“Except those who pray (22)—those who are steadfast in their prayer (23); those in whose wealth there is an allotted share (24) for the petitioner and the deprived (25); those who affirm the Day of Recompense (26); those who fear the punishment of their Lord (27)—for no one can feel secure from their Lord’s punishment (28); those who guard their private parts (29), except with their wives or those whom they rightfully possess, for then they are not blameworthy (30). But whoever seeks beyond that—those are the transgressors (31). And those who faithfully observe their trusts and their pledges (32), and those who uphold their testimonies (33).”
“Except those who pray”: the plural has been excepted from the singular because “man” has a collective sense, as in His saying: “Indeed, man is surely in loss, except those who believe” (1).
“Those who are steadfast in their prayer”: they perform it at its appointed times, meaning the obligatory prayers.
Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Abi Tawbah informed us; Abu Tahir Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Harith related to us; Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Kisa’i informed us; Abd Allah ibn Mahmud informed us; Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Abd Allah al-Khallal informed us; Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak related to us from Ibn Lahi‘ah, who said: Yazid ibn Abi Habib related to me that Abu al-Khayr informed him, saying: “We asked Uqbah ibn Amir about the saying of Allah, Most High, ‘Those who are steadfast in their prayer’: are they those who pray continually?” He said, “No. Rather, when he prays, he does not turn to his right, his left, or behind him” (2).
“Those in whose wealth there is an allotted share for the petitioner and the deprived; those who affirm the Day of Recompense; those who fear the punishment of their Lord—for no one can feel secure from their Lord’s punishment; those who guard their private parts, except with their wives or those whom they rightfully possess, for then they are not blameworthy. But whoever seeks beyond that—those are the transgressors. And those who faithfully observe their trusts and their pledges, and those who uphold their testimonies.”
Hafs, transmitting from Asim, and Yaqub recited “their testimonies” in the plural, while the others recited “their testimony” (3) in the singular (4). “Who uphold”: that is, they give their testimony truthfully, neither concealing it nor altering it.