Regarding His words, “...are signs for people of understanding”—that is, those endowed with intellect—He then describes them, saying:

“Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: ‘Our Lord, You have not created this in vain. Glory be to You, so protect us from the punishment of the Fire. Our Lord, whoever You admit into the Fire, You have surely disgraced; and the wrongdoers will have no helpers.’” (191–192)

Concerning His words, “Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides,” Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—al-Nakha'i, and Qatadah said: This refers to the prayer: one prays standing; if he is unable, then sitting; and if he is unable, then on his side.

Abu Uthman Sa'id ibn Isma'il al-Dabbi informed us; Abu Muhammad Abd al-Jabbar ibn Muhammad al-Jarahi informed us; Abu al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Mahbubi informed us; Abu Isa Muhammad ibn Isa al-Tirmidhi informed us; Hannad informed us; Waki' informed us, from Ibrahim ibn Tahman, from Husayn al-Mu'allim, from Abdullah ibn Buraydah, from Imran ibn Husayn, who said: I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about the prayer of the sick person, and he said: “Pray standing; if you are unable, then sitting; and if you are unable, then on your side.” (1)

The other exegetes said that it refers to remaining constant in the remembrance of Allah in all circumstances, since a person is seldom free of one of these three states. Its parallel occurs in Surat al-Nisa: “When you have completed the prayer, remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on your sides” (al-Nisa 4:103).

“And reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth”: that is, they reflect on what He has fashioned so wonderfully in them, so that this may guide them to Allah’s power and so that they may know that they have a Maker who is powerful, directing, and wise. Ibn Awn said: “Reflection dispels heedlessness and brings about fear in the heart, just as water brings forth vegetation in crops. Hearts have never been polished by anything like sorrows, nor illuminated by anything like reflection.”

“Our Lord”: that is, they say, “Our Lord, You have not created this”—the word “this” refers back to creation, which is why He did not say “these”—“in vain,” that is, frivolously and in jest. Rather, You created it for a momentous purpose. The expression rendered “in vain” is grammatically accusative because the preposition has been omitted; the underlying sense is, “with falsehood.” “Glory be to You, so protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”

“Our Lord, whoever You admit into the Fire, You have surely disgraced”: that is, humiliated him. It was also said: destroyed him; and it was said: exposed him to disgrace, as Allah Most High says: “Do not disgrace me concerning my guests” (Hud 11:78).

If it is asked: Allah Most High has said, “The Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believe with him” (al-Tahrim 66:8), yet some of the believers will enter the Fire; whereas He says, “Whoever You admit into the Fire, You have surely disgraced”—the answer is that Anas and Qatadah said: Its meaning is, “Whoever You cause to abide eternally in the Fire, You have surely disgraced.” (2) Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib said: This is specific to the one who will not emerge from it. (3) For Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: “Allah will admit some people into the Fire, then they will be brought out of it.” (4)

“And the wrongdoers will have no helpers.”