So when he completed what he obligated himself to of the most sacred covenant of lordship, as a favor from Him, he followed it up with the command to fulfill the covenant of servitude. He prioritized prayer because it is the most honorable act after faith. He prioritized ablution because it is a condition for it. He said: ﴿O you who have believed﴾; meaning: acknowledge Him; believe in Him that you are. ﴿When﴾; he expressed it with a tool of affirmation, as a good news that the nation is obedient. ﴿You stand﴾; meaning: with strength, which is the firm determination to stand, which is the cause of standing. ﴿For prayer﴾; meaning: its kind; being in a state of renewal, as the Prophet ﷺ clarified by combining prayers after it with one ablution, although renewal is more complete. Prayer and touching the Mus'haf are distinguished from among the deeds by the command of ablution, as an honor for both of them. The carrying of faith upon prayer is enhanced by the precedence of His saying (Exalted is He): ﴿Today I have perfected for you your religion﴾ [Al-Ma'idah: 3]; it is established that it was revealed to the Prophet ﷺ after the afternoon of the Day of Arafah, while the Prophet ﷺ was on his camel giving a sermon. Among his words at that time, or on the Day of Nahr, or on both: "Indeed, Satan has despaired of being worshipped by the worshippers in the Arabian Peninsula; but he will incite discord among them." Narrated by Ahmad and Muslim in the description of the Day of Resurrection; and Al-Tirmidhi from Jabir - may Allah be pleased with him. His saying: "the worshippers" indicates that the eraser of polytheism is prayer; as long as it is established, it will be removed. And when it is removed - we seek refuge with Allah - it will return. To this refers what Muslim narrated in his Sahih and the four Sunan compilers from Jabir - may Allah be pleased with him - that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Between a servant and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer." And for the four and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih and Al-Hakim from Al-Bara' - may Allah be pleased with him - that the Prophet ﷺ said: "What is between us and them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved." And for Abu Ya'la, with a weak chain, from Anas - may Allah be pleased with him - who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed, the first obligation that Allah imposed on the people of their religion is prayer; and the last thing that remains is prayer." And when ablution was mentioned in Surah An-Nisa, it was only in a general reference; he specified it here as a command and detailed it. He said - responding to the condition; informing that the command of ablution is a follow-up to the command of prayer; because what is contingent upon something with a conditional particle is nullified when the condition is absent: ﴿So wash your faces﴾; meaning: for the intention of prayer; and from here it is known that the intention is obligatory, because the action of the rational being can only be intended. The action of the commanded is for the sake of the command, which is the intention. ﴿And your hands﴾; and since the hand is referred to as what is between the shoulder and the tips of the fingers, he said - clarifying that the beginning of washing should be from the palms, because they are more deserving of the name due to their great benefit: ﴿Up to the elbows﴾; meaning: its end; taking from the clarification of the Prophet ﷺ by his action, for he would pour water over his elbows. The reliance was on the clarification because the limit sometimes indicates, as in His saying (Exalted is He): ﴿From the Sacred Mosque to the Al-Aqsa Mosque﴾ [Al-Isra: 1]; and sometimes it does not include, as in His saying (Exalted is He): ﴿Then complete the fast until the night﴾ [Al-Baqarah: 187].

The mرفق is the meeting point of the two bones; and it has been exempted from what is above that; as a relief. And when he shifted from the action being applied to the head; he did not do as he did in washing with the face; rather he came with the preposition; and said: ﴿with your heads﴾; it is known that what is meant is to create what is called wiping in any place on the head; without the specificity of generalization; and this is the meaning of the saying of al-Kashaf: what is meant is to attach the wiping to the head; and the one wiping some of it; and the one encompassing it with the wiping; both are attaching the wiping.

