83. Accordingly, whenever the Prophet faced a difficult situation, he resorted to Prayers (Ibn Jarir, Zamakhshari).

84. The rendering of “yaqin” as death is following the understanding of Mujahid, Qatadah, Hasan and others. In fact, in a hadith the Prophet also used the word in this sense (Ibn Jarir).

Allah (swt) said about the people of the Fire (74: 45),

قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ (43) وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَ (44) وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ الْخَائِضِينَ (45) وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ (46) حَتَّى أَتَانَا الْيَقِينُ [المدثر : 43 - 47]

“They said, ‘We were not of those who Prayed, nor did we feed the poor. We used to indulge (in diatribe against Islam) along with those who indulged, and we used to cry lies to the Day of Judgement, until death came to us’.”

The meaning, therefore, that the misguided people have derived, viz., “yaqin” is in the sense of “ma`rifah” is unacceptable. They say that one might Pray until he has acquired “ma`rifah.” Once he reaches the state of “ma`arifah” he need not attend to the obligations, which are for people of lower order. Apart from the fact that none of the classical scholars has derived such a meaning, nor does the Qur’an support it, but also, none of the Salaf, the highest in “ma`rifah”, the most knowledgeable after the prophets, ever claimed any such status for themselves. If anyone therefore, deserved that the obligations should be abrogated for him, then, the Prophet and the Companions should have been allowed that. But we find that they were the most devoted to acts and rituals of worship, even more than the ordinary people (Ibn Kathir, Alusi, Thanwi