Tafseer of The Light · An-Noor · 24:37
[Are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about -
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His saying رِجَالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ (men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah) — Allah, exalted is His praise, says: the men who pray in these mosques — the mosques which Allah permitted to be raised up — are distracted neither by commerce nor by sale from the remembrance of Allah therein and from the performance of the prayer.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Abī l-Ḥasan, on the authority of a man whose name he forgot, concerning this verse فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ ... رِجَالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ up to وَالأبْصَارُ — he said: they are people occupied with commerce and sale, but their commerce and sale do not distract them from the remembrance of Allah.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Jaʿfar ibn Sulaymān related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, on the authority of Sālim ibn ʿAbdallāh — that he saw a group of people in the market who sprang up and left their merchandise for the prayer, and said: these are those whom Allah mentioned in His Book: لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ .
Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of Sayyār — he said: it reached me that Ibn Masʿūd saw a group of market-people who, at the call to prayer, left their merchandise and sprang up for the prayer. ʿAbdallāh said: these are those whom Allah mentioned in His Book لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ .
Some said: the meaning is: they are distracted neither by commerce nor by sale from their obligatory prayer.
Mention of those who said this:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: ʿAbdallāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiyah related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — he said: رِجَالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ — that is to say: from the obligatory prayer.
His saying وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاةِ — this likewise does not distract them from performing the prayer in the proper manner at its appointed times.
As for the linguistic matter of "iqām" instead of "iqāma" (the "hāʾ" being omitted here on account of the iḍāfa): the Arabs would add the "hāʾ" at the end as a reinforcement when the "wāw" had dropped at the beginning, as in "ʿidda" and "zina." But when this word stands in construct (iḍāfa), they would drop the added "hāʾ," because the word to which it is annexed already provides sufficient reinforcement. This is what is the case in this expression.
His saying وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ — concerning this it has been said: the meaning is sincere devotion in obedience to Allah.
Mention of those who said this:
ʿAlī related to me, saying: ʿAbdallāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiyah related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — concerning all the mentions of zakāt in the Qurʾān (such as أَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ , وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ , وَلَوْلا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا زَكَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ , وَزَكَاةً , etc.) — he said: by "zakāt" is meant obedience to Allah and sincerity.
His saying يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالأبْصَارُ (they fear a Day on which the hearts and the eyes will turn about) — Allah, exalted is His praise, says: they fear a Day on which the hearts will turn about from its terror — to and fro between hope of deliverance and dread of perdition — and the eyes: to which side will they be driven, the right or the left? And from which side will they receive their books, from the right or from the left? That is the Day of Judgment.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAyyāsh informed us: Zayd ibn Aslam said concerning فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ up to تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالأبْصَارُ : the Day of Judgment.
