Shu'ayb, peace be upon him, was very frequent in prayers. When his people saw him praying, they mocked and laughed at him. They intended by their saying, "Does your prayer command you to ridicule and mock?" Prayer, although it may be said to command in a figurative sense, as it is stated in the saying, "Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing," can also be said to command what is good and known, as it is said: it calls to it and encourages it. However, they directed their words towards mockery and made prayer a command in a way that was sarcastic regarding his prayers. They wanted to imply that what it commands, which is to abandon the worship of idols, is false and has no validity. They asserted that no rational call would lead you to it, nor would any wise command direct you to it. Thus, the only thing left is that it is a command from a deluded person and the whisperings of a devil, referring to your prayers that you persist in during your nights and days. In their view, it is akin to madness and what the insane and the overly anxious become attached to from certain sayings and actions. The meaning of "commands you" is that it commands us to leave, meaning it commands us with the obligation to leave what our fathers worship. It was said that the reading "Does your prayer command you?" is in the singular form. Ibn Abi 'Abla read: "or that you do in our wealth what you wish," using the second person in both instances, which refers to what he was commanding them regarding abandoning cheating and fraud, and being content with the little lawful over the much unlawful. It was said that he forbade them from removing coins and dinars and cutting them. When they said, "Indeed, you are truly the forbearing and the wise," they attributed him to the utmost foolishness and misguidance, turning it around to mock him, just as one mocks the miser who does not part with his possessions, saying to him: "If Hatem were to see you, he would prostrate to you." It was said that it means you are known for forbearance and wisdom among your people, implying that what you command does not match your state and what you are known for.