وَذَكَرَ ٱسْمَ رَبِّهِۦ فَصَلَّىٰ 15
Translations
And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.
Transliteration
Wa dhakara isma rabbihī fa-sallā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes one of the characteristics of the righteous servant who will succeed and achieve happiness: he remembers the name of his Lord and then prays. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this means the servant consciously invokes Allah's name, becomes aware of His presence and attributes, and consequently performs prayer with presence of heart and sincerity. The connection between remembrance (dhikr) and prayer indicates that authentic worship stems from conscious awareness of Allah's majesty and lordship.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-A'la is a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period, focusing on the themes of glorification of Allah, remembrance, and the path to success. This ayah appears within a section describing the attributes of those who will achieve success in the hereafter (verses 14-19), contrasting them with those who turn away from guidance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best remembrance is La ilaha illallah (there is no deity except Allah)' - reported in Tirmidhi. Additionally, the hadith 'Prayer without remembrance of Allah is like a body without a soul' emphasizes the connection between dhikr and salah, though this is a paraphrased meaning found in various Islamic teachings.
Themes
Key Lesson
For believers today, this ayah teaches that meaningful prayer must be preceded by and rooted in conscious remembrance of Allah and awareness of His greatness; rushing through prayers without mindfulness of our Lord's presence diminishes their spiritual benefit. We should cultivate the habit of invoking Allah's names and attributes before and during our prayers to achieve the presence of heart that transforms worship from mere ritual into a transformative spiritual experience.
Related Ayahs
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ
He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ فِى ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ
Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allāh and from prayer. So will you not desist?
وَٱذْكُرْنَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِى بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْحِكْمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفًا خَبِيرًا
And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allāh and wisdom. Indeed, Allāh is ever Subtle and Aware.
فَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا ۖ وَمِنْ ءَانَآئِ ٱلَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ ٱلنَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ
So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night [exalt Him] and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied.