يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱرْكَعُوا۟ وَٱسْجُدُوا۟ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ وَٱفْعَلُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ۩ 77
Translations
O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good - that you may succeed.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu irkau wasjudu wa'abudu rabbakum waf'alu al-khayra la'allakum tuflihun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is a direct command to the believers to perform ritual prayer (ruku' and sujud), worship Allah alone, and engage in good deeds as a means to achieve success and prosperity in both worlds. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse encompasses the complete foundation of Islamic practice—establishing prayer as the pillar of worship while coupling it with righteous action, as faith without works is incomplete. The phrase 'la'allakum tuflihun' (perhaps you will succeed) indicates that adherence to these commands is the pathway to true felicity (falah).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Hajj, a Medinan chapter that addresses believers directly regarding spiritual and social obligations. Within the context of the surah, which discusses the pilgrimage and the comprehensive nature of Islamic submission, this verse serves as a universal call to all believers, emphasizing that spiritual success requires both the internal dimension of worship and the external manifestation through righteous deeds.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of deeds is prayer at its proper time, and kindness to parents' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, 'Prayer is the pillar of religion; whoever establishes it has established religion, and whoever abandons it has abandoned religion' (At-Tabarani).
Themes
Key Lesson
True success in Islam is achieved through the integration of ritual worship (salah) with ethical living and charitable action—prayer without good character is incomplete, just as charity without devotion lacks spiritual foundation. This verse reminds believers that submission to Allah is not merely internal belief but manifests through disciplined worship and consistent kindness toward others.