Al-Baqarah: (43) And establish prayer and give...

Know that when God, the Glorified and Exalted, first commanded them to believe, and secondly forbade them from mixing truth with falsehood and concealing the proofs of prophethood, He then mentioned what was incumbent upon them of religious laws. Among these laws, He mentioned what is foundational and primary: Prayer (al-Ṣalāh), which is the greatest physical act of worship, and Zakat (al-Zakāh), which is the greatest financial act of worship.

Herein lie several issues:

The First Issue:

Those who maintain that it is impermissible to delay the explanation of an ambiguous command (mujmal) beyond the time of the address argue that the command in the verse, "And [recall] when We took the covenant..." came after the Prophet (peace be upon him) had already described to them the pillars and conditions of prayer. Thus, it is as if God said: "Establish the prayer that you have come to know."

Conversely, those who permit such delay argue that the command to pray can be intended even if they do not yet know what prayer is. The purpose might be to prepare the listener's soul for compliance, even if the commanded act is unknown, similar to how a master telling his servant, "I will command you tomorrow to do something, and you must do it," intends for the servant to resolve immediately to perform it at the appointed time.

The Second Issue:

The Mu'tazila argue that "Prayer" (al-Ṣalāh) is a term specific to religious law (shar'ī). They assert this because it is an act that originated within the religious law, making it impossible for the established meaning of the term to have existed before the Law.

They then differed on the basis of the linguistic analogy:

1. Some said its origin in language is supplication (du'ā'), citing the poet Al-A'sha:

   "Upon you be like that which you have prayed for, so hold fast, / For every person has a resting place."

2. Another said:

   "And the wind met it in its low place, / And prayed over its low place and took shape."

3. Some said its origin is adherence or obligation (luzūm), citing the poet:

   "I was not of its gardens, God knows, / But today I am its scorching one [i.e., one who adheres]."

4. Others suggested it is derived from al-muṣallī, which refers to a horse that follows another.

The most probable view is that it is derived from supplication (du'ā'), as there is no prayer without supplication or something equivalent to it. However, there can be a prayer where one does not follow another. If the basis of analogy encompasses all forms, it is preferable to choose a basis that is specific to some forms.

Our scholars (Ahl al-Sunnah) state that it is a common metaphorical usage in Arabic to use the name of a part to refer to the whole. Since the prescribed prayer includes supplication, it is natural to metaphorically apply the name of supplication to it. If this is what the Mu'tazila mean by it being a term of religious law, then this is correct. However, if they mean that the Law invented this term ab initio for this meaning, then this is false, as the word would not be Arabic, which contradicts God's statement: "Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an" (Yusuf: 20).

As for Zakat, linguistically, it refers to growth/increase (namā')—it is said, "The crop zakā" if it grows. It also means purification (taṭhīr). God says: "a righteous boy" (zakiyyah) (Al-Kahf: 74), meaning pure. He also says: "He has succeeded who purifies himself" (tazzakkā) (Al-A'lā: 14), meaning he purifies himself through obedience to God.

The deduction of one-half dinar from twenty dinars might be called Zakat by analogy to these two meanings:

1. Growth: Because giving this amount increases the remainder through blessing, as God removes affliction from that wealth due to the purification (tazkiyah) of that gift. Thus, the giving becomes an increase in meaning, even if it is a decrease in form. This is why the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Adhere to charity, for it has six qualities: three in this world and three in the Hereafter. Those in this world are: it increases provision, multiplies wealth, and builds homes. As for those in the Hereafter, they conceal nakedness, become shade over the head, and serve as a barrier in the Fire."
2. Purification: Because giving Zakat purifies the giver from all sins. This is why God commanded His Prophet: "Take, [O Muhammad], from their wealth a charity that you may purify them and cause them to grow thereby" (tuzakkīhim) (At-Tawbah: 103).

The Third Issue:

God's statement, "And establish prayer and give Zakat," is an address to the Jews. This indicates that disbelievers are addressed concerning the secondary injunctions (furū') of the Law.

Regarding His statement, "And bow with those who bow [in prayer] (al-Rāki'īn)," there are several interpretations:

1. The Jews did not have bowing (rukū') in their prayer. God specifically mentioned bowing to incite them to perform the prayer of the Muslims.
2. The meaning is: "Pray with the praying ones." This resolves the apparent repetition, as the first part commands establishing prayer, and the second commands performing it in congregation.
3. The command for bowing (rukū') means a command for humility (khuḍū') because, linguistically, bowing and humility are synonymous. Thus, it is a prohibition against blameworthy arrogance and a command for submission, as God said to the believers: "O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion—Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him, humble toward the believers, mighty against the disbelievers" (Al-Ma'idah: 54). It is also like His instruction to His Prophet (PBUH): "And lower your wing in humility to those who follow you of the believers" (Ash-Shu'arā': 215), and His praise for him: "And by the mercy of Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And had you been severe in heart and harsh in speech, they would have disbanded from about you" (Al 'Imran: 159). Similarly, in the verse: "Indeed, your ally is only Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow" (Al-Ma'idah: 55). It is as if God, after commanding them to pray and give Zakat, commanded them to submit, humble themselves, and abandon rebellion.

Al-Aṣamm narrated from some scholars that God commanded the Children of Israel to give Zakat because they used not to give it, which is what is meant by His statement: "And [for] their consuming of usury" (Al-Ma'idah: 62), and "their consuming of interest" and "their consuming of the wealth of people in vain" (An-Nisa': 166). In this context, God revealed what they kept hidden to warn them that He might expose all their secrets and sins, making this revelation a sign of the unseen, which is one of the proofs of Muhammad's prophethood (PBUH).

His statement, the Exalted: