17. [al-Israa Mecca 50 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ
لِدُلُوكِ
الشَّمْسِ إِلَى
غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ
وَقُرْآنَ
الْفَجْرِ...
17: 78. Establish regular prayers -- at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading:
C2275. The Commentators understand here the command for the five daily canonical prayers, viz,:
the four from the declination of the sun from the zenith to the fullest darkness of the night, and the early morning prayer, Fajr, which is usually accompanied by a reading of the holy Quran.
The four afternoon prayers are:
- Zuhr, immediately after the sun begins to decline in the afternoon;
- 'Asr, in the late afternoon;
- Magrib, immediately after sunset; and
- Isha, after the glow of sunset has disappeared and the full darkness of the night has set in.
There is difference of opinion as to the meaning of particular words and phrases, but none as to the general effect of the passage.
...إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا ﴿٧٨﴾
for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony.
C2276. The morning prayer is specially singled out for separate mention, because the morning is a "peaceful hour" and special influences act on the soul awaking from the night's rest. Special testimony is borne to the prayers of this hour by the angelic host.
17: 78
Aqimis sala_ta lidulu_kisy syamsi ila_ gasaqil laili wa qur'a_nal fajr(i), inna qur'a_nal fajri ka_na masyhu_da_(n).
Asad Be constant in prayer from the time when the sun has passed its zenith till the darkness of night, and recitation at dawn: for, behold, the recitation at dawn in indeed witnessed.
Pickthall Establish worship at the going down of the sun until the dark of night, and (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn is ever witnessed.
Yuksel You shall hold the contact prayer at the setting of the sun, until the darkness of the night; and the Quran at dawn, the Quran at dawn has been witnessed.*
[[Yuksel’s note - 017:078 The time for evening (esha) prayer starts from the declining of the sun in the horizon and lasts until the darkness of the night. The Quran contains sufficient details about the sala prayer. See 24:58; 11:114; 38:32. ]]
[Asad note 95: AS is evidenced by the practice (sunnah) of the Prophet, this circumscribes the five daily prayers laid down in Islam as obligatory for every adult man and woman: ……….the early morning prayer is metonymically singled out as the “recitation (quran) at dawn” …….
Note 96: …….Razi, however, is of the opinion that the “witness” to which the Quran refers here is the spark of God-given illumination in man’s own soul – the heightening of his inner perception at the time when the darkness and stillness of night begins to give way to the life-giving light of day, so that prayer becomes a means of attaining to deeper insight into the realm of spiritual truths……]
[Aliis notes: 2275 The Commentators understand here the command for the five daily canonical prayers, viz.: the four from the declination of the sun from the zenith to the fullest darkness of the night, and the early morning prayer, Fajr, which is usually accompanied by a reading of the holy Qur-an. The four afternoon prayers are: Zuhr, immediately after the sun begins to decline in the afternoon; 'Asr, in the late afternoon; Magrib, immediately after sunset; and Isha, after the glow of sunset has disappeared and the full darkness of the night has set in. There is difference of opinion as to the meaning of particular words and phrases, but none as to the general effect of the passage. (17.78)
2276 The morning prayer is specially singled out for separate mention, because the morning is a "peaceful hour" and special influences act on the soul awaking from the night's rest. Special testimony is borne to the prayers of this hour by the angelic host. (17.78) ]