Commentary
اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ (And recite (0 Muhammad) what is revealed to you - 29:45). In the previous verses some incidents of a few prophets and their people were related, in which some rebellious infidels were also mentioned, who faced various divine punishments. There were also some words of solace for the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، and consolation for the believers, in that how the earlier prophets had endured various types of hardships. There was also persuasion for continuing the work of teaching and preaching, and not to lose heart under any circumstances.
A brief but comprehensive formula for the reform of people
In the above verses the Holy Prophet ﷺ is advised a brief but comprehensive formula for inviting people towards Allah. If acted upon, this formula opens the avenues leading to practicing religion with all its precept, and the natural hurdles that come in the way in practicing it are removed easily. This elixir formula is made up of two parts; one is the recitation of the Holy Qur'an, and the other, establishment of prayers. Although the real object here was to make all people adhere to the two basics, but for the sake of persuasion and emphasis, the Holy Prophet ﷺ was directed first to practice them, because it was much easy for the followers to act upon the teachings of Islam when they saw the Holy Prophet ﷺ practicing it.
Out of the two components of the formula, recitation of Qur'an is the spirit behind and foundation of everything. The next in order is the establishment of prayers, which has been selected for mentioning here to the exclusion of all other acts and obligations. The wisdom behind placing prayer above all other worships has also been explained that it keeps one away from shameless and obscene acts. The prayer is supreme among all the worships and obligations in its own right, and is a pillar to the religion. Fahsha' are all those shameless and obscene acts and utterances that are regarded bad and vile in all societies, no matter Islamic or non-Islamic, for instance, adultery, murder, abduction, robbery, lying, etc. Munkar (translated above as 'evil' ) is that act or utterance on which there is unanimity of opinion of all religious jurists as being impermissible or Haram. Therefore, if there is a difference of opinion by the religious jurists, no one of the two views can be regarded as munkar. The two words, fahasha' and munkar, encompass in them all the crimes, and sins - both open and concealed - which are mischievous by themselves and a great hurdle in the way of righteous deeds.
How does prayer stop from all sins?
According to innumerous authentic ahadith, this verse means that there is a peculiar effect of the establishment of salah (prayer) that whoever performs it stops committing sins, provided it is not offered just for the sake of offering. One should offer prayers strictly in accordance with the wordings of Qur'an, that is for its iqamah (establishment). The meaning of iqamah of Salah is to perform it both inwardly and outwardly with the manners and mores the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to perform. All along his life, he stressed that the body, clothes and the place of offering prayer should be clean. Offering prayer in congregation, and to perform all actions in line with Sunnah are outward mores of the prayer. As for inward mores, one should stand in prayer with fear of Allah and humility in a manner that he is begging from Him. The one who establishes prayer, Allah Ta’ ala graces him with Divine help to tread the righteous path, and to keep away from all types of sins. If someone does not get rid of sins despite offering prayers, then there is some flaw in his prayers. It is mentioned in a hadith reported by Sayyidna ` Imran Ibn Husain ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was asked about the sense of the verse by إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ (Surely, Salah restrains from shamelessness and evil - 29:45). The Holy Prophet ﷺ replied, مَن لَّم َتنھَہ عَنِ الفَحشآءِ وَالمُنکَرِ فَلَا صَلوٰۃَ لَہُ (رواہ ابن ابی حاتم بسندہ عن عمران بن حُصَین والطبرابی من حدیث ابی معاویۃ) That is ` if anyone's prayer did not stop him from his sins then his prayer is nothing'.
Sayyidna Ibn Masud ؓ has reported that the Holy Prophet ﷺ once said لَا صلوٰۃ لِمَن لَّم یُطِعِ الصَّلوٰۃ (Ibn Jarir), that is ` one who does not obey his prayer his prayer is nothing'. The obedience of prayer is that one should keep away from sins (fahsha' and munkar).
While interpreting this verse Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ has said that if someone's prayer does not make him do the righteous deeds and prevent from sins, then such a prayer would draw him even farther from Allah Ta’ ala.
Ibn Kathir has reproduced all the three narrations in one place and has concluded that these ahadith are not marfu` which means that these words are not the words spoken by the Holy Prophet ﷺ but are the expositions put forward in explaining this verse by the three scholars namely, ` Imran Ibn Husain, ` Abdullah Ibn Masud, Ibn ` Abbas and Sayyidna Abu Hurairah ؓ has reported in a narration that someone came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and said ` a person offers tahajjud (night
prayer) at night, and steals after the day break'. The Holy Prophet ﷺ replied, ` The prayer will soon desist him from stealing'. (Ibn Kathir) Some other narrations have also related that after this remark from him he stopped stealing.
Answer to a doubt
Some persons express their doubt that many a people offer prayers regularly and yet indulge in grave sins, which apparently looks in conflict with this verse. Some have replied to this doubt by explaining that Salah forbids those offering prayers from sins, but it is not necessary that all take up the advice in right earnest, and stop committing sins. After all Qur'an and hadith also desist everyone from committing sins, yet many do not pay any attention to the advice, and do not refrain from sinning.
But most commentators have explained that the verse is not in the form of a command, but it is the effect of prayer, which desists those who offer their prayers regularly from committing sins, by Divine help. But if one is not graced with the Divine help to get rid of sins, it means that there is some flaw in his prayers, and he has not been able to fulfill the requirements of iqamah of Salah. Above referred ahadith also endorse this view.
وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّـهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ (And indeed remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing). And Allah knows what you do. - 29:45). Here remembrance of Allah could mean the remembrance carried out in the prayer or otherwise is supreme. The other meaning of the word could be that when His servants remember Him, it is His promise that He too remembers them before angels فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ (Remember Me, and I will remember you - 2:152). For the servants who worship Allah it is the biggest blessing. Many a companions and the generation that followed them have endorsed this interpretation. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir رحمۃ اللہ علیہما have also preferred this view. There is also an allusion under this view that the real reason of getting rid of sins through prayers is that Allah Ta’ ala also remembers the servant at that time before the angels. Thus its auspiciousness relieves him from his sins.