And when He, glorified and exalted is He, established that the kingdom and the command belong solely to Him, and that He has perfected His law, and preserved His messengers, and that it is possible for whomever He wills to choose any religion, He concluded that with what is suitable for encouragement and warning. It was customary that when the king's commands became apparent and his callers spread, people would come to him. He addressed those who came to His religion, and they are the chosen ones among the people. He said: ﴿O you who have believed﴾ meaning those who said: We have believed, ﴿bow﴾ as a confirmation of your words, ﴿and prostrate﴾ meaning perform the prayer that I have legislated for humanity, for it is the head of worship, to serve as a proof of your sincerity in affirming faith. He specified these two pillars in expressing prayer with them, because they - due to their deviation from the usual forms - are indicators of submission. Thus, it was very appropriate to express it with them in the surah that encompasses all the sects, among which are those who find some forms indicative of humiliation due to their prevailing arrogance.

And when He specified the noblest of worship, He generalized with His saying: ﴿And worship﴾ meaning with types of worship ﴿your Lord﴾ who has bestowed upon you every worldly and religious blessing. And when He mentioned the generality of worship, He followed it with what may be more general than it, which may have a similar form, and may be without intention. He said: ﴿And do good﴾ meaning all of it from acts of goodness such as maintaining family ties and visiting the sick, and so forth, from the high morals, with intention and without intention, so that this becomes a habit for you, and it becomes easy for you to do it for Allah. This is close to "cry, and if you do not cry, then pretend to cry." Abu Hayyan said: He began with the specific, then followed with the more general.

﴿That you may succeed﴾ meaning that your state may be like that of one who hopes for success, which is attaining what is sought; Ibn al-Qatta' said: A man succeeded: he attained the bliss of the Hereafter. And success is also a term in it. In combining the meanings of the terms and the precise, success and salvation mean victory and permanence. And in the revelation: ﴿Certainly the believers have succeeded﴾ [Al-Mu'minun: 1] meaning they have attained everlasting permanence. And in the report: A man succeeded: he triumphed. And it is said for everyone who attains good: successful.