English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Muddathir Ayah 1-10
74:1 O you enveloped in your cloak,
74:2 Arise and warn!
74:3 And your Lord magnify,
74:4 and your garments purify,
74:5 and uncleanness do shun,
74:6 and give not, seeking gain,
74:7 and for the sake of your Lord, be patient.
74:8 Then, when the Trumpet is sounded,
74:9 Surely, that day will be a difficult day.
74:10 For the disbelievers, not easy.
Tafsir
Abu Salama said I asked Jabir Ibn Abdul Allah, may Allah be pleased with them, about the first revelation from the Quran that was revealed to Messenger Muhammad. Then, Abdul Allah said I shall only tell you about what Messenger Muhammad told us. Messenger Muhammad said, ‘I was in seclusion in the cave of Hira. When I finished my seclusion and came down of Mount Hira, I was called. I looked to my right side, but I saw nothing; I looked to my left side, but I saw nothing; I looked before me, but I saw nothing; and I looked back, but I saw nothing. Then, I raised my head and saw something. Then, I went to Khadijah and said, ‘Cover me and pour cold water over me.’ Thus, they covered me and poured cold water over me. Then, Allah revealed to me, [74:1 O you enveloped in your cloak, 74:2 Arise and warn!]
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the first revelation from the Quran came to Messenger Muhammad while he was in cave Hira. The archangel Gabriel came to him and said, ‘96:1 Read in the name of your Lord, Who created. 96:2 He created man from a clot.’ [Surah Al-Alaq]
A reconciliation between these two narrations can be made as follows: the first narration refers to the first revelation from the Quran that came to Messenger Muhammad after the revelation stopped coming for some time after the revelation of surah Al-Alaq.
Nonetheless, surah Al-Muddathir is one of the first surahs that were revealed to Messenger Muhammad. It commands Messenger Muhammad to warn people of the punishment of Allah if they insist on following the path of misguidance.
74:1 O you enveloped in your cloak,
74:2 Arise and warn!
O noble Messenger Muhammad, who enveloped himself in his cloak, ‘Arise from your bed and begin determinedly to warn people of the punishment of Allah if they insist on worshipping other gods besides Allah. Convey the message of your Lord without fearing anyone. Command people to worship Allah alone, obey His commands, and avoid His prohibitions.’
Allah, Exalted be He, addressed His beloved Messenger Muhammad by calling him the one who enveloped himself in his cloak to make him feel at ease and comfortable.
74:3 And your Lord magnify,
O noble Messenger, ‘Do not fear, arise, and warn people of the punishment of Allah. Magnify and glorify your Lord alone. Seek your Lord’s help alone to attain all your needs.’
74:4 and your garments purify,
O noble Messenger Muhammad, ‘Purify your garments and put them away from unclearness. Purify your soul from sins and evil ethics.’
Whether the intended meaning is to purify the garments or purify the soul from sins, Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] used to purify himself from tangible and intangible impurities in all his affairs.
74:5 and uncleanness do shun,
O noble Messenger, ‘Shun uncleanness and worship of false gods besides Allah. Avoid sins and always keep away from them.
The commandment to avoid uncleanness, sins, and false gods does not mean that Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] did anything of them; rather, the intended meaning is to urge him to keep away from them constantly because he is the role model for all Muslims.
74:6 and give not, seeking gain,
The scholars of Tafsir mention the following opinions about the meaning of [74:6 and give not, seeking gain,] 1) Do not give a gift, seeking something that is better than it. 2) Do not be proud of being a dutiful slave of your Lord. 3) Do not slacken off to perform righteous deeds. 4) Do not treat people proudly to take a reward from them for being the prophet of Allah.
O noble Messenger, ‘You should give much of your wealth to others without believing that what you give is too much no matter how great it may be. Indeed, the bounty and reward of Allah are greater and better. You should also not give something while seeking to gain something in return for it.’
74:7 and for the sake of your Lord, be patient.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, ‘You should be patient with the duties that your Lord has commanded you to carry out. You should patiently bear difficulties and hardships to convey the message that your Lord has commanded you to convey. Seek your Lord's reward for whatever abuse and hardship that you may encounter while carrying out the message of your Lord.’
After giving Messenger Muhammad some instructions to Messenger Muhammad, surah Al-Muddathir mentions some of the horrors of the Day of Judgment.
74:8 Then, when the Trumpet is sounded,
74:9 Surely, that day will be a difficult day.
74:10 For the disbelievers, not easy.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, ‘Convey the message of your Lord to people. Command them to worship Allah alone. Warn them of the severe punishment of Allah if they insist on following the path of misguidance. On that day, the angel responsible for the Trumpet will blow it. After which, people will come out from their graves for reckoning. Surely, the Day of Judgment will be difficult for the disbelievers. They will suffer from its horrors and cannot escape from the punishment of Allah.’
Abdul Allah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, reported, Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] said, ‘How shall I feel comfortable while the angel responsible for blowing in the Trumpet is ready to blow it, lowering his forehead to hear when he will be commanded to blow it.’ The companions of Messenger Muhammad said, ‘What should we say?’ He said, ‘You should say, ‘Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best Guardian. We put our trust in Allah.’’
Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Muddathir Ayah 1-10
• The believer should be diligent and ready to carry out all tasks and duties that he is required to perform.
• It is obligatory to dignify and respect the names and attributes of Allah, the Quran, and the rituals that Allah has commanded us to perform.
• The believer should purify himself from tangible and intangible impurities. He should also shun all that is worshipped besides Allah and sins.
• One should not feel proud of himself when he performs righteous deeds or helps others; rather, he should do righteous deeds for the sake of Allah.
• The Day of Judgment will certainly take place and the disbelievers will suffer from its horrors and it will be hard for them.
• Nothing will avail man on the Day of Judgment, but sincere belief in the Oneness of Allah and righteous deeds done for the sake of Allah.
• It is obligatory to be patient with the afflictions and hardship that befalls one. In addition, patience is needed to carry out the commands of Allah and avoid His prohibitions.
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