Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:45

Surah Al-'Ankabut (The Spider): Verse 45

{اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ}

(Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish the prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing. And the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows what you do.)

This verse is addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), implying: If you grieve over the disbelief of your people, then recite what has been revealed to you, so that you may know that Noah and Lot, and others, were upon the same path as you—they delivered the message and exerted themselves in establishing the proof, yet they could not save their people from misguidance and ignorance.

This is why the command is {Recite} ('Utlu) and not "Recite concerning them." The recitation was commanded only after despairing of their faith, as a consolation for the heart of Muhammad (PBUH).

In this verse, there are several important issues:

Issue 1: The Nature of Reciting the Revealed Book

If a messenger possesses a Book and reads it once, it might seem to offer no further benefit for him personally. However, the Book revealed to the Prophet is not like that.

The Books sent down with the Messengers are of two types:

1. Type 1: Those containing a specific message or statement where hearing it once achieves the complete objective.
2. Type 2: Those containing a universal legal code (qānūn kullī) that the populace needs at all times. This is like a king issuing a decree abolishing a certain innovation and establishing a Sunnah, sending this decree as a blueprint for all future actions. Such a book should not be read once and set aside; rather, it should be hung high, often inscribed on a tablet and placed above prayer niches, kept constantly in view.

The Book of Allah with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is of this second type—a universal code containing healing for all worlds. Therefore, it must be recited repeatedly until it reaches the level of tawātur (mass transmission), passed down from generation to generation, memorized in the hearts over the ages.

A Second Perspective on Recitation: Books fall into three categories regarding repetition:

1. Stories/Narratives: One only reads them again for someone else who hasn't heard them. If you read a story once, repeating it to the listener will cause boredom.
2. Technical Sciences (e.g., Grammar, Jurisprudence): These are repeated primarily for oneself to master the subject.
3. Good Admonitions/Exhortations: These are repeated both for oneself and for others. When heard by others, they evoke delight, soften the heart, and prompt recollection. Every time they enter the ear, they expel distracting thoughts along with tears. The speaker also delights in repeating a good word; the more he repeats it, the sweeter, more delightful, and more firmly established it becomes in the heart, piercing it deeply—so much so that the speaker might weep blood from its intensity.

The Qur'an belongs to the third category, even though it contains stories, jurisprudence, and grammar. Thus, there is benefit in its recitation at all times.

Issue 2: Why Specifically Recitation of the Book and Establishing Prayer?

Why were these two acts—reciting the Book and establishing prayer—singled out for command?

Reason 1: Since Allah intended to console the heart of Muhammad (PBUH), He reminded him that the Messenger is a link between two parties: Allah and the creation. If one side (the creation) does not accept the message, the connection to the other side (Allah) remains intact. When the message is rejected, the Messenger should turn toward the Sender. Thus: "If they do not accept your recitation of the Book, then turn your face toward Me and establish the prayer for My sake."

Reason 2: Acts of worship incumbent upon a servant are threefold:

1. Belief (I'tiqād): True conviction. This cannot be repeated; once believed, it is continuous. The Prophet already possessed this belief perfectly, so he was not commanded to repeat it due to the impossibility of repetition.
2. Verbal (Lisāniyyah): Good remembrance (Dhikr). This is repeatable.
3. Physical/External Action (Badaniyyah Khārijiyyah): Righteous deeds. This is also repeatable.

Since remembrance and physical acts are repeatable, the command was given for them: {Recite the Book} (verbal/recitation) and {Establish the Prayer} (physical action).

Issue 3: How Does Prayer Prohibit Immorality and Wrongdoing?

Some commentators suggest that "prayer" here refers to the Qur'an, which contains prohibitions against immorality and wrongdoing. This is considered weak because the preceding verse already commanded the recitation of the Book.

Others suggest it means the prayer itself prohibits these things while the person is praying, as one cannot engage in immorality during the act of prayer. This is true, but it is not the complete meaning, as other activities (like sleep at the appropriate time) also prevent certain actions, yet they are not praised in this manner.

The intended meaning is that prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing absolutely and universally.

It is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH): "Whoever is not prevented from sin by his prayer, only increases his distance [from Allah]."

We maintain that sound prayer (according to Sharia) prohibits both absolutely. This applies even if the prayer was performed with hypocrisy (riyā’), in which case the prayer is invalid and must be repeated. This is evident, as if one performs wudu' intending both purification and cooling off, the wudu' is invalid; how much more so if one intends Allah and something else in the prayer itself?

