وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ 9
Translations
And they who carefully maintain their prayers -
Transliteration
Wa alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalawātihim yuḥāfiẓūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the believers as those who carefully guard and maintain their prayers with consistency and devotion. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this guardianship (muḥāfaẓah) encompasses not only performing salah on time but also observing its conditions, performing it with full presence of heart (khushūʿ), and never neglecting it. This characteristic is presented as one of the defining qualities of true believers in the context of Surah Al-Mu'minun.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Mu'minun is a Meccan surah that outlines the attributes and qualities of successful believers (al-muʾminūn). This ayah appears within a passage (verses 1-11) that enumerates the characteristics of the truly faithful, establishing salah as a foundational pillar of Islamic practice and faith.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: 'The covenant between us and them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved' (Sunan Ibn Mājah and Sunan An-Nasāʾī). Additionally, 'The first matter that the slave will be judged by on the Day of Judgment is prayer' (Sunan At-Tirmidhī).
Themes
Key Lesson
Guarding one's salah is not merely a ritual obligation but a cornerstone of faith and spiritual success; this requires conscious effort, presence of heart, and unwavering commitment to maintaining prayer despite life's distractions and challenges.