17-78 Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night, and the recital of the Qur’an at dawn. Surely the recital of the Qur’an at dawn is witnessed.a
أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَقُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًۭا (۷۸)
17-78a: دُلُوك – دَلۡك means to massage, rub or scrub something, such as the body while bathing or cloth while laundering (LA). The term دُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ appears in several places in the Hadith and it can mean the decline of the sun after it has reached its zenith at noon or its setting in the evening. The literal meaning of دُلُوك is to incline towards or decline (N). In spoken Arabic, the meaning of دُلُوك is understood as decline. The sun when it declines after mid-day is called دَالِکة and the same word is used for sunset, because both the conditions represent its declines (LA). Raghib interprets its meaning as مَیۡلُھا لِلۡغُروب its decline towards its setting (R). Among those who have expressed support for a similar meaning as Raghib are Zajjaj, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar and Caliph Umar. Thus, دُلُوك begins with the decline of the sun after mid-day and it ends with its final setting and hence the word is used to describe both these conditions.
غَسَق – غَسَق is the pitch darkness of the night and غاسِق is a dark night. In وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ (3:113) it is taken to mean a calamity inflicted at night.
What is meant by the recital at dawn is مَشْهُودًۭ witnessed – It means that the recitation of the Quran at dawn brings about spiritual healing, Allah’s mercy, Divine help, tranquility, etc., all blessings that are mentioned in: وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ : And We reveal of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers (17:82) (R). شہد means to be present or to witness, and it is narrated in one hadith that the angels of the night and day are present at that time (RM) and tranquility, Divine Grace, spiritual healing and mercy are obtained through the angels. Since the night is for rest and the day for striving and endeavor, the presence of the angels of the night and day could mean that dawn is the time when the heart is fully mindful.
The last section mentions tribulations caused by the efforts of the opponents and it is prophesied that in the face of this persecution, the Holy Prophet will ultimately have to migrate. This section continues the same topic by providing the prescription for how to cope with the persecution, which is to seek assistance through prayer in times of distress and affliction, as is stated elsewhere: ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ : seek assistance through patience and prayer (2:153). The more severe the tribulations, the greater the need to bow before Allah. This is a reference to the cycle of tribulations and its associated prayers in the terminology دُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ declining of the sun and غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ darkness of the night and قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ recital of the Quran at dawn. The Holy Prophet’s sun, his prestige, was bright like the mid-day sun when he claimed prophethood because people were convinced of his trustworthiness, truthfulness and righteousness. When the sun begins it decline, metaphorically that is like the start of a trial and this corresponds with the Zuhr prayer. As the sun continues to decline, it represents an increase in the difficulty and by late afternoon, the sunlight becomes pale and corresponding to it is the Asr prayer. Finally, the sun sets and we offer the Maghrib prayer. This is followed by a period of darkness as intense blackness envelops a person, which reflects the maximum intensity of a trial, corresponding to Isha. Eventually, the dawn breaks, and its light begins to dispel the darkness and that is why the Quran separates the قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ recitation at dawn from the other prayers and mentions it separately. In other words, Allah teaches us that even if trials and tribulations keep on increasing so that intense darkness envelops from all sides, He does not allow the people who turn to Him to be wasted, but instead removes the darkness and manifests the light.
Five prayers: In this verse, the Zuhr prayer is mentioned as the first prayer and it is known from a hadith that when Angel Gabriel taught the Holy Prophet to pray, the Zuhr prayer was the first one offered. Both the Zuhr and Asr prayers are included in دُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمْسِ and Maghrib and Isha prayers are included in غَسَقِ ٱلَّيْلِ because the darkness of the night starts from Maghrib and reaches its darkest by the time of the Isha prayer. The fifth prayer, Fajr, is mentioned separately and is referred to as قُرْءَانَ ٱلْفَجْرِ because there is a long recitation of the Quran in this prayer. Mentioning the prayers in pairs has let some to reason that in a time of necessity the Zuhr and Asr prayers can be combined and offered together, and so can the Maghrib and Isha prayers. The combined offering of these prayers during a journey is proven from the life of the Holy Prophet, and also when not traveling while residing in Madinah. These prayers can be combined in case of rain, illness or some other need. However, this should not be made a habit as combining prayers is allowed only when there is a good reason. There is a narration that Ibn Abbas started a sermon one day after the Asr prayer and he kept on going till the sun set and the stars began to shine. The people then started clamoring for prayer. Finally, when one person became insistent with his shouts of prayer, Ibn Abbas scolded him and said, “I saw the Holy Prophet combine Zuhr and Asr prayers and Maghrib and Isha”. Combining both prayers with the later prayer is preferable, such that Zuhr is delayed and combined with Asr, or Maghrib is delayed and combined with Isha, but it is also permissible to combine the later prayer with the former.
