Then there succeeded them a generation which neglected prayers
and followed lusts. They will meet with destruction (Ghayy),
excepting the one who repents and believes and acts righteously.
(Quran 19:59-60)

Ibn abbas (RAA) explained that <> here does not mean
that they completely abandoned prayers, but that they delayed
them to the end of their prescribed times. Sa’id bin Musayyab, a
great Imam following the generation of the Companions,
elaborated on this, saying: “A person neglects if he delays the
noon prayer up to the afternoon prayer time, afternoon prayer up
to almost sunset prayer time, sunset prayer up to evening prayer
time, and evening prayer up to morning prayer time, while
delaying morning prayer until just before sunrise.  If anyone
dies without repentance while continuing in this manner, Allah
has promised Ghayy for him, and that is a valley in Hell which
is very deep and has foul food.”

Allah Most High says:

Woe to the worshippers who are unmindful of their prayer. (Quran
107:4-5)

Saad bin Abi Waqqas said: “I asked Allah’s Messenger (SAW) about
the meaning of ‘unmindful,’ and he replied: ‘It is delaying it
(the prayer) up to the end of its prescribed time.’” (Bazar)

While Allah calls such people <, they are lazy and
perform the prayer very late. He has promised them <>
(Wayl), which signifies a great punishment.

Some say, “Wayl is a valley in Hell, exceedingly hot, and that
is the place for those who delay or miss the prayer, excepting
the ones who repent and correct their habits.”

Allah Most High says:

O you who bleieve, let neither your wealth nor your children
distract you from the remembrance of Allah. And those who do so,
they will be the losers (Quran 63:9)

The commentators say: “The ‘remembrance of Allah’ in this verse
means the five daily prayers. If anyone is so busy in buying and
selling, or with his daily work of earning a livelihood, or with
his children, that he cannot perform prayers on time, he will be
among the losers.”

The Prophet (SAW) said in this regard: “The first thing which
will be judged among a person’s deeds on the Day of Resurrection
is the prayer. If that is in good order, he will pass the test
and prosper, and if that is defective, he will fail the test and
be a loser.” (Tirmidhi)

Informing us about the inhabitants of Hell, Allah Most High
says:

(The people in Hell will be asked): “What caused you to enter
Hell-fire?” They will say: “We were not among those who prayed,
nor did we feed the needy. We used to engage in vain discourse
with the vain-talkers, and we used to deny the Day of Judgement,
until there came to us that which is certain (ie. Allah’s
judgement).” Then no intercession by any intercessors will
benefit them. (Quran 74:42-48)

The Prophet (SAW) said: “The convenant between us and them (that
is, believers) is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he has become
an infidel.” (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawood, Nisai, Tirmidhi). He
also said: “What lies between a man and infidelity is the
abanonment of prayer.” (Muslim)

Allah’s Messenger (SAW) is reported to have said: “If anyone
abandons the afternoon prayer, his deeds are of no avail.”
(Bukhari). And he said: “If anyone abandons prayer deliberately
he has no claim upon Allah” (Sunan).

Abdullah bin amr bin al-As (RAA) said that the Prophet (SAW)
mentioned prayer one day saying, “If anyone keeps to it, it will
be light, evidence, and salvation for him on the day of
Resurrection; but if anyone does not keep to it, it will not be
for him light, evidence, or salvation; and on the Day of
Resurrection, he will be associated with Qaran, Pharoah, Haman,
and Ubayy bin Khalaf (a great enemy of Islam from among the
Quraish).” (Ahmad, Darimi and Baihaqi)

Some scholars have explained that the person who abandons prayer
will be raised with such a foursome because his neglect of
prayer may be due to his involvement with his property, his
country, his administrative work, or his trade, Therefore, if he
was involved with his property, he will be resurrected with
Qarun; if with his country, then with Pharoah; if with his
administrative work, then with Haman; and if with his trade,
then with Ubayy bin Khalaf, the trader among the unbelievers of
Mecca.

Mu’adh bin Jabal (RAA) reported Allah’s Messenger (SAW) as
saying: “If anyone abandons prayer intentionally he has no claim
to Allah Most High.” (Ahmad)

Umar ibn al-Khattab (RAA) reported that a man asked the Prophet
(SAW):  “Messenger of Allah, what action is dearest to Allah
Most High?” The Prophet (SAW) replied: “Prayer at its proper
time. The one who does not pray has no religion. Prayer is the
main pillar of the religon (of Islam).” (Baihaqi)

After Umar had been stabbed, it was said to him, “As-salat, ya
amir ul-mumineen!” (The prayer, Leader of the Believers!) He
said, “Yes, truly!  If anyone misses the prayer, he has no share
in Islam,” and thereupon he prayed while his wounds were
bleeding.

Abdullah bin Shaqiq (RAA) said that the Companions of the
Prophet (SAW) did not consider the abandonment of any good deeds
to be unbelief excepting the abandonment of prayer.

When Ali (RAA) was asked about a woman who did not pray, he
replied:  “The one who does not pray is an unbeliever.” Ibn
Masood said that the one who does not pray has no religion, and
Ibn Abbas said: “The one who leaves off a single prayer
deliberately will find, when he meets Allah Most High, that He
is angry with him.”

Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said: “When a person meets Allah after
neglecting his prayer, he will meet him as if he had not
worshipped him at all, nor done any good deeds.” And Ibn Hazm
said: “There is no greater sin after polytheism than missing a
prayer [That is to say, if one deliberately delays a prayer
until its time has passed, although he was able to pray it on
time, without any valid reason which permits delaying it before
its time.] and killing a believer without just cause.”

Ibrahim Nakahi said: “The one who has left off the prayer has
become a disbeliever.” Awn bin Abdullah said: “When a person is
buried, the first question which will be asked him will be
concerning the prayer. If that is accepted from him, his other
deeds will be looked at, but if that is not accepted form him,
no other deeds will be looked at.”

Abdullah bin al-As reported Allah’s Messenger (SAW) as saying:
“A person who conbines two prayers without excuse, enters a gate
among the major sins.”

We seek Allah’s guidance and help, for indeed. He is the
Generous, the Magnanimous, and the Most Merciful of all merciful
ones!

For more visit www.islamicnet.com

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