Overview - Surah 74: al-Mudathir (The Cloaked One)
The subject of this Surah is da'wah of Islam. The Prophet and his followers are told to stand up to remove the evils and vices from the society. It also gives the warnings of the coming doom for those who deny the truth.
This Surah takes its name from the first Ayat, يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ "O you who covers himself [with a garment]," [74:1].
There are 56 Ayat in this Surah.
Overview
| Total Ayat | 56 |
| Total Words * | 255 |
| Root Words * | 114 |
| Unique Root Words * | 2 |
| Makki / Madani | Makki |
| Chronological Order* | 4th (according to Ibn Abbas) |
| Year of Revelation* | 1st-3rd year of Prophethood |
| Events during/before this Surah*
Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam
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| Events during/after still to occur*
Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam ,Revelation begins - Private Invitation to Islam ,Public Invitation to Islam - Persecution of Muslims; antagonism - ridicule - derision - accusation - abuse and false propaganda.,Physical beating and torture of some Muslims - 1st Migration of Muslims to Abyssinia,2nd Migration to Abyssinia,Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 1,Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 2,Boycott of Banu Hashim Yr 3,Death of Abu Talib - Death of Khadijah - Stoning at Ta'if - al-Isra wal Mi'raj - Night Journey,1st Pledge of Aqabah,2nd Pledge of Aqabah,,Migration from Makkah to Madinah - Building of Masjid Nabi in Madinah - Treaty with Jews of Madinah - Marriage of Prophet to Aishah,Change of Qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah - Battle of Badr,Battle of Uhud,,Battle of Ahzab - Expedition of Banu Quraydhah,Treaty of Hudaiybiyah - Letters to Kings and Rulers,,Conquest of Makkah - Battle of Hunain,Hajj led by Abu Bakr - Expedition of Tabuk,Farewell Hajj by Prophet - Death of Prophet - End of Divine Revelation
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| Names of Prophets Mentioned
No Prophets names are mentioned in this Surah
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| Surah Index
God (knows that beyond comprehension) , Angels (nineteen lord over hell) , Apostasy (do not ask for speedy doom for apostates) (God alone will punish them), Astronomy (celestial mechanics) (moon), Children, Hell, Judgement (Day) , Resurrection (of soul) , Revelation
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Theme 1: Striving in giving Dawah
The first seven verses of this Surah belong to the earliest period at Makkah. Even according to some hadith which have been related in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, etc., on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah, these are the very earliest verses of the Qur’an to be revealed to the Prophet. But the Muslim Ummah almost unanimously agreed that the earliest revelation to the Prophet consisted of the first five verses of Surah 96: al-‘Alaq (The Clinging Substance). However, what is established by authentic hadith that after this first Revelation, no Revelation came down to the Prophet for quite some time. Then, when it was resumed, it started with the verses of Surah al-Muddathir - Imam Zuhri has given the following details of it:
“Revelation to the Prophet remained suspended for quite some time and it was such a period of deep grief and distress for him that he started going early to the tops of the mountains to throw himself down from them. But whenever he stood on the edge of a peak, the Angel Gabriel would appear and tell him that he was God’s Prophet. This would console him and restore to him full peace of mind.” (Ibn Jarir). After this Imam Zuhri relates the following tradition on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah; “The Messenger of God describing the period of ‘break in revelation’ (falrat al-wahi) said: One day when I was passing on the way, I suddenly heard a call from heaven. I raised my head and saw that the same Angel who had visited me in the Cave of Hira was sitting on a throne between heaven and earth. This struck terror in my heart, and reaching home quickly, I said: ‘Cover me up, cover me up’. So the people of the house covered me up with a quilt (or blanket). At that time God sent down the Revelation: “O you who covers himself” (Ya ayyuhal-Muddathiru...). From then on revelation became intense and continuous.” (Bukhari, Muslim Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir).
The rest of the Surah (v. 8-56) was revealed when the first Hajj season came after public preaching of Islam had begun in Makkah.
Manuscripts / Inscriptions
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1st Century Hijrah (7th Century CE)
1250–1350 AD
1250–1350 AD
- Surah al-Muzzammil [73] and al-Mudathir [74] both begin with addressing the Prophet.
