from al-Hasan: “Fearful.”

Ibn al-Mundhir narrated through Abū ʿAbd al-Rahmān al-Maqburī: “Al-Masʿūdī narrated to us that Abū Sinān narrated to us, saying concerning this verse,

‘who are humbly devout in their prayers’:

‘Humble devotion is in the heart; it also involves gentleness toward a fellow Muslim and not turning about during your prayer.’”

Ibn al-Mundhir’s commentary also contains the account found in the commentary of Ishāq ibn Rāhawayh, from Rawh, who said: “Saʿīd narrated to us from Qatāda,” concerning the words,

“who are humbly devout in their prayers.”

He said: “Humble devotion is in the heart, together with fear and lowering the gaze during prayer.”

Abū ʿUbayda Maʿmar ibn al-Muthannā, in his book Majāz al-Qurʾān (Quranic Expression), explained

“humbly devout in their prayers”

as meaning: “They neither raise their eyes nor turn about.”

Imam Ahmad narrated an account from Ibn Sīrīn in Kitāb al-Nāsikh wa-l-Mansūkh (The Abrogating and the Abrogated). Ishāq ibn Rāhawayh also narrated it in his commentary, as did Ibn al-Mundhir in his own commentary. He narrated it through al-Thawrī, who said: “Khālid narrated to me from Ibn Sīrīn, who said:

‘The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to raise his gaze toward the sky. Then he was commanded to be humbly devout, so he directed his gaze toward his place of prostration.’”

That is, the place where he would prostrate.

Sufyān said: “Someone else also narrated to me from Ibn Sīrīn that this verse was revealed concerning that:

‘Successful indeed are the believers, who are humbly devout in their prayers.’

He said: ‘It means a person’s stillness during prayer.’”

Maʿmar said: “Al-Hasan said: ‘Fearful.’” Qatāda said: “Humble devotion is in the heart.”

This includes humbling the gaze, lowering it and keeping it still, rather than shifting it in different directions, as in the words of Allah Most High:

“So turn away from them