Allah the Exalted said: “Recite 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

It encompasses both verbal recitation and legislative recitation. Verbal recitation is reading the Qur'an, and legislative recitation is acting according to its rulings. This is the recitation of following, from their saying, “So-and-so followed so-and-so.” What does “he followed him” mean?
The student: That he followed him.

The Shaykh : That is, he followed him. So the command here for recitation includes both. Now, His saying, Exalted is He: The address is to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and is not directed to everyone to whom address is valid, because He said: And this specifies it to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because revelation was not sent to anyone else. However, the address to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is an address to him and to the Ummah, as evidenced by His saying, Exalted is He: [Al-Ahzab: 21], except where evidence indicates that it is specific to him, in which case it is taken according to the evidence, such as His saying, Exalted is He: [Al-Ahzab: 50]. If the verse had stopped there, it would have been permissible for the Ummah to do so with him. But He said: So this indicates that the address directed to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is for him and his Ummah, unless evidence is found that it is specific to him. is a relative pronoun that implies generality. And His saying: Revelation in language means informing quickly and secretly. Informing quickly and secretly is called revelation. For example, suppose you are among a group of people and you want to inform one person of something. You might gesture with your hand in a way that the others do not understand, but your companion understands. You are not saying, “So-and-so, get up, let us go to so-and-so.” Is this called revelation? No, this is not revelation because it is clear and has no secrecy. But informing quickly and secretly is called revelation in language. As for in the Shari'ah, it is Allah’s (Exalted is He) informing one of His prophets or messengers of the Shari'ah. This is revelation in the Shari'ah. And what is intended here? Revelation in the Shari'ah. It has levels that Allah, Exalted is He, mentioned in Surat al-Shura, Ham 'Ayn 'Ayn Qaf. Yes, He said: Here it is explanatory, explaining in His saying: , and His saying: The intended meaning is the Qur'an. It is called a Book because it is written in the Mushafs, because it is written in the Preserved Tablet, and because it is written in the hands of the angels. And Kitab is a Fa'il form meaning Maf'ul, and there are many such forms in the Arabic language. I think the examples that have passed us by are not forgotten in your minds now, such as Firash (a bed) from Mafrush (spread out), Giras (a plant) from Maghruus (planted), and Binaa (a building) from Mabni (built). Now, He said: That is, bring it forth with perfection, for establishing a thing means making it upright, without crookedness or deficiency. And His saying: The address is to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is known that he establishes prayer and that he is the most upright of those who pray. So how was the address directed to him with ? We said that directing the address to one who possesses the attribute intended is for continuing in it, not for initiating it, because it already exists, but the continuation in it is intended. This is like His saying, Exalted is He: “O you who have believed, believe.” The address is not in vain so that we would say this is achieving what is already achieved, for the believer is a believer. We say, what is intended? Continuation in that. So when the address or command is directed to one who possesses the attribute, the intention is continuation in it. And His saying, Exalted is He: A little while ago we said that recitation includes following and acting according to its rulings. Is establishing prayer from following it and acting according to its rulings? Yes. So its conjunction with His saying: is from the chapter of conjoining the specific to the general. Conjoining the specific to the general is an indication of its high status. There is no doubt that prayer is the best of the bodily acts, so it was singled out by its mention. Then, does conjoining the specific to the general mean that it is mentioned twice? Or does it mean that it was singled out by mention from among the generality? On this, there are two opinions among the scholars. Some say that mentioning the specific after the general means that the implication of the generality is removed with respect to it, and then it is singled out by mention. And some said that it is included in the first generality and then singled out by mention, so it is mentioned twice. Both indicate its honor, meaning both statements indicate the honor of this mentioned thing. But which is stronger? The latter, that it is mentioned twice: once by the generality and once by the specificity. The benefit appears, such as if I said, “Honor the students and Muhammad.” And Muhammad is from the students. On the opinion that he is included in the generality and then singled out by mention, we know that this man is a student and his name is Muhammad. But if we say he was removed from the generality and singled out by mention, then at that time we search for who this Muhammad is? Is he a student or not? And it needs a sign that indicates that he is from the students. And the correct is what you said, that it is stronger that the mention of the specific after the general means it is mentioned twice.
Then He said, Exalted is He, explaining the command to establish prayer: Is this explanation for the one addressed or for the thing addressed? Leave it to yourselves, my brothers, because there is a problem in the issue. Is the explanation here for the one addressed or for the thing addressed? Who is the one addressed?
The student: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh : Now, and the thing addressed?
The student: Prayer.

