“He has succeeded who purifies himself, and mentions the name of his Lord and prays.”

He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.

Surah al-A‘la is one of the earliest revelations, and it puts success in an order that is easy to miss: first purification, then remembrance, then prayer. The verses immediately after explain what stands in the way — “but you prefer the worldly life, while the Hereafter is better and more lasting.” The surah then closes by saying this teaching is not new: it was in the scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa.