Fidelity to God Alone

What does guarding your chastity have to do with guarding your prayers? At first glance, these might seem like separate aspects of personal conduct—one physical, the other spiritual. Yet twice in the Quran, God places them side by side in His portrait of the ideal believer. In both Surah 23 and Surah 70, we are told that the righteous are those who uphold the Contact Prayer (Salat) and preserve their chastity—framed with the same verbiage, in the same order, and with the same warning: go beyond this, and you transgress.

This is no coincidence. There’s a profound link between the integrity of our worship and the integrity of our relationships. One reflects the other—and both demand exclusive devotion.

The Righteous Profiled: Two Identical Blueprints

These passages don’t just mention Salat and chastity in passing—they embed them in nearly identical sequences that describe the people destined for Paradise. These aren’t scattered commands; they form a deliberate structure, with Salat at both the opening and the close, and chastity held firmly at the center.

In both cases, the list begins and ends with the Contact Prayer (Salat):

Surah 23:1–11

[23:1] Successful indeed are the believers;
[23:2] who are reverent during their Contact Prayers (Salat).
[23:3] And they avoid vain talk.
[23:4] And they give their obligatory charity (Zakat).
[23:5] And they maintain their chastity.
[23:6] Only with their spouses, or those who are rightfully theirs, do they have sexual relations; they are not to be blamed.
[23:7] Those who transgress these limits are the transgressors.
[23:8] When it comes to deposits entrusted to them, as well as any agreements they make, they are trustworthy.
[23:9] And they observe their Contact Prayers (Salat) regularly.
[23:10] Such are the inheritors.
[23:11] They will inherit Paradise, wherein they abide forever.

Surah 70:22–35

[70:22] Except for the worshipers.
[70:23] Who always observe their contact prayers (Salat).
[70:24] Part of their money is set aside.
[70:25] For the poor and the needy.
[70:26] They believe in the Day of Judgment.
[70:27] They reverence their Lord’s requital.
[70:28] Their Lord’s requital is not taken for granted.
[70:29] They keep their chastity.
[70:30] (They have relations) only with their spouses, or what is legally theirs—
[70:31] anyone who transgresses these limits is a sinner—
[70:32] And the believers keep their word; they are trustworthy.
[70:33] Their testimony is truthful.
[70:34] They consistently observe their contact prayers (Salat), on time.
[70:35] They have deserved a position of honor, in Paradise.

The repetition is no accident. These two surahs paint the same picture. God emphasizes the same spiritual qualities using nearly identical language, placing particular weight on two recurring actions: guarding Salat and guarding chastity.

This structure invites reflection. Why are these two traits—worship and sexual restraint—so tightly intertwined in God’s description of those destined for eternal success?

Guarding the Sacred: A Linguistic Connection

In both passages, the Quran uses a powerful word to describe those who uphold their Contact Prayers: yuḥāfiẓūna ( يُحَافِظُونَ ), from the root ḥā-fa-ẓa ( ح ف ظ )—a root that carries the sense of guarding, preserving, maintaining, and protecting with vigilance and care.

[23:9] And they observe their Contact Prayers (Salat) regularly.

[70:34] They consistently observe their contact prayers (Salat), on time.

 وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

1	wa-alladhīna	وَٱلَّذِينَ	And those who
2	hum	هُمْ	[they]
3	ʿalā	عَلَىٰ	over
4	ṣalawātihim	صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ	their Contact Prayer (Salat)
5	yuḥāfiẓūna	يُحَافِظُونَ	they guard / preserve / maintain.

This is also the same root used to describe those who guard their chastity:

[70:29] They keep their chastity.

[23:5] And they maintain their chastity.

 وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ

1	wa-alladhīna	وَٱلَّذِينَ	And those who
2	hum	هُمْ	[they] (are)
3	lifurūjihim	لِفُرُوجِهِمْ	of their chastity
4	ḥāfiẓūna	حَـٰفِظُونَ	guardians / maintainers.

This is no stylistic flourish. It’s a thematic echo.

The Quran could have used different verbs—ones that simply mean to “perform” or “engage in”—but it chose a word that connotes protection. Just as one must guard one’s private parts from unlawful relations, one must be vigilant to guard one’s prayer from distraction, delay, or idolatry.

Both require intentionality, discipline, and a kind of spiritual fidelity. These are not passive qualities—they are acts of safeguarding something sacred.

The symmetry is deliberate. The believer guards the body and the soul with the same seriousness. The sacred covenant with God is reflected both in our worship and in our relationships.