The Shaykh : He addressed him with establishing prayer. So is this explanation for establishing prayer in terms of it being established, or is it an explanation for the thing addressed? If we say it is connected to the one addressed, the meaning becomes that prayer prohibits you from immorality and wrongdoing, and this necessitates the possibility of immorality and wrongdoing occurring from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And if we say it is an explanation of the thing addressed, it connects to the thing addressed, which is prayer, and we say that prayer, in its capacity as prayer, prohibits immorality and wrongdoing. And this becomes a true description with respect to anyone other than the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So this explanation is for the thing addressed, which is prayer, not for the one addressed, who is the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), because we know that he is protected from immorality and wrongdoing. Is that clear, my brothers? And this is the definitive view. And His saying: “Prohibits” Here, and the one before it, is the intended meaning the obligatory prayer, or the obligatory and voluntary?
The student: Both.

The Shaykh : general, and His saying: "prevents" means "prohibits," but the expression "prevents" is more emphatic than the expression "prohibits," for the one who prohibits may not be warning, whereas in the prohibition there is a warning. So it is as if the prayer contains a secret that necessitates that a person keep away from obscenity and wrongdoing, as if it rebukes his conscience and says to him: Why are you doing this? And why are you doing it? And His saying: "obscenity" is everything that is considered obscene from among sins, such as zina, theft, drinking intoxicants, killing the soul, and the like, and "wrongdoing" is what is less than that. The conjunction of "wrongdoing" with "obscenity" is of the type of conjoining the general to the specific, because every obscenity is a wrongdoing, but not every wrongdoing is an obscenity. The author said: "

immorality and bad conduct

عن الفحشاء والمنكر

[An-Nahl 16:90]

in the Shari'ah, meaning that it is of its nature to be so as long as a person is in it " His saying: " meaning that it is of its nature to be so " this is correct, but "as long as a person is in it" is not correct. Rather, it prevents from obscenity and wrongdoing as long as one is in it and as long as one does not remain in it. I mean, its benefit is not this specific benefit only when this person is engaged in it, praying. The one who prays is known not to be going to commit obscenity and wrongdoing, but the great benefit is that it affects your heart in a way that necessitates your keeping away from obscenity and wrongdoing, and this is the fruit and the result. It is not that the fruit and the result is that when you are praying, you no longer commit obscenity and wrongdoing. So the author's qualification with his saying: " as long as one is in it " is questionable and not correct. Rather, it is absolute; it prevents from obscenity and wrongdoing, meaning that what occurs from it necessitates for the heart the keeping away from obscenity and wrongdoing. The aspect of this is that the praying person converses with his Lord, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and between him and his Lord is a connection. This connection gives the heart faith and light. For this reason, the Prophet (may Allah reward him) said: And it is known that when the heart acquires light, it does not incline toward obscenity and wrongdoing. Whenever he is about to do it, he remembers that a few hours ago he was standing before Allah (Mighty and Majestic), so he feels shy and keeps away. And this is an observed matter: a person sometimes remembers his standing in a prayer twenty years or more ago, having prayed on a certain day a prayer as if he sees his Lord, worshipping Allah as if you see Him, meaning in the utmost excellence. He finds the taste of this prayer after a long time; he remembers it, and this remembrance does not leave his heart. This remembrance must affect the prevention of a person from obscenity and wrongdoing. And this is the aspect of His saying, the Exalted: , but the intended meaning of His saying: , meaning the established prayer, is not that every prayer prevents from obscenity and wrongdoing. By Allah, if our prayers prevented us from obscenity and wrongdoing, we would all be sound. We would all be sound now. We ask Allah to treat us with His pardon. A person enters prayer with a heart and exits with the same heart or a worse one, because notice that if the acts of worship do not affect your heart for good, they are harm. What does not benefit you from the verses harms you, as the Prophet (may Allah reward him) said: So this is a matter in which many Muslims suffer: he says, "I am not affected by the prayer, my heart is not present, and I do not become humble." What is the cure? Then some people may doubt this report, and it is the report of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), which is true. He says, "I pray, but I do not see that it prevents me from obscenity and wrongdoing. I pray with the congregation in the garden, then I go out to my shop and sell with riba, I sell with deception, I sell with lying. I pray with the imam in the garden, then I find in myself anger and hatred toward the Muslims and dislike for some of the Shari'ah of Allah, and the like of that. Where is the one that prevents from obscenity and wrongdoing?" We say: The affliction is not in the prayer; the affliction is in the one who prays. Otherwise, every believer knows with certainty that the prayer prevents from obscenity and wrongdoing, because this is the report of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and it is truth. It is not possible [for it to be false], because He, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows everything. So He, Blessed and Exalted is He, said that with knowledge, and His speech is the truest of speech. And His saying, the Exalted: The author said: "

and the remembrance of Allah is greater

ولذكر الله أكبَر

[Al-'Ankabut 29:45]

from other acts of obedience " First, the lam in his saying: , what type is it? The lam is the lam of beginning. Yes, because the sentence is not a categorical one. And his saying: "remembrance" is a verbal noun added to the name of Allah. Is it added to its actor or added to its object?
The student: To its object.

