Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 45

(Ayah 45) ➊ { اُتْلُ مَاۤ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ …:} In Makkah, the oppression and persecution that was being inflicted upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims, and the difficulties they faced in remaining steadfast upon faith, from the beginning of the surah up to this point, Allah’s established way of testing has been mentioned to encourage them to bear these hardships and remain steadfast. As examples, the trials of the resolute messengers and their patience in the face of their nations’ severe hostility have been described, along with the mention of the dreadful end of the disobedient nations. The purpose is to console the Muslims and to urge steadfastness in the most difficult circumstances. Now, the practical measure is being mentioned through which a believer develops the ability to stand firm against falsehood and to adhere to Allah’s commands even when indecency and evil are widespread and being strongly promoted all around.

➋ { اُتْلُ مَاۤ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ :} For this purpose, the first command is the recitation of the Book of Allah. Here, it is noteworthy that in other places, the command is to recite to others, for example, in Surah Al-Ma’idah: «{ وَ اتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَاَ ابْنَيْ اٰدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ }» [المائدۃ : ۲۷ ] “And recite to them the story of Adam’s two sons in truth.” In Surah Al-A’raf: «{ وَ اتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَاَ الَّذِيْۤ اٰتَيْنٰهُ اٰيٰتِنَا فَانْسَلَخَ مِنْهَا }» [ الأعراف : ۱۷۵ ] “And recite to them the story of the one to whom We gave Our signs, but he detached himself from them.” In Surah Yunus: «{ وَ اتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَاَ نُوْحٍ }» [ یونس : ۷۱ ] “And recite to them the story of Noah.” And in Surah Ash-Shu’ara: «{ وَ اتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَاَ اِبْرٰهِيْمَ }» [ الشعراء : ۶۹ ] “And recite to them the story of Abraham.” But at this place, the command is for absolute recitation, which first and foremost is a command to recite oneself, and then for all people to recite. In another place, there is also an absolute command for recitation: «{ وَ اتْلُ مَاۤ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمٰتِهٖ وَ لَنْ تَجِدَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖ مُلْتَحَدًا }» [ الکہف : ۲۷ ] “And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. None can change His words, and you will never find any refuge besides Him.” The reason is that by listening to and reciting the Qur’an, the heart attains tranquility and steadfastness, as He said: «{ وَ قَالَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَوْ لَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْاٰنُ جُمْلَةً وَّاحِدَةً كَذٰلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهٖ فُؤَادَكَ وَ رَتَّلْنٰهُ تَرْتِيْلًا }» [ الفرقان : ۳۲ ] “And those who disbelieve say, ‘Why was the Qur’an not revealed to him all at once?’ Thus (it was sent down) that We may strengthen your heart thereby, and We have recited it distinctly and gradually.”

It is through the recitation of the Qur’an that faith, strength of character, and the ability to endure hardships and difficulties are developed in the heart. It is a proven fact that if a person repeatedly reads the poetry or writings of an author, he develops love for it; therefore, the recitation of the Qur’an is the best means of attaining the love of Allah. Then, by repeatedly reading what is mentioned in it about Allah’s oneness, His attributes, His commands and admonitions, and the stories of previous nations and prophets, Allah’s religion always remains before one’s eyes, making it easier to act upon it. The blessings of reciting it during the night prayer are countless. (See Surah Al-Muzzammil.) In this way, through frequent recitation, the Qur’an is preserved in the chest and remains preserved, enabling a person to act upon it himself, to invite and preach it to others, and to teach it. If one becomes lazy in its recitation, it quickly departs from the chest. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ تَعَاهَدُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَوَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهِ لَهُوَ أَشَدُّ تَفَصِّيًا مِنَ الْإِبِلِ فِيْ عُقُلِهَا ] [ بخاري، فضائل القرآن، باب استذکار القرآن و تعاھدہ : ۵۰۳۳ ] “Take care of the Qur’an, for by Him in Whose hand is my soul! It slips away faster than a camel slips from its ropes.” Very unfortunate are those who consider the Qur’an merely a script and regard its recitation as a useless occupation.

