reprehensible pleasures, and it acquires fear of Allah, reverence for Him, and awe. Its hope, fear, and love each serve to restrain it.

His saying:

“And the remembrance of Allah is greater”

explains the benefit and welfare that prayer brings. That is, the remembrance of Allah within prayer is greater than its restraining effect against indecency and wrongdoing, for remembrance is sought for its own sake, as He says:

“When the call to prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah.”

The former—its restraining effect—is secondary. This benefit and welfare are therefore greater than averting that harm. Thus, the sinful believer will ultimately receive mercy, whereas the hypocrite given to worship will ultimately come to misery. Faith in Allah and His Messenger is the sum and foundation of happiness.

Anyone who thinks the verse means that remembering Allah is greater than prayer is mistaken. Prayer is superior to remembrance on its own, according to both the scriptural texts and scholarly consensus. Prayer is itself remembrance of Allah, but remembrance in its most perfect form. How, then, could remembrance of Allah in general be deemed superior to its finest form?

A similar example is the saying of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Keep to night prayer, for it draws you near to your Lord, is the practice of the righteous before you, restrains you from sin, expiates misdeeds, and dispels the urge to envy.”

He thus explains the benefit it brings through drawing near to Allah and following the example of the righteous, and the harm it averts through restraining future misdeeds and expiating past ones. This parallels the verse.