Among the things people are lax about is tranquility in prayer and laxity regarding the prayer itself.
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The Shaykh : You find some people being lax in prayer, in terms of tranquility; they do not attain tranquility, they rush so fast that they cannot achieve stability and tranquility, and this is an error. It is obligatory to attain tranquility in the bowing, the rising from bowing, the prostration, and the sitting between the two prostrations, because tranquility is a pillar of the prayer, and the prayer is not valid without it. Here, some people complain about some imams with whom they cannot attain tranquility. A man says: "My imam does not allow me to recite al-Fatihah, so what do I do? I cannot attain tranquility in prostration, what do I do?" We say: If that is the case, do not pray behind him, because you are between two things: either you leave off tranquility and follow him, or you attain tranquility and you cannot follow him, and both are errors. So if you know from your imam that he does not allow you to recite al-Fatihah or to attain tranquility in bowing and prostration, do not pray behind him. But first, give him advice and say to him: "Fear Allah, for you are not praying for yourself, but for whom are you praying? Answer, everyone? You are praying for those behind you. Fear Allah regarding them. Allow them to attain tranquility, allow them to recite al-Fatihah, allow them to engage in dhikr, tasbih, and du'a'."
And among people are those who are lax in prayer in a way that is uglier, more serious, and greater. He does not stand for the Fajr prayer except when the time for work arrives, and he even says to his family: "Do not wake me up except when the time for work arrives." So what do you think of this man who does not stand up except when the time for work arrives, and then he stands up and prays? Do you think his prayer is valid? Who knows?
The student: It is not valid.
The Shaykh : It is not valid, yes, you are correct. This man's prayer is not valid, not accepted, not expiating his sins, and not raising his degrees. Rather, it is returned to him, and his face is struck with it, may Allah protect us from that. The evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):Sahih Muslim 1718b meaning: it is returned. And if it is returned, then his deed is scattered dust, not accepted from him.
So we say to this man: He has indeed not prayed the Fajr prayer. How many prayers does he pray in the day? Four prayers, because the Fajr prayer, which he intentionally does not stand up for except when the time for work arrives, is not accepted from him.
And among people are those who are lax in prayer in a way that is uglier, more serious, and greater. He does not stand for the Fajr prayer except when the time for work arrives, and he even says to his family: "Do not wake me up except when the time for work arrives." So what do you think of this man who does not stand up except when the time for work arrives, and then he stands up and prays? Do you think his prayer is valid? Who knows?
The student: It is not valid.
The Shaykh : It is not valid, yes, you are correct. This man's prayer is not valid, not accepted, not expiating his sins, and not raising his degrees. Rather, it is returned to him, and his face is struck with it, may Allah protect us from that. The evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردSo we say to this man: He has indeed not prayed the Fajr prayer. How many prayers does he pray in the day? Four prayers, because the Fajr prayer, which he intentionally does not stand up for except when the time for work arrives, is not accepted from him.