The Shaykh : To its object. Meaning: Is "your remembrance of your Lord is greater" or "the remembrance of Allah for you by the prayer is greater than its prevention from obscenity and wrongdoing?" The first, or the second? No... The second is correct. The matter is with the remembrance of Allah for you, not your remembrance of Allah, just as the matter is with the love of Allah for you, not your love of Allah. And look at His saying, the Exalted: قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي
الطالب: يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ

الشيخ : ولَّا فاتبعوني تُحِبُّون الله؟ يحبِبْكم الله هذا الشأن فالشأن أن تُذْكَر لا أن تَذْكُر وكما أنَّ هذا بالنسبة للمخلوق مع الخالق هو أيضًا بالنسبة للمخلوقين مع بعضِهم كونُك تحِبُّ فلانًا أو تذْكُر فلانًا ماذا تستفيد إذا كان فلانٌ معرضًا عنك؟ ما تستفيد إلا العَنَاء والبلاء، ولذلك قَضِيَّة بَرِيرَة مع زوجِها مغيث هو يذكُرُها لكن هي لا تذكُرُه ولا ترِيدُه، وهو يحبُّها حبًّا شديدًا فالشأن إذًا بذكر الله لك ولكن ثِقْ بأنَّك إذا ذكرْتَ الله مِن قَلْب فإنَّ ذكرَ الله لك أعظم مِن ذكرِك له مَن ذكرني في نفْسِه ذكرْتُه في نفسي ونفسُ الله تعالى أعظم مِن نفسك بلا شَكّ ومن ذكرَني في ملأٍ ذكرْتُه في ملأٍ دونهم ولا مثلهم؟
الطالب: خيرٍ منهم

الشيخ : خيرٍ منهم فأنت اذْكُر ربك حقيقة فالله يذْكُرُك ذكرًا أعظَم منه وأجلّ مِن ذكرِك إيَّاه، إذًا لَذِكْرُ الله أكبر نقول: إنَّه صالح لهذا ولهذا، وقوله: " لذكر الله أكبر مِن غيره مِن الطاعات " هل المراد هنا الذكرُ المنفصل عن الصلاة؟ أوِ الذكرُ الذي في الصلاة؟ نشوف كلام المؤلف وش يرَى؟
الطالب: المنفَصِل.

الشيخ : المنفصِل ظاهِرُ كلام المؤلف أنَّه الذكرُ المنفصل يعني أنَّ الصلاة تنهَى عن الفحشاء والمنكر وذكْرُ الله أعظم نهيًا عن الفحشاء والمنكَر وأكبَر، ويحتمل أن يكونَ المراد ولَذكرُ الله الموجود في الصلاة والموجُود بِها، الموجود فيها وبها كذا؟ فين الفرق يصلح فيها وبها ولَّا بينهم فرق؟ لا، بينَهم فرق ذكرُ الله الموجود فيها مثل التسبيح والتكبير والقِرَاءة، وذكرُ الله بها يعني ما يحصُل مِن ذِكْرِ الله بسبَبِها
Say, "If you love Allah, then follow me." The student: Allah loves you. The Shaykh: No, "then follow me." Do you love Allah? Allah loves you. That is the matter. The matter is that Allah remembers you, not that you remember Him. Just as this is the case between the created being and the Creator, it is also the case between created beings with one another. What do you gain if you love so-and-so or remember so-and-so, if so-and-so is turning away from you? You gain nothing but trouble and affliction. Therefore, the case of Barirah with her husband, Mughith, is that he remembers her, but she does not remember him and does not want him, while he loves her intensely. So the matter is that Allah remembers you. But be assured that if you remember Allah from your heart, then Allah's remembrance of you is greater than your remembrance of Him. Whoever remembers Me in his heart, I remember him in My heart, and the heart of Allah the Exalted is greater than your heart without a doubt. And whoever remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a gathering better than them and not like them? The student: Better than them. The Shaykh: Better than them. So you should remember your Lord in truth, for Allah will remember you with a remembrance greater and more noble than your remembrance of Him. Thus, "the remembrance of Allah is greater." We say that it is valid for this and for that. And regarding his statement, "The remembrance of Allah is greater than other acts of obedience," is the intended meaning here the remembrance separate from prayer, or the remembrance within prayer? Let us see what the author says and what he sees. The student: The separate one. The Shaykh: The separate one. The apparent meaning of the author's words is that it is the remembrance separate from prayer, meaning that prayer restrains from immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is a greater restraint from immorality and wrongdoing and is greater. It is possible that the intended meaning is "And the remembrance of Allah that exists in prayer and by means of prayer, that exists in it and by it, is it so?" What is the difference? Does it work in it and by it, or is there a difference between them? No, there is a difference between them. The remembrance of Allah that exists in it is like the glorification, the takbir, and the recitation. And the remembrance of Allah by it means what occurs of the remembrance of Allah as a result of it.