What is the authenticity of the hadith: “Whoever is lax in prayer, Allah will punish him with fifteen punishments”?
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Q: The brother: K. N. N. - From Riyadh, he sent us a message along with a copy of a sheet being distributed among people. It contains a hadith attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stating: “Whoever is lax in prayer, Allah will punish him with fifteen punishments...” to the end of what is written on the sheet. He asks about the authenticity of this hadith.
A: This hadith is fabricated against the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); it has no basis in truth. Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) clarified this in (al-Mizan), and Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in (Lisan al-Mizan). Whoever finds this sheet should burn it and warn those who find it being distributed, in defense of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from the lies of the liars.
What has come in the Great Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the exaltation of the status of prayer, the warning against being lax in it, and the threat for whoever does so, is sufficient and enough, and it dispenses with the lies of the liars. For example, His saying, the Exalted: [al-Baqarah: 238], and His saying, the Exalted: [Maryam: 59], and His saying, the Exalted: al-Ladhina Hum 'An Salatihim Sahun [al-Ma'un: 4-5]. There are many verses in this meaning.
And the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the people of the Sunan with a sound chain. And his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Between Sahih Muslim 82b Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
And his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) when he mentioned prayer one day among his companions:Mishkat al-Masabih 578 Narrated by Imam Ahmad with a good chain.
Some scholars said in explaining this hadith: The one who neglects prayer will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with these disbelievers; because if he neglects it due to leadership, he resembles Pharaoh, and if he neglects it due to ministry and other jobs, he resembles Haman, Pharaoh's minister, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection into the Fire. If he neglects it due to wealth and desires, he resembles Qarun, whom Allah caused the earth to swallow along with his home, due to his arrogance in following the truth because of his great wealth and his following of desires, and he will be gathered with him into the Fire. And if he neglects it due to trade and types of transactions, he resembles Abu ibn Khalf - the merchant of the people of Mecca - from among the disbelievers, and he will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection into the Fire.
We ask Allah for safety from their state and the state of those like them.
A: This hadith is fabricated against the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); it has no basis in truth. Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) clarified this in (al-Mizan), and Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in (Lisan al-Mizan). Whoever finds this sheet should burn it and warn those who find it being distributed, in defense of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from the lies of the liars.
What has come in the Great Qur'an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the exaltation of the status of prayer, the warning against being lax in it, and the threat for whoever does so, is sufficient and enough, and it dispenses with the lies of the liars. For example, His saying, the Exalted:
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَBut there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil -
فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّاWoe to the praying
فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ And the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرBetween man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat
الرجل وبين الشرك والكفر ترك الصلاةAnd his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) when he mentioned prayer one day among his companions:
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 Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, 1 and Ubayy b. Khalaf
من حافظ عليها كانت له نورًا وبرهانًا ونجاة يوم القيامة، ومن لم يحافظ عليها لم تكن له نورًا ولا برهانًا ولا نجاة وحشر يوم القيامة مع فرعون وهامان وقارون وأبي بن خلفSome scholars said in explaining this hadith: The one who neglects prayer will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with these disbelievers; because if he neglects it due to leadership, he resembles Pharaoh, and if he neglects it due to ministry and other jobs, he resembles Haman, Pharaoh's minister, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection into the Fire. If he neglects it due to wealth and desires, he resembles Qarun, whom Allah caused the earth to swallow along with his home, due to his arrogance in following the truth because of his great wealth and his following of desires, and he will be gathered with him into the Fire. And if he neglects it due to trade and types of transactions, he resembles Abu ibn Khalf - the merchant of the people of Mecca - from among the disbelievers, and he will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection into the Fire.
We ask Allah for safety from their state and the state of those like them.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.