question 30: If the holy Prophet already used to keep vigil for two-third or half or one-third of the night why is it ordained to do so in the beginning of this surah?
Answer: This order is meant for the mu'mins that they should keep vigil in a like manner.
Question 31: Who among the companions of the holy Prophet keep vigil regularly on this pattern?
Answer: The pure Imams and the mu'mins wake up at these times.
Question 32: What does it mean that 'God measures the night and the day'?
Answer: It means that if God helps a mu'min, the time of his `ibadat feels shortened and reduced but when God's help is not there then the duration of `ibadat, though short, seems very prolonged.
Question 33: Tell us the meaning and wisdom of “`alima an lan tuhsuhu” (He knew that you will be unable to count it)?
Answer: It means that God knew that you will be unable to count it i.e., you will be unable to recite the ism-i a`zam in requisite measure during the prescribed duration and you will not be able to even count it, hence recite it as much as you can.
Question 34: God has commanded to recite whatever is possible from the Qur'an, however, many people cannot recite it. How can this divine command be accomplished?
Answer: Remembrance of God by the mu'mins is a substitute for the Qur'an.
Question 35: Is it incumbent upon sick persons, travellers and those on jihad to recite the Qur'an? In daytime or at night? If in day time then how, since it is said to the holy Prophet that he had prolonged activities during the day time?
Answer: Whether it is day or night, the recitation of God's name is incumbent upon [every] sick person, traveller and mujahid and this name is instead of the Qur'an.
Question 36: At the end of the surah it is ordered to establish prayer (salat). Is not worship mentioned earlier in the surah also prayer (salat)?
Answer: Yes, that was God's remembrance (dhikr-i ilahi) and this is prayer (salat).
Question 37: Two types of monetary sacrifices are mentioned here: zakat and qarz-i hasanah. Tell us what is zakat and what is qarz-i hasanah?
Answer: Zakat is 10% of the money (i.e., income), etc., and qarz-i hasanah is mehmani.
Question 38: It is asked to [perform and] send good deeds in one's [own] life. Thus are the good deeds performed for the sake of deceased people false (batil)?
Answer: It is essential and the best for a person to [perform and] send good deeds beforehand during his lifetime so that he may receive reward (thawab) and salvation (najat) provided that he recognizes God. The good deeds performed [by others] for him after his death are not futile but they carry very little reward.
Question 39: Where and at which place will the reward of good deeds be received after death?
Answer: After death, the reward of good deeds will only be received from God's presence provided that the person has attained God's recognition and has reached Him, otherwise not.
Question 40: Those who do not believe in God but perform good deeds, will they be rewarded in the hereafter?
Answer: There are two things in this. Firstly, good deeds are solely those which are ordained by God, the holy Prophet and the custodian of the Divine command. Secondly, even if some of their deeds are considered to be good deeds they are not acceptable because of the absence of prerequisites.
Question 41: Why is seeking forgiveness ordered at the very end of this surah?
Answer: This alludes that when mu'mins act sequentially as ordered in surah-yi Muzzammil, their sins will be forgiven as a result. This implies that there is no repentance and seeking forgiveness without performing good deeds.
Question 42: God says that He is better and greater in rewarding. So are there others apart from God who can give reward in lesser quantities?
Answer: Well, human beings too can provide a small [and] temporary reward for good deeds but only God grants the greatest and permanent reward.
Question 43: How does God forgive sins?
Answer: The Lord of the world forgives sins through [mu'mins'] remembrance, worship, knowledge and wisdom.
Question 44: What is the theme of surah-yi Muzzammil?
Answer: Its theme is remembrance, worship and spiritual progress.
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