The Danger of Negligence in Performing the Prayers
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Question:
We see in this time that some people are negligent in performing the prayer. What is your opinion, Honorable Shaykh Sa'd?
Answer:
Yes, this is a great calamity. Negligence in the matter of prayer is a sign of evil and a sign of imminent danger if this defect is not addressed, because negligence in prayer is negligence in the greatest pillar of Islam after the testimony of faith. Indeed, it is negligence in the pillar of Islam, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2616Hasan (Darussalam) It is also being lax in the deed for which the servant is first held accountable on the Day of Resurrection.
It is reported in the hadith:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 413Sahih (Darussalam) If it is sound, it is accepted, and the rest of his deeds are accepted. If it is not sound or is defective, it is rejected, and the rest of his deeds are rejected. Allah the Exalted commanded the establishment of prayer at its appointed times, in congregation, with humility and tranquility, as Allah the Exalted commanded. He mentioned that those who are negligent in prayer are threatened with wail. He said: [Al-Ma'un 107:4-5] Negligence regarding prayer means being lax in it, either by performing it outside its time, or by abandoning the congregational prayer, or by not having the heart present during its performance, or by not having tranquility in performing its pillars and obligations and what is prescribed in it. All of this is negligence regarding prayer, and they are threatened with wail, which is a valley in Hellfire. In another verse, He the Exalted and Majestic is He says: "Then there came after them [Maryam 19:59]" The meaning of "they neglected the prayer" is that they delayed it from its appointed times, so one does not pray Fajr, for example, until after the sun has risen, and does not pray Zuhr until after 'Asr, and does not pray 'Asr until after Maghrib, and so on for every prayer he takes out of its time. This is neglecting the prayer.
As for the one who abandons prayer entirely and does not pray, he is a disbeliever who has exited the religion, even if he believes in its obligation. He is a disbeliever according to the correct view of the scholars, based on the evidence indicating his disbelief. He said:Mishkat al-Masabih 574 And he said: Mishkat al-Masabih 569 among other evidence.
Allah the Exalted says about the people of the Fire:[Al-Muddaththir 74:42-43] He said: [At-Tawbah 9:5] meaning, do not kill them. This indicates that if they do not establish the prayer, they are to be killed. He said: [At-Tawbah 9:11] This indicates that the one who does not establish the prayer is not among our brothers in religion. Thus, he is a disbeliever, among other evidence. So the matter of prayer is a great matter. It is, as Allah the Exalted said: [Al-'Ankabut 29:45] And whoever guards his prayer is guarding the rest of his religion, a fortiori. And whoever neglects his prayer is neglecting the rest of his religion, a fortiori. Yes.
We see in this time that some people are negligent in performing the prayer. What is your opinion, Honorable Shaykh Sa'd?
Answer:
Yes, this is a great calamity. Negligence in the matter of prayer is a sign of evil and a sign of imminent danger if this defect is not addressed, because negligence in prayer is negligence in the greatest pillar of Islam after the testimony of faith. Indeed, it is negligence in the pillar of Islam, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The head of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is the Salat, and its hump is Jihad
رأس الأمر الإسلام وعموده الصلاة وذروة سنامه الجهاد في سبيل الله،It is reported in the hadith:
Indeed the first deed by which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection is his Salat. If it is complete
أن أول ما يحاسب عنه العبد يوم القيامة من أعماله صلاته، فإن صلحت(4) So woe to those who pray (5) [But] who are heedless of their prayer -
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَBut there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil -
مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّاAs for the one who abandons prayer entirely and does not pray, he is a disbeliever who has exited the religion, even if he believes in its obligation. He is a disbeliever according to the correct view of the scholars, based on the evidence indicating his disbelief. He said:
as saying, “The covenant between us and them is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he has become an infidel.”
صلى الله عليه وسلم العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرWhat lies between a man and infidelity is the abandonment of prayer
صلى الله عليه وسلم بين العبد وبين الكفر أو الشرك ترك الصلاةAllah the Exalted says about the people of the Fire:
(42) [And asking them], "What put you into Saqar?" (43) They will say, "We were not of those who prayed,
مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَBut if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way
فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْBut if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion
فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِand establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater.
وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، خطر التهاون في أداء الصلوات - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.