Exclusive Loyalty: The Covenant of Marriage and Worship

Both sexual fidelity and spiritual devotion hinge on a single principle: exclusive loyalty.

At the heart of both marriage and worship is a sacred covenant—an agreement built on love, trust, and exclusivity. And the Quran draws a powerful analogy between the two.

When a person commits to a spouse, they’re not simply entering a legal contract. They’re making a personal vow: I choose you and only you. That exclusivity isn’t just a rule—it’s the essence of the relationship. Any act of infidelity, no matter how emotional or discreet, isn’t measured by volume—it’s measured by betrayal. The violation isn’t just physical; it’s personal. It says: You are no longer enough for me.

Now consider the covenant we make with God.

When we say “You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help” (1:5), we are affirming that same principle of devotional exclusivity. Our Contact Prayer (Salat) is our daily reaffirmation of this covenant. It is where we turn our full attention to our Creator—not as a ritual, but as a declaration of love and loyalty. To mix this devotion with anything or anyone else is the spiritual equivalent of infidelity.

Even if the object of that devotion is a beloved figure, a prophet, a saint, or a symbol of tradition—the Quran is unflinching: that is not love; that is idol worship (shirk).

[4:36] You shall worship God alone and associate nothing with Him.

This is why the Quran uses the same language—ḥāfiẓūn—for both Salat and chastity. In both domains, we are being asked to guard a sacred boundary. Not because God is possessive or petty—but because love that is divided, ceases to be love.

And this is also why both passages highlight that believers are trustworthy and keep their promises:

[23:8] When it comes to deposits entrusted to them, as well as any agreements they make, they are trustworthy.

[70:32] And the believers keep their word; they are trustworthy.
[70:33] Their testimony is truthful.

Just as spouses vow to remain faithful to one another, the Children of Adam also made a sacred vow to God:

[36:60] Did I not covenant with you, O Children of Adam, that you shall not worship the devil? That he is your most ardent enemy?
[36:61] And that you shall worship Me alone? This is the right path.

And long before our earthly lives began, the Quran tells us that God gathered all the souls of Adam’s descendants and made them testify:

[7:172] Recall that your Lord summoned all the descendants of Adam, and had them bear witness for themselves: “Am I not your Lord?” They all said, “Yes. We bear witness.” Thus, you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, “We were not aware of this.”
[7:173] Nor can you say, “It was our parents who practiced idolatry, and we simply followed in their footsteps. Will You punish us because of what others have innovated?”

This was our original pledge—a covenant etched into our very being. No one will be able to say on the Day of Judgment, “We didn’t know,” or “We only followed what our parents taught.”

A Believer’s Love of God is Indivisible

In marriage, faithfulness means intimacy is reserved for a committed partner. No extramarital affairs. No exceptions. Any breach—no matter how small—is a betrayal of the covenant.

Worship works the same way.

God commands that our Salat—our most intimate act of spiritual connection—be directed to Him alone. We are to guard it, not just in timing or form, but in intent. No distractions. No divided hearts. No calling on others beside Him.

[6:162] Say, “My Contact Prayers (Salat), my worship practices, my life and my death, are all devoted absolutely to God alone, the Lord of the universe.

 قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

[72:18] The places of worship belong to God; do not call on anyone else beside God.

 وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًا

[39:3] Absolutely, the religion shall be devoted to God alone. Those who set up idols beside Him say, “We idolize them only to bring us closer to God; for they are in a better position!” God will judge them regarding their disputes. God does not guide such liars, disbelievers.

 أَلَا لِلَّهِ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْخَالِصُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـٰذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ

True believers should be fully content with their devotion to God alone and not feel compelled to include any other entity in this sacred bond.

[39:45] When GOD ALONE is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with aversion. But when others are mentioned beside Him, they become satisfied.

 وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ ٱشْمَأَزَّتْ قُلُوبُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

Just as no act of infidelity is acceptable in a marriage, no act of shared devotion is acceptable in worship. Even if it’s subtle. Even if it’s “meant well.” The Quran calls it what it is: idolatry.

[6:136] They even set aside a share of GOD’s provisions of crops and livestock, saying, “This share belongs to GOD,” according to their claims, “and this share belongs to our idols.” However, what was set aside for their idols never reached GOD, while the share they set aside for GOD invariably went to their idols. Miserable indeed is their judgment.

 وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ مِمَّا ذَرَأَ مِنَ ٱلْحَرْثِ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ نَصِيبًا فَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا لِلَّهِ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَهَـٰذَا لِشُرَكَآئِنَا فَمَا كَانَ لِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ فَلَا يَصِلُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ فَهُوَ يَصِلُ إِلَىٰ شُرَكَآئِهِمْ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

God does not accept shared love. He asks for complete, undivided devotion—the same way a spouse asks for complete, undivided loyalty.

The Biblical Motif: Spiritual Adultery

The Quran is not alone in making this connection. The Bible—especially in the Hebrew scriptures—frequently portrays idolatry as spiritual adultery, using marriage as a metaphor for the covenant between God and His people.

In this imagery, God is the faithful husband, and Israel is the unfaithful wife. When the people turn to idols, it’s not just disobedience—it’s described as betrayal, infidelity, and even prostitution.

Jeremiah 3:20
“Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel,” says the Lord.

Ezekiel 16:32
“You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband.”

Psalm 106:35–39
35 But they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.
36 They served their idols, which became a snare to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;
38 they poured out innocent blood…
39 Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

In Proverbs, both “Wisdom” and “the adulterous woman” function as personifications—Wisdom represents God’s word and truth, while the adulterous woman often symbolizes the seductive pull of folly, sin, and idolatry.

Proverbs 2:16–19
16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.
18 Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

God, speaking through the prophets, pleads not for obedience alone—but for loyalty, for a people who will return to Him with a whole heart, undivided and faithful. This is not just theology—it’s relational language.

Even the New Testament picks up this theme. James writes bluntly:

James 4:4
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?”

The point is clear: idolatry is not just about statues—it’s about loyalty. Divided devotion—whether to idols, saints, or worldly status—is spiritual cheating. And God, like any faithful partner, demands monogamy in the relationship.

This is precisely the Quran’s message as well:

[2:165] Yet, some people set up idols to rival GOD, and love them as if they are GOD. Those who believe love GOD the most. If only the transgressors could see themselves when they see the retribution! They will realize then that all power belongs to GOD alone, and that GOD’s retribution is awesome.

 وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ وَلَوْ يَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ إِذْ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْعَذَابَ أَنَّ ٱلْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعَذَابِ

[9:31] They have set up their religious leaders and scholars as lords, instead of GOD. Others deified the Messiah, son of Mary. They were all commanded to worship only one god. There is no god except He. Be He glorified, high above having any partners.

 ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـٰنَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَـٰهًا وَٰحِدًا لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

God is not just a deity to be acknowledged. He is a partner in a covenant—and He demands a love that is complete, unshared, and sincere.

Conclusion: One Love, Guarded on All Fronts

The Quran’s pairing of chastity and Salat is not accidental. It’s a deliberate echo—a spiritual rhythm reminding us that faithfulness is a holistic ethic. The one who guards their body from betrayal must also guard their soul. The one who preserves the sacred trust of marriage must likewise preserve the sacred trust of worship.

In both, God asks the same thing: total devotion.

[2:238] You shall consistently observe the Contact Prayers, especially the middle prayer, and devote yourselves totally to GOD.

 حَـٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ قَـٰنِتِينَ

1	ḥāfiẓū	حَـٰفِظُوا۟	Guard strictly [you all]
2	ʿalā	عَلَى	[over]
3	l-ṣalawāti	ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ	the Contact Prayers (Salat),
4	wal-ṣalati	وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ	and the Contact Prayer (Salat)
5	l-wus’ṭā	ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ	[the] middle,
6	waqūmū	وَقُومُوا۟	and stand firm [you all]
7	lillahi	لِلَّهِ	for God
8	qānitīna	قَـٰنِتِينَ	[ones] with total devotion.

This is why the Quran uses the same root—ḥāfiẓūn—for guarding chastity and guarding Salat. In both cases, we’re protecting something sacred from corruption, dilution, or neglect. And in both cases, the consequence of crossing the boundary is the same: transgression and exile from God’s Paradise.

Just as infidelity in a relationship violates trust and defiles love, idolatry—no matter how subtle—violates the covenant we make in every Salat: You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.

God does not accept half-hearted love. He does not bless divided loyalties. Whether in worship or in intimacy, He honors those who guard what He has made sacred.

The believer’s life, then, is not fragmented—physical in one domain and spiritual in another. It is unified by a single principle: to love and serve God alone, with heart, body, and soul fully aligned. And that love—guarded, pure, and undivided—is the path to Paradise.

Mark 12:28–31 — Jesus is questioned by a teacher of the law:

28 …“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 — Moses instructs the Israelites:

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”