➌ Although the recitation of the Qur’an, in whatever manner, is not devoid of benefit and reward, its true benefit can only be attained when it is read with understanding, because without this, reflection upon it is not possible, which is its real purpose, as He said: «{ اَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُوْنَ الْقُرْاٰنَ اَمْ عَلٰى قُلُوْبٍ اَقْفَالُهَا }» [ محمد : ۲۴ ] “Do they not then reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts?” Only by reading with understanding can a person act upon it, and from this arises the spirit and strength to stand against falsehood. The ruin of most of the People of the Book was due to the fact that, without learning and acting, they were content with the mere recitation of the words of the Torah. See the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (78). The same is the case with the majority of Muslims today. In the recitation of the Book of Allah, reciting it to people and inviting them is also included.

➍ { وَ اَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ :} The second command is the establishment of prayer, because through it a person develops such a relationship with his Lord that it proves helpful in every calamity and difficulty. (See Al-Baqarah: 45, 46.) “Establishment of prayer” here refers to all obligatory prayers, and “establishing” means to perform them in the correct manner, as has been explained in the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (3).

➎ { اِنَّ الصَّلٰوةَ تَنْهٰى عَنِ الْفَحْشَآءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ : ’’ اِنَّ ‘‘} is generally for reasoning, meaning the command to establish prayer is because prayer {’’ الْفَحْشَآءِ ‘‘} and {’’ الْمُنْكَرِ ‘‘} prevents. {’’ الْفَحْشَآءِ ‘‘} is any word or deed that contains great indecency (Raghib), such as adultery, etc., and {’’ الْمُنْكَرِ ‘‘} is that word or deed which human nature and intellect reject. There can be two meanings to prayer preventing indecency and evil: one is that prayer has this effect that it causes a person to refrain from indecency and evil; the second is that prayer demands from the worshipper that he refrains from indecency and evil. Both meanings are correct and are interdependent. In summary, the person who performs prayer at its appointed times in congregation, observing its pillars, conditions, and humility, and performs it correctly, and through the recitation of Al-Fatihah and other supplications in it, with presence of heart, supplicates to Allah, and repeatedly requests forgiveness through {’’رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِيْ‘‘} and other supplications for forgiveness, and persists in this, then surely prayer will prevent him from indecency and evil. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: [ إِنَّ فُلاَنًا يُصَلِّيْ بِاللَّيْلِ، فَإِذَا أَصْبَحَ سَرَقَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ سَيَنْهَاهُ مَا تَقُوْلُ ] [ مسند أحمد : 447/2، ح : ۹۷۹۲، قال المحقق صحیح ] “So-and-so prays at night, but when morning comes, he steals.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Soon his prayer will prevent him from what you are saying.” Here is a question: why is it that many people pray but do not refrain from indecency and evil? There are two answers: one is that if they performed prayer with sincerity, observing its pillars, etiquettes, and humility, with presence of heart, five times daily in congregation at the mosque, then surely their prayer would prevent them from indecency and evil. If this effect is not apparent, it means there is a deficiency in the prayer, the ingredients of the medicine are incomplete, so the cure has not occurred. The second answer is that prayer says: when you left everything and came to the mosque, no one but your Lord knows about your ablution and the words you utter, yet you do not pray without ablution, nor do you engage in idle talk during prayer; so, for the fear of your Lord, you avoid disobedience in prayer, then after prayer, for the same fear, you must avoid all indecency and evil. Prayer, in any case, forbids indecency and evil; whether someone obeys it or not is up to him, just as Allah also forbids indecency and evil, as He said: «{ وَ يَنْهٰى عَنِ الْفَحْشَآءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ الْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُوْنَ }» [ النحل : ۹۰ ] “And Allah forbids indecency, evil, and oppression. He admonishes you so that you may take heed.” Then some obey His command, and some do not.

