سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 43
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ ﴿43﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât and bow down (or submit yourselves with obedience to Allâh) along with Ar-Raki‘ûn.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَقِيمُوا۟
wa-aqīmū
And establish
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
l-ṣalata
the prayer
وَءَاتُوا۟
waātū
and give
ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ
l-zakata
zakah
وَٱرْكَعُوا۟
wa-ir'kaʿū
and bow down
مَعَ
maʿa
with
ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ
l-rākiʿīna
those who bow down
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
And establish prayer and give zakat [62], and bow down with those who bow.
[62] Salah and Zakat have always been important pillars of the religion of Islam in every era. However, among the Jews, there was no arrangement for congregational prayer, and their prayer did not include Ruku (bowing). The Jews had completely abandoned the performance of prayer and, instead of giving Zakat, had started consuming usury. In this verse, they are being warned that now, in all matters, follow the Prophet of the Last Age ﷺ. In this verse and the next three verses, the address is common to both the Jews and the Muslims. In our Shariah as well, performing Salah in congregation holds great virtue, and abandoning the congregation without a valid excuse is a major sin. As is evident from the following hadiths.
The Virtue and Benefits of Congregational Prayer:
1. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times more virtuous than the prayer of a person alone." [ بخاري، كتاب الاذان، باب فضل صلٰوة الجماعة]
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, I intended to order for firewood to be collected, then order for the prayer, for the adhan to be called for it, then command a person to lead the people in prayer, then I would go to those who stayed behind (from the congregation) and set fire to their houses. By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if they knew that they would get a thick bone or two good hoofs (as reward), they would surely come to the Isha prayer." [بخاري، كتاب الاذان، باب وجوب صلٰوة الجماعة]
The Virtues and Importance of Prayer:
3. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Tell me, if there was a river at the door of one of you and he bathed in it five times a day, would any dirt remain on his body?" The Companions ؓ replied, "No dirt would remain." He said: "That is the example of the five prayers. Allah wipes away sins because of them." [متفق عليه]
4. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every prayer is an expiation for the sins committed since the previous prayer, and Jumu'ah is an expiation for the sins committed since the previous Jumu'ah, and Ramadan is an expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan, provided that major sins are avoided." [مسلم، كتاب الطهارة، باب فضل الوضوء والصلٰوة عقبه]
5. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As ؓ says that one day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, while mentioning prayer, said: "Whoever guards his prayers, for him the prayers will be a light, a proof, and a means of salvation on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever does not guard his prayers, for him there will be no light, no proof, and no salvation, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be with Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, and Ubayy bin Khalaf." [احمد، دارمي، بيهقي، بحواله مشكوٰة مطبوعه نور محمد ص 58]
6. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ says that a man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "I have committed a sin requiring a hadd punishment. Please carry out the punishment on me." The Prophet ﷺ did not ask him anything. Meanwhile, the time for prayer came and he prayed with the Prophet ﷺ. After the prayer, the man stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I have committed a sin requiring a hadd punishment. Please punish me according to the Book of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Did you not pray with us?" He replied: "Yes, I did." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Then Allah has forgiven your sin or your punishment." [بخاري، كتاب المحاربين باب إذا أقربالحد]
[62] Salah and Zakat have always been important pillars of the religion of Islam in every era. However, among the Jews, there was no arrangement for congregational prayer, and their prayer did not include Ruku (bowing). The Jews had completely abandoned the performance of prayer and, instead of giving Zakat, had started consuming usury. In this verse, they are being warned that now, in all matters, follow the Prophet of the Last Age ﷺ. In this verse and the next three verses, the address is common to both the Jews and the Muslims. In our Shariah as well, performing Salah in congregation holds great virtue, and abandoning the congregation without a valid excuse is a major sin. As is evident from the following hadiths.
The Virtue and Benefits of Congregational Prayer:
1. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times more virtuous than the prayer of a person alone." [ بخاري، كتاب الاذان، باب فضل صلٰوة الجماعة]
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, I intended to order for firewood to be collected, then order for the prayer, for the adhan to be called for it, then command a person to lead the people in prayer, then I would go to those who stayed behind (from the congregation) and set fire to their houses. By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if they knew that they would get a thick bone or two good hoofs (as reward), they would surely come to the Isha prayer." [بخاري، كتاب الاذان، باب وجوب صلٰوة الجماعة]
The Virtues and Importance of Prayer:
3. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Tell me, if there was a river at the door of one of you and he bathed in it five times a day, would any dirt remain on his body?" The Companions ؓ replied, "No dirt would remain." He said: "That is the example of the five prayers. Allah wipes away sins because of them." [متفق عليه]
4. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Every prayer is an expiation for the sins committed since the previous prayer, and Jumu'ah is an expiation for the sins committed since the previous Jumu'ah, and Ramadan is an expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan, provided that major sins are avoided." [مسلم، كتاب الطهارة، باب فضل الوضوء والصلٰوة عقبه]
5. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As ؓ says that one day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, while mentioning prayer, said: "Whoever guards his prayers, for him the prayers will be a light, a proof, and a means of salvation on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever does not guard his prayers, for him there will be no light, no proof, and no salvation, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be with Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, and Ubayy bin Khalaf." [احمد، دارمي، بيهقي، بحواله مشكوٰة مطبوعه نور محمد ص 58]
6. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ says that a man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "I have committed a sin requiring a hadd punishment. Please carry out the punishment on me." The Prophet ﷺ did not ask him anything. Meanwhile, the time for prayer came and he prayed with the Prophet ﷺ. After the prayer, the man stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I have committed a sin requiring a hadd punishment. Please punish me according to the Book of Allah." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Did you not pray with us?" He replied: "Yes, I did." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Then Allah has forgiven your sin or your punishment." [بخاري، كتاب المحاربين باب إذا أقربالحد]
