It was recited: Is he who is devout? This is with the lightening of the question mark on 'who', and with the emphasis on the inclusion of 'Am' (or 'or') in it. 'Who' is a subject whose predicate is omitted, its estimation being: Is he who is devout like others? The omission is due to the indication of the speech, as the mention of the disbeliever has preceded it. And His saying after that: 'Say, are those who know equal to those who do not know?' It was said: Its meaning is: Is he who is devout better than he who is disbelieving? Or is this better than he who is devout in the connected question? The devout one is the one who fulfills what is required of him in obedience. From it is his saying, blessings and peace be upon him: 'The best prayer is the length of standing.' This is the standing in it. And from it is the qunut in the Witr prayer, because it is the supplication of the worshipper while standing, in a state of prostration. And it was recited: 'Prostrating and standing,' as if it is a report after a report, and the 'and' is for combining between the two attributes.

And it was recited: 'And he warns of the punishment of the Hereafter.' And he meant by those who know: the working scholars of the religion, as if he considered that one who does not act is not truly knowledgeable. In it is a great disdain for those who acquire knowledge, then do not act and are tempted, then they are tempted by the world; they are ignorant before Allah, as he made the devout ones the scholars. And it may be returned as a comparison, meaning: just as the knowledgeable and the ignorant are not equal, so too the devout and the disobedient are not equal. It was said that it was revealed concerning Ammar ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased with him, and Abu Hudhaifa ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi. And it was reported from Al-Hasan that he was asked about a man who persists in sins and hopes. He said: This is mere wishing, and true hope is his saying: And he recited this verse.

And it was recited: 'Only he is mentioned,' with the merging.