- Surah al-Muzzammil [73] and al-Mudathir [74] both have similar Ayat speaking of the Qur'an being a reminder
إِنَّ هَـٰذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ ۖفَمَن شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبِيلًا "Indeed, this is a reminder, so whoever wills may take to his Lord a way." [73:19]
كَلَّا إِنَّهُ تَذْكِرَةٌ فَمَن شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُ "No! Indeed, the Qur'an is a reminder. Then whoever wills will remember it." [74:54-55] - Towards the end of Surah al-Mudadathir [74] we have the Ayat كَلَّا ۖ بَل لَّا يَخَافُونَ الْآخِرَةَ "No! But they do not fear the Hereafter." [74:53]. The following Surah is al-Qiyamah - about the Akhirah.
(74:31) is the longest Ayat of this Surah with 57 words,
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا أَصْحَابَ النَّارِ إِلَّا مَلَائِكَةً ۙ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا عِدَّتَهُمْ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيَسْتَيْقِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَيَزْدَادَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِيمَانًا ۙ وَلَا يَرْتَابَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۙ وَلِيَقُولَ الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَالْكَافِرُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّـهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّـهُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْبَشَرِ "And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not made their number except as a trial for those who disbelieve - that those who were given the Scripture will be convinced and those who have believed will increase in faith and those who were given the Scripture and the believers will not doubt and that those in whose hearts is hypocrisy and the disbelievers will say, "What does Allah intend by this as an example?" Thus does Allah leave astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. And mention of the Fire is not but a reminder to humanity." (74:31)
Total Word Count per Ayat (shows how many words per Ayat) = 2* | ||
| # | Root Word | Frequency in Surah | Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | إِلَّا | 8 | 663 |
| 2. | ك و ن | 5 | 1390 |
| 3. | ٱلَّذِى | 5 | 1464 |
| 4. | ش ي أ | 5 | 519 |
| 5. | ذ ك ر | 5 | 292 |
| 6. | ق و ل | 4 | 1722 |
| 7. | ب ش ر | 4 | 123 |
| 8. | أ ت ي | 4 | 549 |
| 9. | ر ب ب | 3 | 980 |
| 10. | ك ب ر | 3 | 161 |
| Root Word | Frequency in Surah |
Frequency in Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| إِلَّا | 8 | 663 |
| ك و ن | 5 | 1390 |
| ٱلَّذِى | 5 | 1464 |
| ش ي أ | 5 | 519 |
| ذ ك ر | 5 | 292 |
| ق و ل | 4 | 1722 |
| ب ش ر | 4 | 123 |
| أ ت ي | 4 | 549 |
| ر ب ب | 3 | 980 |
| ك ب ر | 3 | 161 |
The first seven verses of this Surah belong to the earliest period at Makkah. Even according to some hadith which have been related in Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, etc., on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah, these are the very earliest verses of the Qur’an to be revealed to the Prophet. But the Muslim Ummah almost unanimously agreed that the earliest revelation to the Prophet consisted of the first five verses of Surah 96: al-‘Alaq (The Clinging Substance). However, what is established by authentic hadith that after this first Revelation, no Revelation came down to the Prophet for quite some time. Then, when it was resumed, it started with the verses of Surah al-Muddathir - Imam Zuhri has given the following details of it:
“Revelation to the Prophet remained suspended for quite some time and it was such a period of deep grief and distress for him that he started going early to the tops of the mountains to throw himself down from them. But whenever he stood on the edge of a peak, the Angel Gabriel would appear and tell him that he was God’s Prophet. This would console him and restore to him full peace of mind.” (Ibn Jarir). After this Imam Zuhri relates the following tradition on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah; “The Messenger of God describing the period of ‘break in revelation’ (falrat al-wahi) said: One day when I was passing on the way, I suddenly heard a call from heaven. I raised my head and saw that the same Angel who had visited me in the Cave of Hira was sitting on a throne between heaven and earth. This struck terror in my heart, and reaching home quickly, I said: ‘Cover me up, cover me up’. So the people of the house covered me up with a quilt (or blanket). At that time God sent down the Revelation: “O you who covers himself” (Ya ayyuhal-Muddathiru...). From then on revelation became intense and continuous.” (Bukhari, Muslim Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir). The rest of the Surah (v. 8-56) was revealed when the first Hajj season came after public preaching of Islam had begun in Makkah.
