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Wrongdoing
Allah (swt) says in the Quran, Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been
revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits
immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And
Allah knows that which you do (Quran 29:45).
Immorality refers to
Wrongdoing refers to
The immediate question is, how does Salah prohibits immorality and
wrongdoing? Here's an explanation. Prayer is an expression of
communicating with the Divine, an act that purifies our soul or helps us get
closer to Allah in many ways. Praying from the bottom of the
heart, sincerely, helps one become God fearing and helps him not do
things that he would have done otherwise. Thus Salah is a guardian for the
believer from evil, and that level of devotion reminds a sincere Muslim to
develop and build a good moral character. One who does not do that then
Allah says in The Quran:
And whosoever turns away (blinds himself) from the remembrance of
the Most Beneficent (Allah) (i.e. this Quran and worship of Allah), We
appoint for him Shaitan (Satan - devil) to be a Qarin (an intimate
companion) to him. ~ Quran 43:36
Thus sincerity in Salah makes one God conscious and saves the person
from doing anything wrong that will lower his chance of getting into
Paradise. But if someone performs evil things in spite of praying is a
consequence of not remembering Allah from the bottom of his heart. So,
remembering Allah in the Salah withfull devotion is equally important than
just praying merely. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
There is no Muslim who performs wudu and performs it well and then
stands and offers 2 units of prayer with devotion of heart and mind in
the two of them, except that Paradise becomes guaranteed for him. ~
Muslim 288
One can argue that there are many non-Muslims or Muslims who don't pray
yet have a good character. However if you consider the long term
implications of goodness, it means whether the person will be successful in
the Hereafter or not. If no Paradise for that person despite having a good
character then what is the value and resultant benefit of his goodness?
Thus if you want Allah's help and Him to be with you (in this world and in
the Hereafter), then remind yourself the following verse from The Quran:
O you who believe! Seek help in patience and prayer. Indeed Allah is
with the one who is patient. ~ Quran 2:153
Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book, and establish the
prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the
remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.
[29:45]
Imam al-Sadi, in his tafsir, writes:
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Allah commands the recitation of His revelation, and that is this Great
Book [the Quran]. And the meaning of recitation is adhering to it,
complying with what it commands, avoiding what it prohibits, being
guided by its guidance, affirming its contents, pondering over its
meanings, and to recite it with proper pronunciation, for recitation with
proper pronunciation is part and parcel of the meaning. And when this is
what is understood from recitation of the book, then knowledge for the
establishment of the religion in its entirety emanates from the recitation of
the book. As for His statement, and establish the prayer this is joining
the specific to the general, in order to show the virtue of al-salaah and its
honorable position, and its beautiful effects, which is that Indeed, prayer
prohibits immorality and wrongdoing.
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And immorality (fahshah) is every excessive and indecent act of
disobedience which the lower self desires.
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And wrongdoing (munkar) is every act of disobedience which the
(functioning) intellect and natural inclination (fitrah) would prevent.
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Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, The
example of the miser and the generous is that of two men wearing iron armor
from their chests to their necks. As for the generous, he does not spend but
that the armor enlarges and spreads over his body until it covers even his
fingertips and wipes out his tracks. As for the miser, he does not want to
spend anything but that every ring of the armor sticks in its place and he tries
to enlarge it but it will not expand.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 1375, Sahih Muslim 1021