The Qur’ān (20:130-132) says: “Hence, bear with patience whatever they may say, and extol your Lord’s limitless glory and praise Him before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and extol His glory, too, during the hours of the night as well as during the hours of the day, so that you may attain a state of contentment. Do not turn your eyes covetously towards whatever splendour of this world’s life We have allowed many of them to enjoy in order that We may test them thereby. Whatever provisions your Lord may give are indeed better and longer lasting. Enjoin prayer on your people and be diligent in its observance. We do not ask you for any provisions. It is We who provide for you. The future belongs to the God-fearing.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is instructed to bear with patience whatever the unbelievers say. He is not to answer their blasphemy, rejection, or ridicule. He should be neither distressed by what they say, nor grieved at what may await them. He is to turn to his Lord, glorifying Him before sunrise and sunset: early with the fresh breath of dawn as life awakens, and late as everything begins to cool down when the sun is about to set and the whole universe seems to close its eyes, ready to sleep. He is to glorify Allah, the Exalted, and praise Him intermittently through the day and the night, to keep his link with Him throughout.
Such glorification is urged on Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, and all his followers, “so that you may attain a state of contentment.” When we glorify Allah, the Exalted, we have a direct link with Him, and the person who maintains such a link is contented, reassured. He is in a state of contentment and he is reassured because he knows that, with Allah’s help, he is safe and secure. Thus, contentedness is the fruit of worship and Allah’s glorification. It is a reward that is generated within one’s heart.
So, Allah’s Messenger ﷺ is further instructed: “Do not turn your eyes covetously towards whatever splendour of this world’s life We have allowed many of them to enjoy.” There is plenty of splendour in this life which may appear very tempting. There are luxuries, pleasures, wealth, children, high position and power. But all this is merely a ‘flower’, and like a flower, all this splendour will fade within a very brief period. Hence, they are given all this splendour to enjoy “in order that We may test them thereby.” Thus, our true metal will be known by the way we use what Allah, the Exalted, has favoured us with of the splendour of this life. But then we must realise that at the end of the day, “whatever provisions your Lord may give are indeed better and longer lasting.” This refers to what the believers are given in the life to come. These provisions are for enjoyment, not a test. They have no special lure to turn people away from what is better. They are the better provision, and they are everlasting.
We must not misinterpret this ayah as encouraging self-denial or disdain for the comforts of this life. It is rather an encouragement to hold on to true and lasting values, to maintain one’s ties with Allah and be contented. This is the best way to resist the temptation of the splendour and attractions of this life. When we maintain such values, we are free to rise above the lure of false temptations, splendid as they may appear.
“Enjoin prayer on your people.” Here the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has been asked to direct the members of his family to say prayers and that he himself should be very particular about his prayers. These appear to be two separate commands, i.e., one for the family and the other for himself but the fact is that for a person to be steadfast in saying prayers it is essential that his family and friends should be equally mindful of their duty in this matter. After this ayah was revealed, Allah’s Messenger ﷺ used to go to the house of Ali and Fatimah every morning at the time of morning prayers and called out “Come to salah, come to salah”. (Qurtubi)
Our first duty is to make our home a Muslim home, enjoining our family to attend to their prayers so that they all maintain their ties with Allah. Thus, they are united in their approach to life. It is reported that whenever Urwah ibn Zubair saw a display of wealth, he would at once return home, call his family to prayer, and recite to them this ayah. Also, when Umar ibn Khattab got up for his midnight (tahajjud) prayers, he would awake the other members of his family and recite to them this ayah. (Qurtubi)
“…and extol His glory.” Here the direction of proclaiming Allah’s purity is followed by the direction of proclaiming His praise. It implies an indication that when a person is given facilitation (taufiq) to remember Allah, the Exalted, by performing dhikr or any other form of worship, it should not make him proud of it. Instead, he should praise Allah, the Exalted, because without His facilitation (taufiq) he could not perform that worship. Then, proclaiming the purity and praise of Allah, the Exalted, may mean invocation of Allah, the Exalted, and His praise, and they may also mean the prescribed prayers.
“And be diligent in its observance.” Be diligent so that you offer your prayers complete, and its effect becomes a reality. Prayer restrains man from loathsome deeds and indecency. This is its true effect. Unless we reach the stage that our prayer yields this fruit, it remains a mere sequence of phrases and movements – the rituals.
Prayer and worship generally are duties assigned to the Prophet ﷺ and believers. Allah, the Exalted, does not gain anything by them. He needs no one: “We do not ask you for any provisions. It is We who provide for you.” Worship nurtures God-consciousness (Taqwa) within the worshipper. Hence, “the future belongs to the God-fearing.” It is man who benefits by prayer, both in this life and in the life to come. He offers his worship to Allah, the Exalted, and he enjoys, as a result, a state of contentment. He is comfortable, reassured. Furthermore, he ultimately receives a much greater reward in the hereafter. As for Allah, the Exalted, He needs nothing from anyone.
Abdullah ibn Masud says that he heard Allah’s Messenger ﷺ saying: “A man who makes his concern for the hereafter the focal point of all his efforts, Allah will take care of his concerns, but a person whose concerns are all about worldly affairs, Allah does not care in which valley he perishes.”