وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُۥ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ وَكَانَ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ مَرْضِيًّا 55
Translations
And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakāh and was to his Lord pleasing [i.e., accepted by Him].
Transliteration
Wa-kana ya'muru ahlahu bi-as-salati wa-az-zakati wa-kana 'inda Rabbihi mardiyan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to Prophet Ismail (Ishmael), describing how he commanded his family to establish prayer (salah) and give alms (zakat), and how he was pleasing to his Lord. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse emphasizes that true piety involves not only personal worship but also guiding one's household toward righteousness, and that such dedication to Allah's commands earns divine pleasure and approval.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Maryam's section honoring righteous prophets and servants of Allah. It specifically commends Ismail for his role in establishing Islamic practices within his family, reflecting the surah's broader theme of highlighting the virtuous character and deeds of prophets and their commitment to monotheism.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Bukhari: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895), which relates to the theme of a man's responsibility to guide his household in faith. Additionally, various hadiths emphasize the importance of teaching family members salah and zakat as foundational Islamic duties.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true spiritual leadership begins at home—a believer's responsibility extends to guiding their family toward obedience to Allah through prayer and charity. The combination of personal devotion and family guidance demonstrates that nearness to Allah comes not from isolated worship, but from living Islamic values authentically and inspiring others to do the same.