[His saying (Exalted is He): And stand before Allah, devoutly obedient]

[The First Aspect]

2377 - Al-Mundhir b. Shadhan narrated to us, Ya'la reported to us, from Isma'il b. Abi Khalid, from al-Harith b. Shubayl, from Abu 'Amr al-Shaybani, from Zayd b. Arqam, who said: We used to speak during prayer; one of us would speak to his companion regarding his own affairs until this verse was revealed: "Maintain the prayers and the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient," so we were commanded to be silent.

[The Second Aspect]

2378 - Ahmad b. Sinan al-Wasiti narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Mahdi reported to us, from Sufyan, from Firas, from al-Sha'bi, from Masruq, from 'Abd Allah, who said: The "devoutly obedient" (al-qanit) is the one who obeys Allah and His Messenger. It was narrated from 'Abd Allah b. 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ata', al-Hasan, Qatadah, al-Dahhak, Sa'id b. Jubayr, al-Sha'bi, 'Ikrimah, Jabir b. Zayd, Muqatil b. Hayyan, and Tawus, the like of this.

[The Third Aspect]

2379 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us, Asbat reported to us, from Mutarrif, from 'Atiyyah, from Ibn 'Abbas, who said: "Devoutly obedient" (qanitin): Praying. It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar the like of that.

[The Fourth Aspect]

2380 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj and Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Yahya Sa'id al-Qattan narrated to us, they said: Ishaq b. Sulayman reported to us, from Abu Sinan, from Thabit, from al-Dahhak regarding: "And stand before Allah, devoutly obedient," he said: Obeying in wudu (ablution).

[The Fifth Aspect]

2381 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashaj narrated to us, Ibn Idris and al-Muharibi reported to us, from Layth, from Mujahid regarding: "And stand before Allah, devoutly obedient," he said: Among the meanings of qunut (devout obedience) are: bowing, humility, long standing—meaning the length of the standing posture—lowering the gaze, lowering the wing (humbleness), and fear of Allah. The scholars, when one of them would stand for prayer, would dread the Most Merciful too much to fix his gaze, turn his staff, look around during prayer, or talk to himself about any worldly matters, unless he was forgetful. The phrasing belongs to Ibn Idris, and in the hadith of al-Muharibi there is an addition: "Or fidget with anything."