This verse opens a profound window into understanding the relationship between humankind and the Divine, as well as the pathway towards spiritual elevation. By inviting the believers to seek assistance through patience and prayer, it delineates two fundamental pillars essential for both the spiritual and practical life of a human being. Patience, resembling a steadfast pillar, and alh, akin to a luminous torch, together guide the believer on the journey toward perfection. This treatise undertakes a scholarly and systematic elucidation of these concepts in an academic and exalted framework, employing literary metaphors to forge a connection between Quranic wisdom and contemporary necessities.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer; indeed, Allah is with the patient.
The phrase يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا clearly indicates that this verse targets those who have nurtured faith within their hearts. This address establishes faith as the fertile ground upon which patience and alh take root and bear fruit. Faith is likened to a rich soil in which the seeds of patience and prayer grow deeply and come to fruition.
The term اسْتَعِينُوا, derived from the form II verb pattern istafl, connotes an active seeking of help. This word presents patience and alh not as burdensome obligations, but as life-giving resources from which the believer may draw strength and vigour. The act of seeking assistance is an invitation to employ these two instruments consciously to fortify the self, analogous to how a person derives sustenance from food for bodily life and from exercise for physical capability.
Contrary to being a mere duty, alh is likened to nourishment for the soul, conferring spiritual vitality upon the individual. This act is not a weight on the believers shoulders but rather a remedy that propels the body and soul towards perfection. alh establishes a profound bond between human and Lord, enhancing both theoretical comprehension and practical ability.
The coupling of patience and alh in this verse illustrates their complementary nature. Patience functions as the root that stabilises perseverance within the human being, while alh acts as the wings that enable the ascent towards the celestial realm of knowledge. Together, they guide humanity along the path to perfection.
This section, through the exposition of the Divine address and the concept of seeking assistance, presents patience and alh as tools for existential advancement. Faith serves as the fertile soil transforming these elements into efficacious forces, while seeking assistance constitutes a deliberate call to utilise these resources on the path to perfection.
alh resembles nourishment indispensable for the spiritual vitality of a human, not a mere duty performed to lighten ones burden.
Beyond being a legal obligation, alh represents an existential necessity sustaining human spirituality. Just as food preserves the bodys life, alh feeds the soul and endows the individual with energy manifesting in two domains: knowledge and power.
Like exercise, although alh may appear time-consuming, it confers an unparalleled strength that plays a crucial role in growth and empowerment. Just as exercise creates physical balance preparing a person for life, alh establishes spiritual equilibrium guiding one towards perfection.
Every form of perfection in human existence pertains either to the realm of knowledge (theoretical comprehension) or to that of power (practical ability). alh, by reinforcing both aspects, steers the individual towards existential completeness. This view aligns with the transcendent wisdom philosophy that locates human perfection in the unity of knowledge and action.
Perceiving alh as a mere duty to be discharged superficially indicates ignorance. alh aims not at mere fulfilment but at engendering spiritual life and strengthening human cognition and capability. Formalistic alh, devoid of heartfelt presence and understanding, cannot propel a person towards elevation.
This section introduces alh as the believers ascension and a source of spiritual vitality. By creating spiritual balance and empowering knowledge and power, alh assists the individual on the path to perfection. The critique of formalistic prayer emphasises the necessity of heartfelt presence and awareness in this act.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
Indeed, Allah is with the patient.
This phrase signifies the Divine sustaining companionship, portraying God as the mentor and guide of the patient. This presence resembles a shadow extending over the steadfast, supporting them on the path to spiritual elevation.
Patience functions as the efficient cause underpinning the actualisation of alh, whereas alh constitutes the final cause, embodying the objective and destination of this spiritual process. Patience is the root that solidifies perseverance within the individual, while alh is the fruit borne from this root.
alh devoid of content, performed merely formally, lacks spiritual efficacy and may devolve into mere habit or addiction. Such prayer neither leads to elevation nor spiritual benefit and may even cause harm.