And when washing the feet is a cause for excess; it was commanded to be moderate in it; and wiping over the khuff is permissible; sufficient. It was recited: 'and your feet' with the genitive; indicating to that; or because the washer usually rubs. It is said in al-Qamus: 'wiping' is like 'preventing': passing the hand over the liquid thing; and in that there is also an indication to the recommendation of rubbing; and the evidence indicating the use of this shared term in one of the two meanings is the reading of the accusative; and the statement of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him; and the occurrence of its use in it; and in it is an indication of gentleness with the accusative as the original.

And when the foot is from the point of branching; from the bottom to its end; he specified with his saying - indicating clearly that the intended action is washing; as has been mentioned regarding the elbows; because wiping is not intended in it as a limit in the Sharia; and that the beginning of washing should be from the tips of the fingers; because the foot, due to its great benefit, is more deserving of the name 'foot' -: ﴿to the ankles﴾; and they are the protruding bones at the joint of the leg; and the foot; and he mentioned that each foot has two ankles; and if it were said: 'to the k'aba', it would be understood that the obligation is one ankle from each foot - as mentioned by al-Zarkashi in the comparison of the plural with the plural; from the letter 'm'; from its rules; and the distinction by wiping between the washed parts indicates the necessity of order; because the habit of the Arabs - as conveyed by Sheikh Muhyi al-Din al-Nawawi; in 'Sharh al-Muhadhdhab'; from the companions - is that they do not do that except to indicate the order; and others said - explaining what the Arabs have imposed -: leaving the distinction between the two types; by mentioning each of them separately; is considered inappropriate in eloquent speech without benefit; so it is necessary to purify the words of Allah from it as well; thus the indication of the verse is on the obligation of beginning with the face; which cannot be denied for its order; by safeguarding the condition with 'fa'; and this necessitates the obligation of order in the rest; as there is no one who claims obligation by some without the others; and perhaps the repetition of the matter regarding washing and tayammum is for the emphasis on both; and for the reminder of the blessing in the expansion with tayammum; and that its ruling remains in their safety and ease; for the dislike of it being thought that it was only during their fear; and their scarcity; and the narrowness of spreading on the earth; due to the appearance of the disbelievers and their dominance; as enjoyment was permitted at times; and prohibited at others; considering the need and its absence; and to indicate that it is one of the characteristics of this nation; and to inform that He did not intend by it nor by anything of the commanded and prohibited before it hardship; but rather He intended the purity of the inward and outward from the filth of sins; and the burdens of past creatures; so He said (the Exalted) - expressing with a tool of doubt; indicating that it may occur; and it may not occur; and it is rare; on the condition of its occurrence; adding to what you estimate: 'This if you are in a state of minor impurity -: ﴿And if you are﴾; meaning: at the time of intending to pray; ﴿in a state of janabah﴾; meaning: being in a state of sexual impurity due to ejaculation; or otherwise; ﴿then purify yourselves﴾; meaning: by washing; if you are free of excuse; for the entire body; because He made it general and did not specify some of the limbs; as in ablution.

And when he completed the matter of purification with determination by water; from the ritual bath; and ablution; and he began with ablution due to its generality; he mentioned purification as a concession with dust; and he said - expressing with a tool of doubt; indicating that ease is more than hardship -: "And if you are ill"; meaning (p-35) with wounds; or otherwise; and you do not find water; in a tangible or meaningful sense; due to the inability to use it; while you are in a state of major ritual impurity; "or on a journey"; long or short likewise; and when he mentioned the greater he followed it with the lesser; and he said: "or one of you comes"; while he is not in a state of major ritual impurity; "from the place of relieving oneself"; meaning: the place that is secure from the earth; and it is any place for relieving oneself; meaning: you have fulfilled the human need; which he must have; and the Book keeps itself from explicitly stating it; because it is among the deficiencies that remind him of his severe helplessness; and great necessity; and his poverty; so that he may refrain from his admiration; and arrogance; and pride; and immorality; as it has been reported that some of the princes encountered some foolishness on a path; and he did not make way for him; so he became angry; and said: "As if you do not know me?" He said: "Yes, by Allah; I do know you; your beginning is a drop of foul fluid; and your end is a filthy corpse; and you, in between that, carry the burden of excrement.