If this is established, prayer prohibits in several ways:

First Way (The Status of Service): If someone is in the service of a great, benevolent King and holds a high rank, it is inconceivable that he would associate with a servant whom the King has utterly rejected and from whom no hope of return remains. Similarly, when a servant prays to Allah, he enters into His service and attains the station of one communing with his Lord. It is thus inconceivable for him to abandon God's worship and submit to the obedience of the rejected Satan (who commands immorality and wrongdoing).

Second Way (The Garment of Piety): A person who handles filth, like a garbage collector, will not wear clean clothes while doing so. The finer the garment, the more reluctant the wearer is to engage in filth. If someone wears a luxurious, dyed silk robe, it is conventionally impossible for him to engage in such dirty work. Likewise, when a person prays, he puts on the "Garment of Piety" (libās al-taqwā), standing before Allah with his right hand over his left, as one stands before a majestic King. The garment of piety is superior to dyed silk in its relation to the heart. Therefore, one wearing this garment finds it impossible to engage in the filth of immorality and wrongdoing. Since prayers are repeated one after another, this "wearing" is continuous, and thus the abstinence remains continuous.

Third Way (The Designated Station): A person who is master of himself sits wherever he wishes. But when he enters the service of a King and is given a specific position, he must sit only in that designated place. He would not choose to sit among the common sandals. Similarly, when a servant prays, he enters the obedience of Allah and is no longer acting by his own will; he attains a specific station—that of the People of the Right Hand (Aṣḥāb al-Yamīn). If he then wished to stand in the place of the People of the Left Hand (those committing sin), he would not do so. This way points to Divine Protection (ʿiṣmah): whoever prays is protected by Allah from immorality and wrongdoing.

Fourth Way (Proximity to the King): This aligns with transmitted reports. A person far from the King (like a market vendor or town crier) does not care about his actions—he eats in the stalls of sellers and sits with common folk. If he gains slight proximity, perhaps becoming a guard or officer, this proximity might not stop him from his previous habits. But if his proximity increases until he becomes a Prince, this rank prevents him from eating in those places or sitting with those companions. Likewise, when a servant prays and prostrates, he gains proximity to Allah, based on the verse: {Prostrate and draw near} (Al-'Alaq: 19). If this degree of closeness prevents him from sins, then by repeating prayer and prostration, his status increases until he perceives such signs of honor upon himself that he finds minor faults repulsive, let alone major sins.

A Fifth, Rational Way (Confirmed by Transmission): The command to recite the Book prohibits negation (denial of God) and polytheism (shirk).

• Negation (Taʿṭīl) is denying God's existence.
• Polytheism (Shirk) is attributing divinity to others besides God.

Denying God's existence is an act of extreme immorality (faḥshā’) because the existence of God is more manifest than the sun, and every created thing bears a sign of Him. Denying the manifest is manifest denial. Thus, saying "There is no god" is ugly.

Polytheism is wrongdoing (munkar). Allah used the term munkar for someone who attributes a child to someone who could not possibly have one (Qur'an 58:2): "Their mothers are only those who gave birth to them, and indeed, they are saying a monstrous falsehood (munkaran min al-qawl)." The polytheist claims angels are daughters of God, attributing offspring to the One who neither begets nor is begotten. How can this not be munkar?

Prayer prohibits this immorality and wrongdoing because:

1. When the servant begins prayer by saying "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greater), he negates Ta'ṭīl (by affirming God's existence) and negates Shirk (because a partner cannot be greater than the other partner in the partnership).
2. When he says "Bismillah" (In the Name of Allah), he negates Ta'ṭīl. When he says "Ar-Raḥmān, Ar-Raḥīm" (The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful), he negates Shirk, as Raḥmān refers to giving existence through mercy (creation), and Raḥīm refers to giving permanence through mercy (sustenance).
3. When he says "Alḥamdu Lillāhi Rabbil-ʿālamīn" (Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds), he affirms the opposite of Ta'ṭīl by praising Allah, and the opposite of Shirk by affirming Him as the Lord of the Worlds.
4. When he says "Iyyāka naʿbudu" (You alone we worship), the precedence of Iyyāka negates both Ta'ṭīl and Shirk. The same applies to "Wa iyyāka nastaʿīn" (And You alone we ask for help).
5. When he says "Ihdinā aṣ-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm" (Guide us to the straight path), he negates Ta'ṭīl, because one seeking a path has a destination, whereas the denier has no goal. He negates Shirk with "al-mustaqīm" (the straight path), as the straight path is the closest way. The polytheist worships idols, thinking they are intercessors, while worshipping God directly is closer.