17-79 And during a part of the night, keep awake by it, beyond what is incumbent on thee; maybe thy Lord will raise thee to a position of great glory.
وَمِنَ ٱلَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ نَافِلَةًۭ لَّكَ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًۭا مَّحْمُودًۭا (۷۹)
17-79a: تَهَجَّدْ – The meaning of ھجود is sleep and the meaning of ھَجَّدته is made his sleep go away. In the same sense تَهَجَّدْ and فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ mean keep awake with the Quran and this is an inducement to pray the late-night prayer (R). The pronoun it in فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِۦ can refer to the Quran and the meaning then will be keep awake while reciting the Quran in the prayer or it can refer to the night which comes with مِنَ during at the start of the verse and the meaning will then be pray the late night prayer during a part of the night. In the terminology of the sharia تَهَجَّدْ is the prayer which is said at night after waking from sleep, it being necessary to sleep before the prayer.
نَافِلَة – نفل is voluntary or extra, that is something that is more than what is required. See 8-1a. نَافِلَة is something that a person does but is not obligatory and the word is used in reference to worship. Because the son of a son is an increase on the actual, hence a grandson is also called نَافِلَة , as in وَيَعْقُوبَ نَافِلَةًۭ and Jacob, a son’s son (21:72).
After the mention of the five compulsory prayers, the تَهَجَّدْ is mentioned which is offered in the later part of the night and is a نفل or voluntary prayer. It is comprised of eleven or thirteen rakahs or units which are offered in pairs followed by one rakah at the end. If dawn breaks, the number of rakahs can be reduced to fit the time available. The تَهَجَّدْ prayer is particularly associated with the Holy Prophet but at another place, it is clearly said: وَطَآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَكَ as do a party of those with thee (73:20). Every Muslim should develop the habit of getting up in the later part of the night to pray تَهَجَّدْ . The implication ofمَقَامًۭا مَّحْمُود is the elevation of the Holy Prophet to the position of the great intercessor as is narrated in the Hadith. At the end of a hadith in Bukhari, it is stated that Allah will raise the Holy Prophet to a position of great glory which has been explained as follows: یحمدہ اھل الجمع کلھم all the gathered people will praise him, and in some other hadith, the meaning of مَقَامًۭا مَّحْمُود is taken as intercession (RM).
17-80 And say: My Lord, make me enter a truthful entering, and make me go forth a truthful going forth, and grant me from Thy presence an authority to help (me).a
وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍۢ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍۢ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَـٰنًۭا نَّصِيرًۭا (۸۰)
17-80a: Prophecy of a successful migration: According to a narration by Ibn Abbas, this verse was revealed regarding the migration of the Holy Prophet (IJ), and entering means entering Madinah and going forth means the going forth from Makkah. Entering is mentioned first before the going forth because this migration was to be a momentous event. We are told that the Holy Prophet will not be unsuccessful and if the Holy Prophet leaves Makkah, his place of entrance is prepared beforehand. The context also shows clearly that the reference here is to the migration as is clearly stated in the last section.
سُلْطَـٰنًۭا نَّصِيرًۭا – By سُلْطَـٰنًۭا نَّصِيرًۭا is meant supremacy which will help the Holy Prophet’s cause. Some have taken this to mean the conquest of Makkah and the next verse provides evidence for this view because its words are the very words that the Holy Prophet recited after conquering Makkah. Some have taken سُلْطَـٰنًۭ to mean king or ruler, indicating that in every period, there will be a ruler who will assist the religion (RM).
Allah had repeatedly informed the Holy Prophet in the Quran that he will have to migrate, and this will herald the start of his success. Migration is the foundation of all success provided it is undertaken in accordance with the conditions laid down for it.