- Instructions to the Prophet for cleanliness and patience.
- The fact that the Day of Judgement will be very difficult especially for those who deny Allah's revelations and oppose His cause.
- Actions which lead to the hellfire are: Not offering Salah, not feeding the poor, wasting time in vain talk and denying the Day of Judgement.
Tafsir Zone
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Sayyid Qutb Overview (Verses 11 - 30) Singled Out This general warning gives way to the case of a particular individual who seems to have played a leading role in rejecting the divine message and plotting against it. The surah issues a crushing warning, painting an ugly image of him that invites derision. This is particularly so when his unpleasant features appear lifelike before our eyes: Leave to me the one I created alone, to whom I have granted vast wealth, and sons by his side, making life smooth and easy for him; yet he greedily desires that I give him more. No! He has set himself stubbornly against Our revelations. I will constrain him to endure a painful uphill climb! He thought and he schemed Damn him, how he schemed! Again, damn him, how he schemed! He looked around then he frowned and glared, then he turned his back and gloried in his arrogance, and said, 'This is just sorcery handed down from olden times! This is nothing but the word of a mere mortar I will cast him into the scorching fire. Would that you knew what the scorching fire is like! It leaves nothing, and spares nothing; it appears before mankind guarded by nineteen. (Verses 11-30) There are several reports suggesting that the person so referred to is al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah. Ikrimah reports: "Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah met the Prophet who read to him a passage of the Qur'an. It appeared as though al-Walid softened a bit. Abu Jahl heard of this, so he went to al-Walid and said to him: 'Uncle! Your people are raising some money for you.' He asked for what reason. Abu Jahl answered: 'They want to give it to you, because you went to Muhammad to see what you might gain from him.' [Abu. Jahl was thus playing on a most sensitive point, trying to arouse al-Walid's pride.] Al-Walid said: 'The Quraysh know that I am the richest among them.' Abu Jahl said: 'Then say about him something to make clear to your people that you are opposed to what he says.' Al-Walid said: 'What shall I say. None of you has better knowledge of poetry than me. I know all about poetry including the poetry of the jinn. What Muhammad says is nothing like that. What he says is indeed sweet; it towers over all speech; it rises high and nothing can top it.' Abu jahl said: 'Your people will not be satisfied unless you say something negative about him.' Al-Walid said: 'Then give me time to think.' When he thought it over, he said of the Qur'an: 'This is sorcery taken from olden times.' The above passage was then revealed in reference to him. In another report, it is said that some of the Quraysh said: 'If al Walid follows Muhammad, the whole tribe will follow suit.' Abu Jahl said: 'I will take care of him.' He went to see him... The report then mentions the above conversation between the two, and that after long thinking al-Walid said: 'It is sorcery handed down from olden times. Do you not see how it causes divisions between a man and his family, children and servants?' Such was the event as reported. The Qur'an, however, describes it in its own moving way. It so starts with a fearsome threat: "Leave to me the one I created alone." (Verse 11) The address is made to the Prophet. He is told to leave this person to God. He created him alone, without anything in which he now takes pride, such as wealth, children, comforts and luxuries. Yet he still seeks to possess more. God says to the Prophet to leave him to Him, for He will battle with him. Here, we can only shudder as we imagine the overwhelming power of the Almighty moving to crush this powerless individual. This shuddering is experienced by the reader and the listener who are not meant by it. How, then, about the one facing this power? The surah describes at length this creature and what God has given him of favours, before it mentions his headstrong rejection of the truth. God created him alone, deprived of everything, naked. Then He gave him plentiful wealth, and able sons who attend to his needs and give him authority and protection. He facilitated life for him. Yet, "he greedily desires that I give him more." (Verse 15) He is neither content nor grateful. Or perhaps he hopes to receive revelations and a sacred book, as mentioned towards the end of the surah: "Every one of them demands to be given revelations unfolded before him." (Verse 52) He did indeed envy the Prophet. At this point he is strongly repudiated for his greed. He has not shown any gratitude to God for what He has given him. "No!" The