This text thus establishes that this surah is divided between Allah and His servant, and that these two phrases mark its division: “You alone we worship,” together with what precedes it, is for Allah; “and You alone we ask for help,” together with what follows it, is for the servant, who shall have what he asks for.

Hence some of the early generations said: “Half of it is praise, and half of it is petition.” Both worship and seeking help are forms of supplication. Since Allah has made it obligatory for us to commune with Him and call upon Him with these two phrases in every prayer, this clearly entails that we are obliged to worship Him and seek His help. Requiring an utterance that constitutes an acknowledgment and avowal, a supplication and request, means requiring what it signifies—not merely requiring words devoid of meaning, for that cannot be the case. Indeed, requiring this goes further than merely requiring worship and seeking help, since their essential reality may be fulfilled through the heart alone, or through the heart and body. Rather, He has required us to call upon Allah, Almighty and Majestic, to commune with Him, speak to Him, and address Him in these terms, so that what is required may be complete in both form and meaning, through the heart and the rest of the body.

He has brought these two comprehensive principles together in several places, both by way of obligation and otherwise, as in His words at the end of Surah Hūd:

“So worship Him and put your trust in Him.”

And the words of the righteous servant Shuʿayb:

“My success comes only through Allah. In Him I put my trust, and to Him I turn.”

And the words of Abraham and those with him:

“Our Lord, in You we put our trust, to You we turn, and to You is the final return.”

And His words—glory be to Him—when He commanded His Messenger to say:

“Thus We have sent you to a community before which other communities have passed away, so that you may recite to them what We have revealed to you, while they