17-81 And say: The Truth has come and falsehood vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.a
وَقُلْ جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْبَـٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًۭا (۸۱)
17-81a: زَهَقَ – زَھَقَتۡ نفسُه means he died while grieving, as in تَزْهَقَ أَنفُسُهُمْ : their souls may depart (9:55) (R) and the meaning of زَھَقَ الشَّئ is it was falsified, destroyed, exterminated, as in فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌۭ : lo! It vanishes (21:18) (LA).
The dual prophecy about purifying the Ka‘bah of idols and for idol worshipping never to return: In a Bukhari narration, it is stated that when the Holy Prophet entered Makkah after its conquest, there were three hundred and sixty idols in the Ka‘bah. The Holy Prophet struck each idol with a stick in his hand and kept on repeating this verse along with another verse:
وَمَا يُبْدِئُ ٱلْبَـٰطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ : falsehood neither originates, nor reproduces (34:49). This is a great prophecy uttered in a state of helplessness in Makkah and which found its fulfilment. The power of this prophecy can still be seen as no idol has been able to make its way back into the Ka‘bah. The coming of the Truth or جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ is the coming of the Holy Prophet and this is why the Holy Prophet is called the Spirit of Truth in a prophecy of Prophet Jesus.
17-82 And We reveal of the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers, and it adds only to the perdition of the wrongdoers.a
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌۭ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًۭا (۸۲)
17-82a: The Quran has been revealed to heal the spiritual diseases as stated in شِفَآءٌۭ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ : a healing for what is in the breasts (10:57) and this verse refers to the same healing. Just as the statement that Quran is a healing and mercy for the believers indicates healing from spiritual diseases, in a similar manner, the Quran is called a guidance and healing for those who believe in it هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هُدًۭى وَشِفَآءٌۭ It is to those who believe a guidance and a healing (41:44). A hadith states: من لم یستشف بالقراٰن فلا شفاء اللّٰہ : a person who does not seek healing from the Quran, (for him) there is no healing from Allah, and the healing meant here is also spiritual healing and not healing from physical illnesses. There is no evidence from the Hadith for using the Quran as a talisman by writing its verses or other statements and giving it as a drink to a sick person to cure his illness. Hassan, Mujahid and Nakhai advised people against this practice (RM). Writing a small or large passage from the Quran and keeping it with oneself is a different matter, but using the Quran for physical illnesses runs counter to the objective for which Quran is revealed.
It is really unfortunate that the Quran is not put to proper use to save the Muslim nation which is slipping towards destruction but instead it is used for all kinds of absurd purposes, such as to catch a thief by reciting the Surah Ya Sin and seeking illogical signs from it, or writing it as an amulet and giving it to a sick person. If there was any truth or wisdom in these actions, the Holy Prophet would have informed us and they would have been mentioned in the Hadith. The real purpose is that every Muslim, man and woman, should read the Quran and act on it, and acting on it will also protect such a person to some extent from physical illnesses. In the end, it is stated that the Quran adds only to the perdition of the wrongdoers because they commit even more evil to oppose every good taught in the Quran, or just advance in opposition.
17-83 And when We bestow favors on man, he turns away and behaves proudly; and when evil afflicts him, he is in despair.a
وَإِذَآ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ ۖ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ كَانَ يَـُٔوسًۭا (۸۳)
17-83a: This shows that just as turning aside and not acknowledging Allah’s favors is condemnable behavior, despair in times of suffering is also condemnable. One should never despair of the mercy of Allah regardless of the tribulations one faces.
17-84 Say: Everyone acts according to his manner. But your Lord best knows who is best guided on the path.a
قُلْ كُلٌّۭ يَعْمَلُ عَلَىٰ شَاكِلَتِهِۦ فَرَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ هُوَ أَهْدَىٰ سَبِيلًۭا (۸۴)
17-84a: شَاكِلَتِه – The meaning of شَکۡل is resemblance or similitude, as in وَءَاخَرُ مِن شَكْلِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجٌ : And other similar (punishments), of various sorts (38:58). A person’s شاکلة is his face, his profile and his manners (LA). It is stated in Mufradat that since شکال is the shackle used to restrain an animal, شاکلة is the trait of a person that restricts him (R). Commentators have taken this to mean manners, temperament, and nature.
Two groups are mentioned above – one for whom the Quran is a healing and the other who add to their losses. It is now stated that everyone acts according to their manner or trait. The results show who is rightly guided. Interpreting these words to mean that some people by their nature are under a compulsion to commit evil is contrary to the teachings of the Quran.
Bayan-ul-Quran 