او زد عليه ورتل القران ترتيلا

أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا

Recite the Qur’an slowly as it will enable you to contemplate, think and see beyond the words. Especially if you don't know the Arabic and you don't know the meaning. Reading in this way will not only help you to understand but it will showing greater respect and reverence to Him (ﷻ), His book (ﷻ), and it will have much deeper effect on your heart!

al-Haafidh Ibn Kathir wrote in his famous book of tafsir:

    وقوله : ( ورتل القرآن ترتيلا ) أي : اقرأه على تمهل ، فإنه يكون عونا على فهم القرآن وتدبره

    And His statement,
    وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا

    And recite the Qur’an with tarteel [73:4]

    meaning: recite it with slow deliberateness, for indeed that is an aid in comprehending the Qur’an and contemplating it.

    [Tafsir ibn Kathir 8/251]

Abdullah b. ‘Amr narrates that the Prophet (saws) said: 
'The one who is devoted to the Qur’an will be told: ‘Recite! Rise and recite beautifully as you used to do in the world. Your station will be at the last ayah you recited.’'
[Sound: Narrated by Abu Dawud (1464), and at-Tirmidhi (3141), and Ahmad (6799), and authenticated by Ibn Hibbân (766)]
#hadith #paradise #reward #recitation #tarteel #beauty

Abu Wâ’il narrates that a man came to Ibn Mas‘ood and said: I recited the concise surahs in one unit of prayer last night. He said: 'That is quick, like the quick recitation of poetry. I certainly know the corresponding Surahs that the Prophet (saws) used to recite together.' Then he mentioned twenty Surahs from the Mufassal Surahs, two in each unit of prayer.
[Agreed upon: Narrated by al-Bukhari (775) in this wording, and Muslim (822)]
#hadith #recitation #quran #tarteel #beauty #prayer #sunnah

The One Enfolded

"You enfolded one! Stand..." This is a call from on high, given by God Almighty. Stand, for you have a great mission and a heavy burden. Stand, for you need to put in sustained efforts. Stand, for the time of sleep and comfort is over. You need to prepare for the task ahead of you.

This is an awesome command requiring the Prophet to pull himself out from the warmth of his bed in a comfortable home and with a happy family life so as to place himself in the midst of a hard struggle, with different forces pulling him here and there. A man who lives for himself may find comfort and ease, but he lives small and dies small. The noble soul who shoulders such a heavy burden has a different perspective: what has he got to do with sleep, comfort, a warm bed, and an easy life? The Prophet realized and accepted this. When his wife, Khadijah, once told him to go to bed and relax, he said to her: "The time for sleep has passed." Yes, indeed. He had nothing more than long nights and a long struggle ahead of him.

"You enfolded one! Stand in prayer at night, all but a small part of it, half of it, or a little less, or add to it. Recite the Qur'an calmly and distinctly." (Verses 1-4)

Such is the preparation for the great task. It uses divine methods, which are guaranteed to succeed. The method is night worship, which on the higher level of remembrance of God takes up more than half the night but less than two-thirds, and on the lower level, but still in complete remembrance of Him, takes one-third of the night. This long time should be spent in prayer and recitation of the Qur'an, aloud but with calmness and without singing. It is authentically reported that the Prophet prayed his Witr in no more than 11 rak'ahs, but these took up nearly two-thirds of the night, and he read at length from the Qur'an.

Sa 'id ibn Hisham reports that he asked Ibn 'Abbas how the Prophet prayed Witr. He said: 'Shall I tell you who of all people knows this best?' He said: 'Yes.' Ibn 'Abbas said: 'Go and ask 'A'ishah and then come back and tell me her answer'. Sa 'id continues: "I said to her: 'Mother of the believers, tell me what was the Prophet like in his manners?' She said: 'Do you not read the Qur'an?' I said I did. She said: 'His manners were as the Qur'an says.' I was about to leave, but then I thought of the Prophet's night worship, so I said: 'Mother of the believers, tell me how the Prophet offered his night worship.' She said: 'Do you not read the surah starting with, You enfolded one!' I said I did. She said: 'God made night worship obligatory at the opening of the surah, and the Prophet and his Companions offered night worship until their feet were swollen. God retained the end of that surah with Himself for 12 months, then the relaxation was given. Thus, night worship became voluntary after it had been obligatory.' I was about to rise, but then I remembered Witr, and I said to her: 'Mother of the believers, tell me how the Prophet offered Witr.' She said: 'We used to prepare for him his tooth stick and the water for his ablutions. He would rise at night, as God wished, and he would use his tooth stick to brush his teeth, then would perform his ablution. He would offer eight rak'ahs without sitting in between until he had completed the eighth rak'ah. He would then sit down and glorify God and supplicate, then he would stand before ending his prayer, to offer his ninth rak'ah. He would sit glorifying God alone, then supplicating. He would then finish his prayer with Salam. He said it aloud so that we would hear it. He then prayed two rak'ahs sitting down. Thus he would complete 11 rak'ahs. When he was older and put on some weight, he would pray Witr in seven rak'ahs and do two rak'ahs seated to complete nine. When the Prophet offered some voluntary prayers he liked to keep this up. If something distracted him from night worship, such as sleep or illness, he would offer 12 rak'ahs during the day. I know that the Prophet never read the whole of the Qur'an in one night up to the morning, and I know that he never fasted a complete month other than Ramadan." [Related by Ahmad and Muslim.]

