The Obligation of Prayer on the One of Legal Capacity
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The third question of Fatwa No. ( 4321 )
Q3: Is prayer obligatory in all circumstances? Is it an error for a person to refrain from prayer because he feels he is not worthy of praying, or that he prays yet still does what Allah has forbidden? Is he permitted to pray in all circumstances?
A3: Prayer is obligatory on every person of legal capacity, male and female, five times every day and night, by explicit text and scholarly consensus. It is the pillar of Islam and the greatest of its pillars after the two testimonies, whether one is committing some of the sins or not. Indeed, the one who commits sins is in greater need of what by which Allah forgives His sins by following a good deed with an evil one; such as prayer, fasting, charity, and the like of righteous deeds. Allah the Exalted said:[Hud 11:114] . And the Muslim must fortify himself with the remembrance of Allah, His mindfulness, and the recitation of
His Noble Book, and have great hope in His pardon and forgiveness so that despair does not creep into his heart. The occurrence of sins from him is not evidence of the invalidity of his prayer, fasting, zakah, or any of his other acts of worship. It is possible for absolute faith and righteous deeds to coexist in a person with his committing of what Allah has forbidden, other than associating partners with Allah and other nullifiers of Islam. We ask Allah the Exalted to grant us and you understanding in the religion and steadfastness upon it, and Allah is the One to be sought for aid. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q3: Is prayer obligatory in all circumstances? Is it an error for a person to refrain from prayer because he feels he is not worthy of praying, or that he prays yet still does what Allah has forbidden? Is he permitted to pray in all circumstances?
A3: Prayer is obligatory on every person of legal capacity, male and female, five times every day and night, by explicit text and scholarly consensus. It is the pillar of Islam and the greatest of its pillars after the two testimonies, whether one is committing some of the sins or not. Indeed, the one who commits sins is in greater need of what by which Allah forgives His sins by following a good deed with an evil one; such as prayer, fasting, charity, and the like of righteous deeds. Allah the Exalted said:
And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.
وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاَةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَHis Noble Book, and have great hope in His pardon and forgiveness so that despair does not creep into his heart. The occurrence of sins from him is not evidence of the invalidity of his prayer, fasting, zakah, or any of his other acts of worship. It is possible for absolute faith and righteous deeds to coexist in a person with his committing of what Allah has forbidden, other than associating partners with Allah and other nullifiers of Islam. We ask Allah the Exalted to grant us and you understanding in the religion and steadfastness upon it, and Allah is the One to be sought for aid. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.