قُلْ أَمَرَ رَبِّى بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَٱدْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ ۚ كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ 29
Translations
Say, [O Muḥammad], "My Lord has ordered justice and that you direct yourselves [to the Qiblah] at every place [or time] of prostration, and invoke Him, sincere to Him in religion." Just as He originated you, you will return [to life] -
Transliteration
Qul amara rabbi bil-qisti wa aqeemoo wujoohakum inda kulli masjid wad'oohu mukhlisin lahu ad-deen, kama bada'akum ta'oodoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet to declare that his Lord has ordained justice and equity in all matters, and directs believers to establish proper conduct and presence in prayer, calling upon Allah with sincere devotion and undivided religious commitment. Ibn Kathir explains that 'establish your faces' means to direct yourselves with full presence and sincerity at every place of prayer, while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that the command encompasses both outward compliance with divine law and inward spiritual purification, as the final clause reminds us that just as Allah originated creation, we shall return to Him for judgment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah Al-A'raf, which addresses fundamental Islamic principles. It comes within the context of the surah's broader discussion of divine guidance, the nature of prophethood, and mankind's accountability. The ayah emphasizes core Islamic principles of justice and sincere worship that formed the foundation of early Islamic teaching.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of deeds is prayer performed at its proper time.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 170). Also relevant: 'Verily, Allah does not look at your bodies or wealth, but He looks at your hearts and actions.' (Sahih Muslim 2564) - emphasizing the sincerity (ikhlas) mentioned in the ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Islamic practice must be rooted in two pillars: adherence to justice and truth in all worldly dealings, and sincere, undivided devotion to Allah in worship. For modern believers, this reminds us that piety is not merely ritualistic but requires both ethical integrity in daily life and genuine spiritual presence in our relationship with the Divine.
Related Ayahs
أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ
Then, did they feel secure from the plan of Allāh? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allāh except the losing people.
۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ
And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.
وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ غَضْبَـٰنَ أَسِفًا قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِى مِنۢ بَعْدِىٓ ۖ أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ وَأَلْقَى ٱلْأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُۥٓ إِلَيْهِ ۚ قَالَ ٱبْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱسْتَضْعَفُونِى وَكَادُوا۟ يَقْتُلُونَنِى فَلَا تُشْمِتْ بِىَ ٱلْأَعْدَآءَ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِى مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said, "How wretched is that by which you have replaced me after [my departure]. Were you impatient over the matter of your Lord?" And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by [the hair of] his head, pulling him toward him. [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, indeed the people overpowered me and were about to kill me, so let not the enemies rejoice over me and do not place me among the wrongdoing people."
وَنَادَىٰٓ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالًا يَعْرِفُونَهُم بِسِيمَىٰهُمْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَغْنَىٰ عَنكُمْ جَمْعُكُمْ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
And the companions of the Elevations will call to men [within Hell] whom they recognize by their mark, saying, "Of no avail to you was your gathering and [the fact] that you were arrogant."