A Heavy Weight to Carry

All these night worship preparations were made so that the Prophet could receive the weighty discourse:

"We shall bestow on you a weighty message." (Verse 5)

This is a reference to the Qur'an and the assignment it gives the Prophet. The Qur'an is not weighty in its phraseology; on the contrary, it is both easy to bear in mind and recite. However, it is weighty in the scales of truth, and profound in its effect on people's hearts: "Had We brought down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humble itself and break asunder for fear of God." (59: 21) Instead, God sent down the Qur'an to a man's heart, which received it and was steadier than a mountain.

Receiving such an overflow of light and knowledge and understanding it is certainly a weighty task. Dealing with great universal truths as they are is weighty indeed. Likewise, to be in contact with those on high and with the spirits of animate and inanimate creatures in the manner the Prophet was is also weighty. Moreover, to undertake this mission without hesitation and not to turn away here or there in response to temptation is mightily weighty. All this certainly requires long preparation.

Standing up in night worship when others are asleep, leaving aside the distractions of daily life, being in contact with God, receiving His light and bounty, seeking the pleasure of being alone with Him, reciting the Qur'an in the deep silence of the night as if it is being bestowed now from on high so as to be echoed by the whole universe, and receiving inspiration from the Qur'an and its melody in the quiet of the night... is all part of the preparation. It provides the necessary preparedness to shoulder the weighty task and undertake the sustained and strenuous efforts required of the Prophet and anyone who advocates the message of Islam. It enlightens advocates' hearts along their hard way, protecting them from Satan's whispering and temptations, and guiding their footsteps so that they do not fall into the dark maze that stands adjacent to this shining road.

The spirituality of a leader 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is commanded to stand and pray at night and to recite the Quran in a measured manner. This command precedes the command to stand and warn others in public. This sequence provides us with an important rule when it comes to prioritising our own self development and aligning our intentions sincerely before Allah, before we go out to develop others. 

Without this, our leadership will seldom succeed, since the primary motivation is far from seeking Allah’s pleasure. Leadership is a perilous path and we risk being held accountable not only for what we say, but how we may influence others negatively or positively. 

A leader’s private life and personal self, must be congruent to the ideals and standards he preaches to others in public life. There is a growing trend of youth who want visibility and views on social media, (which is not inherently a bad thing). But, without the backing of the night prayer, the private acts of servitude alone in darkness, fame and viral-seeking popularity can turn such a leader into a person having two different personas, one in the closet and the other in the face of the public. Shu’aib AS reminds his people 'I do not want to do what I am forbidding you from. I only intend reform to the best of my ability. My success comes only through Allah. In Him I trust and to Him I turn'. (11:88)

May Allah allow for us to remain sincere and allow for us to maintain congruency between our private and public life. Amen 

Remember to reflect, reflect to remember!

Very true, as we nowadays many corrupt leaders showcase their political wins as achievements while their own life is a disaster. We should be good no matter a thing is public or private. 

It wasn’t until the Madinah period, more than 13 years after the first revelation, that fasting was mandated, alcohol was outlawed, and other rulings regarding dress and social conduct were revealed. Even the five daily prayers were not prescribed until the Isra’ and Mi’raj, roughly ten years after the beginning of Prophethood. But consider this interesting fact: the night prayer (qiyam) was prescribed at the very beginning for the early Muslims!

It’s a fascinating point and reveals a lot about how to awaken and grow faith. Qiyam, staying up some of the night in prayer, is difficult enough once or twice a week. The early Muslims were commanded to spend the greater part of _every _night in prayer.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُزَّمِّلُ

قُمِ ٱلَّيۡلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا

نِّصۡفَهُۥٓ أَوِ ٱنقُصۡ مِنۡهُ قَلِيلًا

أَوۡ زِدۡ عَلَيۡهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ تَرۡتِيلًا

You, enfolded in your cloak!

Stand all night ˹in prayer˺ except a little—

half, or a little less,

or a little more; recite the Quran slowly and distinctly. (73:1-4)

Sa’d ibn Hisham asked Aishah, the Prophet’s wife, Mother of the Believers: 'Tell me about the night prayers of the Prophet ﷺ.' She said, 'Haven’t you read Surah Al-Muzzammil? Allah Exalted prescribed night prayers at the beginning of the surah. So Allah’s Prophet ﷺ and his Companions prayed that way for a year, and Allah held back the revelation of the end of the surah for twelve months. Then Allah revealed the end of the surah which lightened the burden, and so night prayer became voluntary after it had been obligatory.'

Ibn Abbas said that in that first year, they used to pray every night in the same way that they would later pray during the nights of Ramadan. Why do you think night prayer was the very first religious prescription? The Quran points to the reason:

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطۡـٔٗا وَأَقۡوَمُ قِيلًا

Indeed, the hours of the night are more impactful and sharpen words. (73:6)

(Excerpt from: Faith First - A MAS Publication)
maspublishing.org 

SubhanAllah! Very enlightening reflection. Indeed this shows the importance and the necessity of Qiyam. Allah is most wise and the benefits of standing in prayer during the night for one's development of imaan and personal wellbeing must surely be guaranteed! Allah knows best. Jazakallah khair for this

Muslim American Society

Rise to Worship. Rise to Action.

In the first few verses revealed from the Quran, God commanded Prophet Muhammad (s) to stand up. To rise. 'Qum'

The Prophet was wrapped in his garments and he was frightened, confused, and overwhelmed. He saw the Angel Jibreel for the first time and was paralyzed by the experience. The first powerful words of the Quran had been revealed and imprinted onto his heart.

Then came, Ya ayyuha al-muzamil, ya ayyuha al-mudathir. 
You enshrouded one, wrapped up in your cloak. 

When we read this, we should ask ourselves what coverings and shrouds are we wrapped up in? What layers of insulation are we hiding behind that prevent us from rising to our responsibilities and full potential?

 Qum. Stand. Rise. Not once, but twice. Rise to worship, rise to action.

In 'ya ayyuha al-muzammi'l, the Prophet, wrapped in his garments, was told to get up in the night to worship His Lord. Stand before Him, recite His words slowly, let the meanings sink deep into your heart.

إِنَّا سَنُلۡقِي عَلَيۡكَ قَوۡلٗا ثَقِيلًا
إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطۡـٔٗا وَأَقۡوَمُ قِيلًا

We shall send a momentous message down to you.
Night prayer makes a deeper impression and sharpens words.

This Ramadan is our moment to rise in worship. It is the season of qiyam, standing in prayer, the season of slow, measured recitation and meditation on the Quran. Angels from all over the universe are descending upon the earth to witness the worship of God’s servants, their rising and recitation by night. 

But that’s not it. He was told to rise again. Stand up to warn, glorify, and purify. Persevere in your cause, work hard, and be patient.

The time for rest has passed. The injustices around us create opportunities for us to rise to action, to rise to the occasion to usher in a just and virtuous society. We are in an election year. Where we have the opportunity to make our voices heard, to ensure our communities count in the 2020 census. There is so much work to be done in our growing Muslim American community; doors to knock on, people to talk to, issues to advocate around, mouths to feed, money to raise, causes to fight for. We are all bearers of a message so heavy and monumental that we cannot afford to keep it hidden.

In a moment that we need to rise to worship and to rise to action, we cannot sit on the sidelines as spectators. To worship without action, or to be an activist without worship, is like standing on one foot, precariously imbalanced. The Prophet (s) was commanded to stand in prayer, and to stand and warn; two dimensions of the same life and mission. To succeed in life and in the next life, to fulfill the purpose of our existence, we must have our two feet firmly planted in worship and action, standing firm, yet rising twice.

Experience this reflection as part of MAS In The Shade Of Ramadan Season 9 video: https://youtu.be/JNHQ1_gHIxA

Jazaki Allah Khair for this inspirational reflection, Sister Ismahan.
I appreciate how you single out the word 'Qum' in these surahs. It's a great word to use as a personal reminder every time we feel like we cannot leave our comfort zone.  The idea of being wrapped up in garments makes me think of the weighted blankets that are so popular these days. Sometimes it feels very comfortable for our bodies to be laying down, wrapped up and weighed down. It's a comfort zone, just like our hearts and minds have a comfort zone, and the 'weighted blanket' of the heart and mind can sometimes be complacency. We can become very comfortable being complacent. But rising, both spiritually and physically,  with the intent of fulfilling the commands of our Lord will elevate us to levels that will bring us more peace, fulfillment, and success than being wrapped up in our comfort zones ever will. 

Lessons: Al-Muzzammil 73:4