Then Allah says,

﴿إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَى مِن ثُلُثَىِ الَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُ وَثُلُثَهُ وَطَآئِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ﴾

(Verily, your Lord knows that you do stand a little less than two-thirds of the night, or half the night, or a third of the night, and also a party of those with you.) meaning, sometimes like this and sometimes like that, and all of these are done unintentionally. However, you all are not able to be consistent with the night prayer Allah has commanded you, because it is difficult for you. Thus, Allah says,

﴿وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ﴾

(And Allah measures the night and the day.) meaning, sometimes the night and day are equal, and sometimes one of them will be longer or shorter than the other.

﴿عَلِمَ أَلَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ﴾

(He knows that you are unable to pray the whole night,) meaning, the obligation which He prescribed for you.

﴿مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ عَلِمَ﴾

(So, recite you of the Qur'an as much as may be easy.) meaning, without specification of any set time. This means, stand and pray during the night as much as is easy (for you). Allah uses the term recitation (Qira'ah) to mean prayer (Salah). This is as Allah says in Surah Subhan (Al-Isra'),

﴿وَلاَ تَجْهَرْ بِصَلاتِكَ﴾

(And offer your Salah neither aloud) (17:110) meaning, your recitation.

﴿وَلاَ تُخَافِتْ بِهَا﴾

(Nor in low voice.) (17:110) Then Allah says,

﴿أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُمْ مَّرْضَى وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَءَاخَرُونَ يُقَـتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَاقْرَءُواْ﴾

(He knows that there will be some among you sick, others traveling through the land, seeking of Allah's bounty, yet others fighting in Allah's cause.) meaning, He knows that there will be people of this nation who will have excuses for not praying the (voluntary) night prayer. They are those who are ill and therefore they are not able to perform it, and those who are traveling in the land seeking the bounty of Allah in business and trade, and others who will be busy with that which is more important to them. An example of this is going on expeditions to fight in the way of Allah. This Ayah, rather, this entire Surah was revealed in Makkah even though fighting was not legislated until after it was revealed. Thus, it is among the greatest of the signs of prophethood, because it informs about unseen matters of the future. Thus, Allah says,

﴿مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ وَأَقِيمُواْ﴾

(So recite as much of the Qur'an as may be easy,) meaning, stand and pray at night whatever is easy for you to do of it. Allah said;

﴿وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلوةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَوةَ﴾

(and perform Salah and give Zakah,) meaning, establish your obligatory prayers and pay your obligatory Zakah. This is a proof for those who say that Zakah was made obligatory in Makkah, but the various amounts of Nisab and how much was to be given was clarified in Al-Madinah. And Allah knows best. Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and others from the Salaf have said, "Verily, this Ayah abrogated the standing for prayer at night that Allah previously made obligatory for the Muslims.'' It has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said to a man,

«خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَة»

(Five obligatory prayers during a day and a night (are obligatory).)'' The man said, "Is there anything other than this (of prayer) that is obligatory upon me'' The Messenger of Allah replied,

«لَا، إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَوَّع»

(No, except what you may do voluntarily.)