Surah Al-Muzzammil – Mahmoud El Sheimy

Al-Muzzammil ("The Enshrouded One") is the 73rd surah of the Quran, in the 29th juz. It is a Meccan surah of 20 verses, third in the traditional order of revelation, after Al-Qalam. Addressed to the Prophet ﷺ wrapped in his garments, it prepares him for the weight of his mission through night prayer and the measured recitation of the Quran.

Its name comes from the first verse, "O you wrapped in garments" (73:1). The Prophet ﷺ is told to stand in prayer at night, half of it, a little less or a little more, "and recite the Quran with measured recitation" (73:4). This command, tartil, has become the reference for careful, unhurried recitation. God will cast upon him a weighty word, and rising at night leaves a deeper mark and makes speech more upright (73:5-6).

He is to remember his Lord's name, devote himself wholly to Him, take Him as guardian, bear patiently what the deniers say and part from them gracefully (73:8-10). The deniers are warned by the example of Pharaoh, who disobeyed the messenger sent to him, and by a Day that will turn children grey-haired (73:15-17).

The long final verse eases the first command. God knows that the Prophet ﷺ and a group of those with him stand nearly two-thirds of the night, or half, or a third, and that some will be ill, travelling in search of His bounty or fighting in His cause; so "recite what is easy of the Quran", establish prayer, give zakat and seek His forgiveness (73:20). Aisha explained that night prayer was made obligatory at the beginning of this surah and observed for a year, until the end of the surah was revealed and it became voluntary (Muslim). Some commentators, such as ath-Tha'labi, consider this last verse Medinan.

The next surah, Al-Muddathir, opens with a similar address; on night prayer, see also Al-Isra.