سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 9
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴿9﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawât (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
And those who
هُمْ
hum
[they]
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ
ṣalawātihim
their prayers
يُحَافِظُونَ
yuḥāfiẓūna
they guard
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 9) ➊ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ هُمْ عَلٰى صَلَوٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُوْنَ :} The first quality of the successful believers mentioned is humility in prayer, and after mentioning other attributes, in the end, another quality related to prayer is mentioned: that they carefully guard their prayers. This shows how much importance prayer holds with Allah Almighty.
➋ {’’ يُحَافِظُوْنَ ‘‘} is from the form of exaggeration in the verb pattern, because here the meaning of opposition cannot be intended. {’’يَحْفَظُوْنَ‘‘} means "they guard," and {’’ يُحَافِظُوْنَ ‘‘} means "they carefully guard." By guarding is meant always performing the prayer and performing every prayer at its appointed time. Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'O Messenger of Allah! Which deed is most beloved to Allah?' He (peace be upon him) said: [ اَلصَّلَاةُ عَلٰی وَقْتِهَا ] 'Prayer at its appointed time.' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'Good treatment of parents.' I said: 'Then which?' He (peace be upon him) said: 'Jihad in the way of Allah.'" [ بخاري، مواقیت الصلاۃ، باب فضل الصلاۃ لوقتھا : ۵۲۷۔ مسلم : ۸۵ ] In Al-Mustadrak Al-Hakim (1/188, Hadith: 674) it is stated: [ اَلصَّلَاةُ فِيْ أَوَّلِ وَقْتِهَا ] "Prayer at its earliest time." Al-Hakim said, these words are established through the narration of two trustworthy narrators, Bundar bin Bashar and Hasan bin Makram, who both narrated from Uthman bin Amr, and this is authentic according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs, although the two Shaykhs did not narrate it.
➋ {’’ يُحَافِظُوْنَ ‘‘} is from the form of exaggeration in the verb pattern, because here the meaning of opposition cannot be intended. {’’يَحْفَظُوْنَ‘‘} means "they guard," and {’’ يُحَافِظُوْنَ ‘‘} means "they carefully guard." By guarding is meant always performing the prayer and performing every prayer at its appointed time. Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'O Messenger of Allah! Which deed is most beloved to Allah?' He (peace be upon him) said: [ اَلصَّلَاةُ عَلٰی وَقْتِهَا ] 'Prayer at its appointed time.' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'Good treatment of parents.' I said: 'Then which?' He (peace be upon him) said: 'Jihad in the way of Allah.'" [ بخاري، مواقیت الصلاۃ، باب فضل الصلاۃ لوقتھا : ۵۲۷۔ مسلم : ۸۵ ] In Al-Mustadrak Al-Hakim (1/188, Hadith: 674) it is stated: [ اَلصَّلَاةُ فِيْ أَوَّلِ وَقْتِهَا ] "Prayer at its earliest time." Al-Hakim said, these words are established through the narration of two trustworthy narrators, Bundar bin Bashar and Hasan bin Makram, who both narrated from Uthman bin Amr, and this is authentic according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs, although the two Shaykhs did not narrate it.