This continues until the end of the prayer, where he testifies: "Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh" (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah), negating both Shirk and Ta'ṭīl.

A Subtle Point: The prayer begins and ends with the word "Allah" (in Allahu Akbar at the start and Lā ilāha illā Allāh at the end). This signifies that from the beginning to the end of the prayer, the worshipper is with Allah.

If someone asks: What about the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the blessings upon the Prophet, and the final salutations? We reply: These elements, at the end, are included for a meaning external to the essence of the prayer itself. The prayer is remembrance of Allah alone. However, when the servant reaches this high station with Allah through prayer, the thought might enter his heart that he has become self-sufficient and independent of the Messenger—like one who nears the Sultan and neglects the viziers and gatekeepers. Therefore, he is reminded: "You reached this high station through the guidance of Muhammad (PBUH), and you are not independent of him, so mention Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah." Then, recognizing that all this is by the blessing of his guidance, he sends blessings upon him. Finally, when you return from your spiritual ascent (miʿrāj) to your brethren, you greet them and convey my peace, following the order of travelers.

The Posture of Prayer: The physical form of prayer involves awe. It begins with standing before Allah like a slave before a Sultan. It ends with kneeling (juthū) before Allah, as one kneels before a Sultan who has honored him by granting him a seat. It is as if the servant, having stood and praised Allah, is then honored by Allah, seated, and thus kneels. In this kneeling, there is a subtlety: whoever kneels before his Lord in this manner in this world will not have to kneel in the Hereafter, nor will he be among those whom Allah describes: {And We will leave the wrongdoers therein kneeling} (Maryam: 72).

{وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ}

(And the remembrance of Allah is greater, and Allah knows what you do.)

When Allah mentioned the two commands—reciting the Book and establishing prayer—He clarified what necessitates performing them with the utmost reverence: {And the remembrance of Allah is greater}. When you mention your fathers, praising them with their good qualities, you feel pride and mention them with full voice and heart. But the remembrance of Allah is greater, so it must be done with the highest degree of glorification. The same applies to prayer, because {Allah knows what you do}—and this is your best deed, so it must be done with reverence.

There is a subtlety in the phrase {And the remembrance of Allah is greater} with the omission of what it is greater than. Allah did not say, "Greater than the remembrance of so-and-so," because anything compared to another thing must have a relation to it (e.g., "This mountain is greater than that pebble"). Instead, the comparison is omitted, as if He meant: The greatness belongs to the remembrance of Allah, and to none other. This is similar to saying in prayer, "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is Greater), meaning: Greatness belongs to Him, and to none other.

{وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ وَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَهُنَا وَإِلَهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ * وَكَذَلِكَ أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ فَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِآيَاتِنَا إِلَّا الْكَافِرُونَ}

(And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who wrong [i.e., transgress] among them, and say, "We believe in what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to you. And our God and your God is one, and we submit to Him.")

(And similarly, We have revealed to you the Book. So those to whom We gave the Scripture believe in it. And among these [disbelievers] are those who believe in it. And none reject Our verses except the disbelievers.)

Regarding the prohibition of arguing with the People of the Scripture:

1. The Command: Argue with them only in the best manner (illā bi-llatī hiya aḥsan).
2. The Exception: Except for those among them who commit injustice (ẓalamū), meaning those who transgress the bounds of polite debate, perhaps by lying, slandering, or refusing to accept clear evidence. Against them, one may use a stronger form of argument.

The Method of Argumentation: The believer is commanded to say: {We believe in what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to you.} This establishes common ground and removes the basis for sectarian pride. Then, the core message is affirmed: {And our God and your God is one, and we submit to Him.}

The Affirmation of the Book: {And similarly, We have revealed to you the Book.} Just as We revealed the Torah and the Gospel to those who received the Scripture, We have revealed this Book to you.

The Believers Among Them: {So those to whom We gave the Scripture believe in it.} This refers to the sincere believers among the People of the Scripture (like Abdullah ibn Salam and his peers) who accepted the Qur'an.

The Disbelievers Among Them: {And among these [disbelievers] are those who believe in it.} This means that among the disbelievers who reject the Qur'an, there are some who secretly acknowledge its truthfulness in their hearts.

The Final Verdict: {And none reject Our verses except the disbelievers.} Rejection of the clear signs is the hallmark of the ultimate disbeliever.