238 Preface حافِظوا عَلَى الصَّلَواتِ وَالصَّلاةِ الوُسطىٰ وَقوموا لِلَّهِ قانِتينَYusuf AliGuard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer;1 and stand before God in a devout (frame of mind).The Middle Prayer. Al Salat al wusta : may be translated “the best or most excellent prayer.” Authorities differ as to the exact meaning of this phrase. The weight of authorities seems to be in favour of interpreting this as the 'Asr prayer (in the middle of the afternoon). This is apt to be most neglected, and yet this is the most necessary, to remind us of God in the midst of our worldly affairs. (R).