As for the second premise, qunūt means persevering in obedience, which applies both to standing and to prostrating. As Allah Most High says:

“Or one who is devout during the hours of the night, prostrating and standing, fearing the Hereafter.”

Even if it meant remaining standing—as has been suggested concerning His words:

“O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord, prostrate and bow”—

it would not be permissible to interpret this as prolonging the standing specifically for supplication rather than for any other purpose. Allah has commanded people to stand before Him in devout obedience, and a command entails obligation. Yet, by consensus, the disputed practice of standing for supplication is not obligatory. Moreover, someone standing while reciting the Quran is also devoutly obedient to Allah.

It is also established in an authentic hadith that:

“When this verse was revealed, they were commanded to remain silent and forbidden to speak.”

Thus, silence is part of fulfilling the devout obedience commanded here. It is well known that this is obligatory throughout the standing portion of prayer.

Furthermore, His words:

“And stand before Allah in devout obedience”

are not restricted to the middle prayer, whether that is Fajr or ‘Asr. Rather, they are conjoined with His words:

“Guard the prayers, especially the middle prayer.”

Thus, the command to observe devout obedience accompanies the command to guard the prayers. Since guarding them encompasses all the prayers, standing likewise encompasses them all.

They also cite the report narrated by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and al-Hākim in his Sahīh, through Abū Ja‘far al-Rāzī, from al-Rabī‘ ibn Anas, from Anas:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, continued to offer qunūt until he departed this world.”

They say that the words in the other hadith, “Then he ceased doing so,” mean that he ceased supplicating against those