And when he mentioned what pertains to the smaller [matter], he mentioned what encompasses the greater [matter]. He said: ﴿Or have you touched the women﴾; meaning: with the male organ; or otherwise; have you experienced desire; or not; ﴿and you did not find water﴾; meaning: a sense; or a meaning; due to the inability to use it; due to illness from a wound; or otherwise; ﴿then perform tayammum﴾; meaning: intend with a deliberate intention; ﴿a pure earth﴾; meaning: soil; ﴿good﴾; meaning: pure; free from impurities; ﴿then wipe over your faces and your hands from it﴾; meaning: in the state of intention; which is the intention; which is tayammum; then He indicated to them His wisdom - glorified and exalted is He - in this concession; He said - beginning anew -: ﴿Allah does not intend to make for you any hardship﴾; meaning: the Self-Sufficient, the Absolutely Rich; ﴿but He intends to purify you﴾; meaning: outwardly; and inwardly; with water; and soil; and compliance with the command as He has legislated - glorified is He -; whether you understood its meaning; or not; with the facilitation of commands and prohibitions; so that the strictness does not cause you to fall into sin; which is the filth of the inward; ﴿and to complete His favor upon you﴾; meaning: in easing the obligations; then in the concessions; and in His promise of rewards for the actions He has legislated for you; ﴿upon you﴾; for the sake of facilitating them; so that your actions for them; and your deserving of what has been arranged for them from the reward; is guaranteed; except for the one whose nature is stubborn in deviation; and persists in misguidance; ignorance; and arrogance; ﴿that perhaps you may be grateful﴾; meaning: and He did all of this; this facilitation and other than it; so that your state, when He facilitated for you; is like the state of one who hopes to be turned away from the blessings of his Lord upon him; in obedience that has been made easy for him; that is beloved to him; Al-Bukhari narrated in the tafsir; and others; from Aisha - may Allah be pleased with her - who said: “We went out with the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - on some of his journeys; until when we were at Al-Baida; or at Dhat Al-Jaysh; a necklace of mine broke; so the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - stayed to look for it; and the people stayed with him; and they were not on any water; and they had no water with them; and in another narration: a collar of mine fell at Al-Baida; while we were entering the city; so the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - halted; and he laid his head in my lap sleeping; then the people came to Abu Bakr; and said: Do you not see what Aisha has done? So Abu Bakr came and gave me a hard pinch; and said: You have detained the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - with a necklace; and by me is death for the place of the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him -; and it has hurt me; then the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - woke up; and the morning came; and he sought water; but it was not found; so the verse was revealed: ﴿O you who have believed, when you rise to [offer] the prayer﴾; and in another narration: “Then Allah revealed the verse of tayammum: ﴿Then perform tayammum﴾; and Asid ibn Hudhayr said: Indeed Allah has blessed the people through you, O family of Abu Bakr; you are nothing but a blessing for them.” And in another narration: “What is the first of your blessings, O family of Abu Bakr?” She said: So we sent for the camel that I was on; and there was the necklace beneath it.” And in another narration from her; regarding marriage; “That she borrowed a necklace from Asma; and it was lost; so the Messenger of Allah - blessings and peace be upon him - sent some of his companions to search for it; and the prayer overtook them; so they prayed without ablution; and when they came to the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - they complained to him about that; so the verse of tayammum was revealed; and Usayd ibn Hudhayr said: May Allah reward you with good; for by Allah, no matter has ever befallen you except that Allah has made for you a way out of it; and made for the Muslims in it a blessing.” And this hadith indicates that this verse was revealed before the verse of “the women”; so that one was revealed after that; to confirm this ruling; and to increase the gratitude for it; for what is in it of great ease; and to have a specific text regarding tayammum from janabah; so that would be more esteemed for its status; and more indicative of the concern for it.