Rushing through alh invalidates it from the standpoint of wisdom, as it lacks heartfelt presence and knowledge. Genuine prayer must be conducted with calmness and awareness to realise its spiritual effects.
This section elucidates Divine accompaniment as the support for the patient and alh as the believers ascension. Patience and alh, as two complementary pillars, guide the individual towards nearness to God. The critique of contentless prayer underscores the necessity for quality and heartfelt presence in this act.
In jurisprudence, alh is valid by observing its external conditions, such as ablution and facing the qiblah. Jurists focus on the outward performance and do not judge its content.
From the perspective of wisdom, alh devoid of content and spiritual ascent holds no value. The sage attends to the spiritual impact and quality of alh, considering it a measure of human elevation.
Shaykh Ansr, in his book on Justice, confines jurisprudential justice to formal vessels and distinguishes it from philosophical justice, which concerns content. This distinction highlights the differing views of jurisprudence and wisdom regarding religious acts.
Obsessive or formalistic alh, lacking content, cannot serve as the believers ascension. This kind of prayer not only lacks spiritual effects but may lead to psychological harm.
This section clarifies the difference between jurisprudence and wisdom in the analysis of alh. Jurisprudence focuses on the outward act, whereas wisdom considers the inner essence and impact. This distinction emphasises the necessity of attending to the quality of alh alongside its external requirements.
All peoples and nations, even disbelievers and polytheists, have forms of prayer or worship, reflecting the innate nature of worship. This reality presents alh as an intrinsic human need.
Current social systems in Islamic countries, due to imitation of non-Islamic models, lack religious content and lead to corruption. Islamic societies must be governed by religious principles rather than mere outward form.
Certain occupations, such as those involving mortuary work or degrading tasks, are impermissible within the Islamic framework as they harm human dignity. These professions must be aligned with religious values.
Common perceptions about the appropriate status of religious knowledge are incorrect. This field faces financial and social challenges and requires societal support to fulfil its responsibilities correctly.
This section expounds the innate nature of alh and the necessity to reconstruct social systems based on religious principles. The critique of impermissible professions and mistaken views about religious knowledge stresses the importance of aligning society with Islamic values.
The term alh is a borrowed word existing also in other religions. In the Quran, it appears in incomplete forms, such as al and al, signifying heat and affection.
alh, whether in Paradise (light) or Hell (fire), is defined by heat. Heat constitutes the essence of alh and indicates spiritual vitality.
alh is likened to a fire that rescues the human soul from coldness and spiritual death. This heat, whether as the light of Paradise or the fire of Hell, is the essence that directs the human being towards spiritual life.
Spiritual coldness, especially prevalent among women due to consumption of unhealthy foods and improper lifestyles, has caused social problems. This coldness obstructs the realization of spiritual life.
The absence of religious instruction regarding nutrition has led to the consumption of harmful foods damaging physical and spiritual health. An Islamic dietary system must be developed as part of the religious lifestyle.
This section presents alh as a life-giving force with the essence of heat. The critique of spiritual coldness in society and the call for religious nutritional education underscore the importance of attention to physical and psychological factors in actualising spiritual life.
Patience, as a general concept, underpins religious deeds including alh. alh, as a particular example, is actualised through patience and attains efficacy thereby.
Reducing patience to fasting limits it to a narrow example. Patience is a universal principle encompassing various actions and must not be confined to a single deed.
All Quranic verses regarding alh refer to it as a specific, defined action.
Iqmat a-alh means to establish prayer with content and heartfelt presence. This concept defines alh as a qualitative act requiring knowledge and awareness.
لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَى
Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated.
This verse forbids approaching prayer in a state of coldness and lethargy. Prayer under such conditions lacks spiritual effect and may lead to harm.
alh, like exercise, requires a trainer and rules. Performing prayer without guidance may cause spiritual harm and divert one from the path of elevation.
This section introduces patience as a general meaning and alh as its specific example. The critique of narrowing patience and emphasis on
