وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَأَخِيهِ أَن تَبَوَّآ لِقَوْمِكُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُيُوتًا وَاجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ قِبْلَةً وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (87)
(10:87) And We directed Moses and his brother: 'Prepare a few houses for your people in Egypt, and make your houses a direction for men to pray, and establish Prayer, *84 and give glad tidings to the men of faith. *85
*84). The Qur'an-commentators disagree about the meaning of this verse. After carefully considering the actual words of the verse and reflecting over the context in which these words were said, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps because of the oppression prevailing in Egypt, and because the faith of the Israelites had become quite weak, congregational prayer had become defunct among both the Israeli and Egyptian Muslims,* The abandonment of congregational prayer was a major cause of the disintegration of their collective entity and the virtual extinction of their religious life. That is why Moses (peace be on him) was directed to re-establish congregational prayer and to construct or acquire a few houses in Egypt specifically for that purpose.
* The author's expression 'Egyptian Muslims' denotes those Egyptians who had embraced the faith of the Prophets, the faith of Moses (peace be on him) - Ed.
The reason for such a directive is that when a group of Muslims falls prey to degeneration and dissolution, the necessary effort to revive their religious spirit and to restore their shattered integrity, if it is to conform to a truly Islamic pattern, must begin with the revival of congregational prayer.
The directive to 'make your houses a direction for men to pray' suggests, in my opinion, that these prayer-houses should become pivotal points for the entire people. That the directive to 'establish Prayer' immediately follows this statement means that rather than offer Prayer at different places, they should congregate in the houses set aside for Prayer and perform it collectively. For certainly one of the implications of the expression 'to establish Prayer' which frequently occurs in the Qur'an, is its observance in congregation.
*85). Moses (peace be on him) was directed to banish those feelings of despair, awe and dismay which had seized the believers. To 'give glad tidings' encompasses the whole range required by this task.