If my neighbor in the neighborhood (al-Harah) does not attend the prayer, should I allow my children to visit his family?
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The questioner : There is another point. This Sudanese brother, the questioner, says: O honorable Shaykh, if my neighbor in al-Harah does not attend the prayer...
The Shaykh : If?
The questioner : If my neighbor in al-Harah does not attend the prayer, should I allow my children to visit his family?
The Shaykh : If you have a neighbor who does not attend the prayer, it is obligatory for you to send him a gift, which is advice.
The questioner : Okay, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : So you go to him or invite him to your home, advise him, encourage him to do good, and explain to him the virtue of congregational prayer and that it is twenty-seven degrees better than praying alone. Warn him of the consequences of disobedience and abandoning the congregation, and make it clear to him that the heaviness of prayer is only for the people of hypocrisy, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 651b Warn him of the consequences of sins and their bad effects on the heart, character, worship, provision, and so on.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because sins have bad effects in everything. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:[At-Talaq 65:2-3] And He the Exalted said: [At-Talaq 65:4] So if you want provision and if you want ease, you must fear Allah Mighty and Majestic, for that is the cause... This is it.
Then, if Allah guides him, that is a blessing from Allah upon you and upon him. And if the other outcome occurs, he has returned with the sin, and you are free from responsibility.
As for your family and children, if his family are upright and you do not fear for your family and children from them, then the sin of their father does not affect them, or rather, the disobedience committed by the father of these neighbors does not affect them. So let your family and children visit them, for honoring the neighbor is part of faith. But if his family are not upright and you fear for your family and children from them, then prevent them. Prevent your family and children from visiting them so that they are not influenced by them, for averting harm is more important than seeking benefit. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If?
The questioner : If my neighbor in al-Harah does not attend the prayer, should I allow my children to visit his family?
The Shaykh : If you have a neighbor who does not attend the prayer, it is obligatory for you to send him a gift, which is advice.
The questioner : Okay, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : So you go to him or invite him to your home, advise him, encourage him to do good, and explain to him the virtue of congregational prayer and that it is twenty-seven degrees better than praying alone. Warn him of the consequences of disobedience and abandoning the congregation, and make it clear to him that the heaviness of prayer is only for the people of hypocrisy, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are the night prayer and the morning prayer. If they were to know the blessings they have in store, they would have come to them, even though crawling
أثقل الصلوات على المنافقين صلاة العشاء والفجر ولو يعلمون ما فيهما لأتوهما ولو حبواThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because sins have bad effects in everything. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:
And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out (3) And will provide for him from where he does not expect.
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجعَل لَهُ مَخرَجًا * وَيَرزُقهُ مِن حَيثُ لا يَحتَسِبُAnd whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease.
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجعَل لَهُ مِن أَمرِهِ يُسرًاThen, if Allah guides him, that is a blessing from Allah upon you and upon him. And if the other outcome occurs, he has returned with the sin, and you are free from responsibility.
As for your family and children, if his family are upright and you do not fear for your family and children from them, then the sin of their father does not affect them, or rather, the disobedience committed by the father of these neighbors does not affect them. So let your family and children visit them, for honoring the neighbor is part of faith. But if his family are not upright and you fear for your family and children from them, then prevent them. Prevent your family and children from visiting them so that they are not influenced by them, for averting harm is more important than seeking benefit. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.