7. Sura al-Araf, Mecca 39

The Quranic Text & Ali’s translation:

قُلْ أَمَرَ رَبِّي بِالْقِسْطِ...

7: 29. Say:

"My Lord hath commanded justice;

...وَأَقِيمُواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ...

and that ye set your whole selves (to him) at every time and place of prayer, and call upon him, making your devotion sincere as in his sight:

...كَمَا بَدَأَكُمْ تَعُودُونَ ﴿٢٩﴾

such as he created you in the beginning, so shall ye return."

Transliteration Qul amara rabbi bil qist(i), wa aqimu_ wuju_hakum 'inda kulli masjidiw wad'u_hu mukhlisina lahud din(a), kama_ bada'akum ta'u_du_n(a).

Other versions:

7: 29

Asad Say: “My Sustainer has [but] enjoined the doing of what is right; and [He desires you to] put your whole being into every every act of worship, and to call unto Him, sincere in your faith in Him alone…….

Pickthall Say: My Lord enjoineth justice. And set your faces, upright (toward Him) at every place of worship and call upon Him, making religion pure for Him (only). As He brought you into being, so return ye (unto Him).

Ali’s comments:

1010. For wajh, see 2:112 and n. 114.

Our devotion should be sincere, not as in other men's sight, but by presenting our whole selves, heart and soul, to God. Even so, it may not be enough; for the sight of our heart and soul may be faulty.

We should call upon God to give us the light, by which our sincerity may commend itself to Him as true sincerity "as in His sight"

1011. Cf. 6:94.

Our sincerity should be real sincerity, as in His sight for when we return to Him, we shall be stripped of all pretence, even such self-deception as may satisfy us in this life.