repudiating word is decisive. "He has set himself stubbornly against Our revelations." (Verse 16) He deliberately set himself against all pointers to the truth and indicators of the way to true faith. He opposed the divine message and the Messenger preaching it, prevented others from listening to it and spread false rumours about it. This repudiation of the man and his attitude is followed by a threat to replace his ease with hardship: "I will constrain him to endure a painful uphill climb." (Verse 17) This verse paints hardship in the movement. Going uphill is the most difficult and tiring way of walking. If the person set on such an uphill road has no intention of so going up, but is instead being pushed, the hardship is even greater and more exhausting. At the same time, the statement expresses a reality. A person who moves away from the easy, friendly and facilitated path of faith will find himself in a hard to traverse passage that leads nowhere. He goes through life worried and distressed, as though he is rising high into the sky, or going up a rough, hard track carrying neither food nor drink, and expecting no comfort at the end. The surah draws a sarcastic caricature of this person with grim features, frowning, thinking hard and trying to find fault with the Qur'an. He is obsessed with trying to find an apt and negative description to label the Qur'an with: "He thought and he schemed. Damn him, how he schemed' Again, damn him, how he schemed' He looked around then he frowned and glared, then he turned his back and gloried in his arrogance, and said, This is just sorcery handed down from olden times! This is nothing but the word of a mere mortar (Verses 18-25) The image we are given here takes us one glimpse at a time, step by step, and movement by movement. It is like watching a paint brush at work, rather than hearing words giving a meaning. More than that, it is like a scene in a film, consisting of many frames. One frame shows him thinking and scheming. This is coupled with an invocation, Damn him!' and a derisive remark, 'how he schemed.' Both invocation and derisive remark are repeated to heighten the effect. Another frame shows him looking here and there, in affected seriousness, again inviting ridicule. The next frame shows him frowning, and another shows his features grim. In both, the impression is that he is trying to concentrate, but in a laughable way. Yet, after all this labour, he comes up with nothing. He closes his eyes to the light and turns away from the truth. All he can say is: "This is just sorcery handed down from olden times! This is nothing but the word of a mere mortar (Verses 24-25) These glimpses of such a sad individual are impressed on our minds more strongly than a painting or a film. Moreover, the man becomes the laughing stock for the rest of time. His miserable picture is raised there for all future generations to see. Once the picture is hung in place and this miserable creature is seen by all there then comes a frightening warning: "I will cast him into the scorching fire." (Verse 26) The warning is made even stronger by the enigmatic air that surrounds the fire: "Would that you knew what the scorching fire is like!" (Verse 27) It is too great to be imagined! Yet another description is added to make it even more terrifying: "It leaves nothing, and spares nothing." (Verse 28) It swallows everything, obliterating whoever or whatever is cast into it, leaving no trace. Moreover, it presents itself before people: "It appears before mankind." (Verse 29) This echoes the verse in an earlier surah: "It will claim all who turn their backs, and turn away from the truth." (70: 17) It thus shows itself, deliberately striking fear into those who are destined to suffer its torment. Guards stand there: "Guarded by nineteen." (Verse 30) We do not know if the number refers to individual angels who are stern and mighty', as described in Surah 66, or whether it refers to rows or types of angels. This is merely a piece of information to which more will be added in the surah. |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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- Surah 74. Al-Mudathir - Saad al Ghamidi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX6pfbqKBzs&index=74&list=PLhM2xiAUdw2cAqW_o3zZkbhJNw0bnaBZN
- Surah 74. Al-Mudathir Mahmoud Khalil Al Hussary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdHbFdBXcts&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfMFWX22VZWOKpzjr-vH_BM&index=74
- Surah 74. Al-Mudathir Muhammad Al Luhaydan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6LzGuJlWUY&index=74&list=PLxpAkjlGauHfKAYuQLRNAZomoezhfhRZe
- idris abkar Al-Mudathir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r178NwpYIZw
- Surah 74. Al-Mudathir Muhammad Minshawi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBScoL3O4-A&list=PLxpAkjlGauHdUcO_uc-8F8J2NUQRDZjPG&index=74
