CHAP. LXXIII.
Intitled, The Wrapped up; revealed at Mecca
[a]
.
In the name of the most merciful God.
[a] Some will have the last verse, beginning at these words, Verily thy Lord knoweth, &c., to have been revealed at Medina.
[b]
O Thou wrapped up;] When this revelation was brought to Mohammed, he was wrapped up in
his garments, being affrighted at the appearance of Gabriel; or, as some say,
he lay sleeping unconcernedly, or, according to others, praying, wrapped up in
one part of a large mantle or rug, with the other part of which Ayesha had
covered herself to sleep
[1]
.
This epithet of wrapped up, and another of the same import given to
Mohammed in the next chapter, have been imagined, by several learned men
[2]
,
pretty plainly to intimate his being subject to the falling sickness: a malady
generally attributed to him by the Christians
[3]
, but mentioned by no Mohammedan
writer. Tho’ such an inference may be made, yet I think it scarce probable,
much less necessary
[4]
.
[1] Al Zamakh, Al Beidawi.
[2] Hotting. Hist. Orient. l. I, c. 2. Marracc. in Alc. p. 763. V. Gagnier, not. ad Abulf. vit. Moh. p. 9.
[3] See Prideaux, Life of Mahomet, p. 1. and the authors there cited.
[4] See Ockley’s Hist. of the Saracens, Vol. i. p. 300, &c.
[c] Except a small part;] For a half is such, with respect to the whole. Or, as the sentence may be rendered, Pray half the night, within a small matter, &c. Some expound these words as an exception to nights in general; according to whom the sense will be, Spend one-half of every night in prayer, except some few nights in the year, &c [5] .
[5] Al Beidawi.
[a] Or do thou lessen the same, or add thereto;] i.e. Set apart either less than half the night, as one third, for example, or more, as two thirds. Or the meaning may be, either take a small matter from a lesser part of the night than one half, e.g. from one third, and so reduce it to a fourth; or add to such lesser part, and make it a full half [1] .
[1] Idem.
[b] A weighty word;] viz. The precepts contained in the Korân; which are heavy and difficult to those who are obliged to observe them, and especially to the prophet, whose care it was to see that his people observed them also [2] .
[2] Idem, Jallal.
[c] The rising by night;] Or, the person who riseth by night; or, the hours, or particularly the first hours of the night, &c.
[d]
The rising by night is more efficacious for steadfast continuance
and more conducive to decent pronunciation;] For the night-time is most proper for meditation and prayer, and also
for reading God’s word distinctly and with attention, by reason of the absence
of every noise and object which may distract the mind.
Marracci, having mentioned this natural explication of the Mohammedan
commentators, because he finds one word in the verse which may be taken in a
sense tending that way, says the whole may with greater exactness be expounded
of the fitness of the night season for amorous diversions and discourse; and
he paraphrases it in Latin thus: Certe in principio noctis majus robur et vim
habet homo, ad foeminas premendas et subagitandas, et ad clarioribus verbis
amores suos propalandos
[3]
.
A most effectual way, this, to turn a book into
ridicule!
[3] Marracc. in Alc. p. 759.
[e] Choaking food;] As thorns and thistles, the fruit of the infernal tree al Zakkûm, and the corruption flowing from the bodies of the damned.
[f] Wherefore he turneth favourably unto you;] By making the matter easy to you, and dispensing with your scrupulous counting of the hours of the night which ye are directed to spend in reading and praying: for some of the Moslems, not knowing how the time passed, used to watch the whole night, standing and walking about till their legs and feet swelled in a sad manner. The commentators add that this precept of dedicating a part of the night to devotion, is abrogated by the institution of the five hours of prayer [1] .
[1] Al Beidawi.
[a] This will merit a greater reward;] i.e. The good which ye shall do in your lifetime will be much more meritorious in the sight of God, than what ye shall defer till death, and order by will [2] .
[2] Idem.