➏ At this place, there are some hadiths mentioned in the books of tafsir which are not established by chain of narration. From Tafsir Ibn Kathir, those narrations are quoted here with the research of its verifier, Dr. Hikmat bin Basheer: (1) Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about Allah’s statement {’’ اِنَّ الصَّلٰوةَ تَنْهٰى عَنِ الْفَحْشَآءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ ‘‘}, so he said: [ مَنْ لَّمْ تَنْهَهُ صَلَاتُهُ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ فَلَا صَلَاةَ لَهُ ] “Whoever’s prayer does not prevent him from indecency and evil, he has no prayer.” In its chain, there is a narrator, Umar bin Abi Uthman, who is unknown. (2) Ibn Abi Hatim and Tabarani narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَنْ لَّمْ تَنْهَهُ صَلَاتُهُ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ لَمْ يَزْدَدْ بِهَا مِنَ اللّٰهِ إِلَّا بُعْدًا ] “Whoever’s prayer does not prevent him from indecency and evil, his distance from Allah will only increase with that prayer.” This narration is weak due to the weakness of the narrator Layth bin Abi Sulaim. (3) Ibn Jarir Tabari narrated from Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَّمْ يُطِعِ الصَّلَاةَ وَطَاعَةُ الصَّلَاةِ تَنْهَاهُ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ ] “Whoever does not obey the prayer, he has no prayer, and obedience to prayer will prevent him from indecency and evil.” In its chain, there are two weak narrators, Juwaybir and Husayn (bin Dawud), and the narrator Dahhak, who narrates from Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), did not meet him. Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said about all these narrations: “The more authentic is that these are mawquf (statements of the Companions) (but even from the Companions, most of the chains are weak).” These narrations, in which the prayer that does not prevent evil is described as invalid and a cause of distance from Allah, I have explained their reality so that anyone issuing such a fatwa may consider the seriousness of the fatwa and also that he is attributing to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) something that is not established from him.

➐ { وَ لَذِكْرُ اللّٰهِ اَكْبَرُ :} Three meanings have been mentioned for this: one is that prayer prevents indecency and evil, and why would it not, when it is the remembrance of Allah, as He said: «{ وَ اَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ لِذِكْرِيْ }» [ طٰہٰ : ۱۴ ] “And establish prayer for My remembrance.” And indeed, the remembrance of Allah and His mention is the greatest thing in preventing evil and indecency. The second is that prayer prevents indecency and evil, and indeed the remembrance of Allah, whether in prayer or after it, is the greatest thing in preventing indecency and evil. The reality is that the remembrance of Allah, being mindful of Him, and keeping Him in view at all times is what keeps a person from sin, and sin only occurs when a person is heedless of the fact that his Master is watching him. The above two meanings are when the word {’’ذِكْرٌ‘‘} is considered as annexed to its object, and the translation would be: (the servant’s) remembrance of Allah is the greatest thing. According to the third meaning, the word {’’ذِكْرٌ‘‘} is annexed to its subject, and the translation would be: surely Allah’s (remembrance of His servant) is the greatest thing. That is, when the servant remembers and mentions his Lord in prayer, this is a great thing, but in response, when Allah remembers and mentions His servant, this is the greatest thing. This interpretation has been narrated by Imam Tabari with an authentic chain from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). In this interpretation, there is an allusion to Allah’s statement: «{ فَاذْكُرُوْنِيْۤ اَذْكُرْكُمْ وَ اشْكُرُوْا لِيْ وَ لَا تَكْفُرُوْنِ }» [ البقرۃ : ۱۵۲ ] “So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me.”

➑ Some commentators have explained the meaning of prayer preventing evil and indecency as: for as long as a person remains in prayer, at least during that time he refrains from indecency and evil. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “For as long as he is engaged in prayer, he is saved from every sin; it is hoped that he will continue to be saved afterwards as well, and Allah’s remembrance has even more effect than this, that is, he refrains from sin and ascends to higher ranks.” (Mawduh) Some people have objected to this interpretation, saying that there are many other activities besides prayer, during which a person refrains from sin as long as he is engaged in them, but this objection is futile, because Allah did not say that only prayer prevents indecency.

➒ { وَ اللّٰهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُوْنَ :} That is, whatever good or bad deed you do, Allah knows it and will reward or punish you for it. In this, there is both glad tidings and warning. These words are proof that although the addressee of {’’ اُتْلُ مَاۤ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ وَ اَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ ‘‘} at the beginning of the verse is the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the intended audience along with him is the entire ummah, which is why at the end of the verse it is said that Allah knows whatever you do.