The Command to establish the Prayer

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said,

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَوةَ طَرَفَىِ النَّهَارِ

In verse 115, it was said: وَاصْبِرْ‌ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ‌ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (And be patient, for Allah lets not the reward of the good-doers be lost).

Literally, صَبر (sabr) means to tie. Therefore, in usage, Sabr is also used to carry the sense of keeping one's naughty self in control. Also included within its sense is the effort made to keep one's self firm and unflinching when it comes to doing what is good and right, as well as the effort to check and hold it back from getting involved with bad deeds. At this place, asking the Holy Prophet ﷺ to be patient could also mean that the injunctions given to him in the cited verses - for example, ` stand firm,"establish salah,' etc. - are things he should hold fast to. And it is also possible that the purpose may be to exhort him to be patient in the face of the hostility of enemies and the pains caused by them. As for what was said after that - ` Allah lets not the reward of the good-doers be lost' - it obviously suggests that 'almuhsinin' (good-doers) are people who faithfully observe the injunctions of do's and don'ts as given in the cited verses. In other words, they are firm in their religion, adhere to the limits set by the Shari'ah, maintain no friendly relations with the unjust unnecessarily, are punctual with their Salah, offering it as its etiquette demands, at the most preferred timings, and that they stand firm on all religious injunctions.