Tafsir of Luqman 31:17

He commanded him with prayer—which is the most perfect of acts of worship—to perfect him in terms of action, just as he had perfected him in terms of belief. He said, seeking to win him over: "O my son, establish prayer," to perfect your own self. It is narrated that he said to him: "O my son, when the time for prayer arrives, do not delay it for anything; perform it and find rest through it, for it is a debt, and perform it in congregation even if [you are] upon the tip of a spear."

"And enjoin the right and forbid the wrong," to perfect others. It is apparent that the intent is not specific instances of right or wrong. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Ibn Jubayr that he said: "Enjoin the right" means monotheism (Tawhid), and "forbid the wrong" means polytheism (Shirk).

"And be patient over what befalls you," of hardships and trials, especially regarding what you have been commanded: establishing prayer, enjoining the right, and forbidding the wrong. The need for patience in the latter two is evident, and regarding the first, the completion of prayer and maintaining it may be burdensome; hence the Exalted said: "And indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]." Ibn Jubayr said: "And be patient over what befalls you" in the matter of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong; meaning: If you enjoin what is right or forbid what is wrong and you suffer harm or hardship because of it, then be patient with it.

"Indeed, that"—meaning the patience regarding what befalls you, according to Ibn Jubayr, which suits the singular form of the demonstrative pronoun and the sense of remoteness it carries, indicating the greatness of its status in virtue, or it refers to patience and all that he was commanded with, the singular form being used due to the interpretation mentioned earlier, with the sense of remoteness as you have heard—"is of the matters [requiring] determination." That is, from those things that Allah the Exalted has determined and decreed as an obligation. This has been narrated from Ibn Jurayj. "Determination" (Al-'Azm) in this sense is attributed to Allah the Exalted; from this is what has been reported regarding "the determined decrees (Azamat) of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic." The intent here is "the determined matter," using the verbal noun to mean the passive participle, and the genitive construction is that of an adjective to a noun; meaning: the determined matters.

It has also been permitted that "determination" (Al-'Azm) carries the meaning of the active participle; meaning: "the determiner of matters," from the expression "he determined the matter" (i.e., he acted with diligence). Thus, "determination of matters" is a metaphorical attribution, like "the plotting of the night," rather than a genitive construction implying "in." Although [that] is also valid.

It has been said: He intends the noble traits and the resolutions of those who possess firmness, who follow the path of salvation. Abu Hayyan favored the interpretation that he intended the "obligatory requisites of matters." It is reported from some that "Al-'Azm" is "Al-Hazm" (firmness) in the dialect of Hudhayl; firmness and determination are two distinct roots. What Al-Mubarrad stated—that the 'Ayn was transformed into a Ha'—is not correct, for the derivations of both terms are consistent, and neither is a root for the other.

The sentence serves as a justification for the necessity of compliance with what preceded, and it contains an emphasis on the importance of the matter.