The verse leaves the object of “fear” unspecified so that the ruling will cover every kind of dread—whether of an enemy, of a predatory animal, or of losing something whose absence or neglect would bring harm.

In such circumstances one is not required to face the qiblah; his qiblah is whichever direction he happens to be facing. The same concession applies when the qiblah cannot be determined while traveling, and likewise to non-obligatory prayers offered on a mount during travel. All of this falls beneath the Divine statement: “To Allah belong the East and the West; so wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing” ⦗al-Baqarah 115⦘.

This, then, is the prayer of the person excused because of fear; once safety is restored he is to perform a complete prayer.

• Included in His words, “Then, when you feel secure, remember Allah” ⦗al-Baqarah 239⦘, is both the obligation to make the prayers whole and the encouragement to engage in abundant remembrance of Allah in gratitude for the blessing of security and for the blessing of guidance.

• The noble verse also highlights the merit of knowledge, and that anyone to whom Allah has taught what he once did not know should increase in remembering Allah. It further indicates that frequent remembrance of Allah is a means to attain additional branches of knowledge that the servant would not otherwise have known, for thankfulness is ever linked to increase.

• Allah has likewise mentioned the prayer of fear in Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: “When you are among them and lead them in prayer…” ⦗al-Nisāʾ 102⦘ ⦗1⦘. He prescribed it in that specific form so that the congregational aspect of the prayer would be preserved, unity maintained, and so that prayer and combat could be combined as far as possible—fulfilling obligatory duties while guarding against the enemy’s harm. Glorified is the One who has placed in His Book guidance, light, right direction, and the rectification of all affairs.