87- THEY SAID: “ O SHOIB, DO YOUR PRAYERS COMMAND
YOU THAT WE SHOULD NOT WORSHIP WHAT OUR FATHERS USED TO WORSHIP, OR TO DO WHAT
WE LIKE WITH OUR MONEY, AND YOU ARE THE FORBEARING AND WISE.
The disbelievers asked Shoib if his Salah which is a manifestation
of his religion that is commanding him to abandon the Idles they worship and to
stop cheating in buying and selling, as well as other dealings of their life
and interaction.
It is very significant that they saw Shoib’s Salah as the
foremost manifestation of his Faith; as it is the direct contact between a
person and God.It is the first thing one
is to be judged by on the Day of Judgement, Salah is a duty upon every believer
and one is exempted under a very limited set of circumstances.
They asked him if his Salah is what commands him not to
worship Idles and to worship Allah the Highest only, and if his Salah is what
commands him not to cheat.
These are the two most important aspects of faith, the
worship of Allah and dealing with people righteously, as Allah the Highest
commands.
The Salah is our contact with Allah the Highest, and the
other is our dealing with other people or creations, like us, which should be
done righteously as Allah the Highest commanded. Our Salah, which is our contact with Allah the
Highest, worshipping Him directs us to be righteous, obeying Allah’s commands
regarding the way we live and deal with others.Allah the Highest also said in the Quran “RECITE
THE PARTS OF THE BOOK THAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO YOU, AND (BE)STEADFAST IN
SALAH, FOR THE SALAH FORBIDS THE WICKED DEEDS AND WHAT IS FORBIDDEN, AND
REMEMBERING ALLAH IS EVEN GREATER, AND ALLAH KNOWS WHAT YOU DO”.(S: 29 A: 45)
Reciting the Quran by
itself and in Salah, should remind us of Allah’s way and commands for us.
