The Negligent in Prayer and the Duty Toward Him
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Q: Many people today are negligent in prayer, and some of them abandon it entirely. What is the ruling on these people? And what is the duty of the Muslim toward them? Specifically, their relatives, such as a father, a son, a wife, and the like.
A: Negligence in prayer is among the great evils and among the characteristics of the hypocrites. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: [Al-Nisa: 142]. And Allah said regarding their description: [At-Tawbah: 54].
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 797Sahih (Darussalam) It is agreed upon as authentic.
Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim man and every Muslim woman to preserve the five prayers in their times, to perform them with tranquility, and to turn to them with humility and presence of heart. This is based on the saying of Allah, Exalted is He:[Al-Mu'minun 23:1] "Those who are humble in their prayers" [Al-Mu'minun: 1-2]. And because it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he ordered the one who performed his prayer poorly without tranquility in it to repeat it. And it is specifically obligatory for men to preserve them in congregation with their brothers in the houses of Allah, which are the mosques. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Bulugh al-Maram 2:308 It was narrated by Ibn Majah, al-Daraqutni, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim with a sound chain. It was said to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): What is the excuse? He said: (Fear or illness).
And in Sahih Muslim, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that a blind man came to him and said: O Messenger of Allah, I have no guide to lead me to the mosque. Do I have a dispensation to pray in my house? He granted him a dispensation, then he called him and said:? He said: Yes. He said: .
And in the two Sahihs, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that he said:Sunan Ibn Majah 791Sahih (Darussalam).
And these authentic hadiths indicate that prayer in congregation is, for men, among the most important obligations, and that the one who neglects it deserves a deterrent punishment. We ask Allah to rectify the conditions of all Muslims and to grant them success in what pleases Him.
As for abandoning it entirely, even if only at some times: it is major disbelief, even if he does not deny its obligation, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions, whether the one who abandons it is a man or a woman. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 82b It was narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. And based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) It was narrated by Imam Ahmad and the people of the four Sunan with a sound chain, along with many other hadiths on this matter.
As for the one who denies its obligation, whether a man or a woman, he disbelieves in major disbelief by the consensus of the scholars of knowledge, even if he prays.
So we ask Allah for us and for all Muslims to be saved from that, for He is the best of those asked.
And it is obligatory for all Muslims to advise one another, to enjoin truth upon one another, and to cooperate in righteousness and piety. This includes advising the one who neglects prayer in congregation or is negligent in it and abandons it at times, and warning him of the anger and punishment of Allah. And it is upon his father, his mother, his brothers, and his family to advise him, and to continue in that until Allah guides him and he becomes upright.
And likewise, for the women who are negligent in it or abandon it, it is obligatory to advise them, to warn them of the anger and punishment of Allah, and to continue in that, and to boycott the one who does not comply, and to punish him with appropriate discipline, if one is able to do so. Because all of this is from cooperating in righteousness and piety, and from enjoining good and forbidding evil, which Allah has made obligatory upon His servants, men and women. This is based on His saying, Exalted is He: [At-Tawbah: 71]. And based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan ad-Daraqutni 3:5.
And if sons and daughters are ordered to pray at seven and beaten for it at ten, then the adult is even more obligated to be ordered to pray and beaten for it if he neglects it, along with continuous advice.
And enjoining truth upon one another and patience in it. This is based on the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) : [Al-Asr: 1-3]. And the one who abandons prayer after reaching maturity and does not accept the advice, his case is referred to the Shari'ah courts so that they may seek his repentance. If he repents, well and good; otherwise, he is killed.
We ask Allah to rectify the conditions of the Muslims, to grant them understanding in the religion, and to enable them to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and to enjoin good and forbid evil, and to enjoin truth upon one another and be patient in it. Indeed, He is Generous and Noble.
A: Negligence in prayer is among the great evils and among the characteristics of the hypocrites. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said:
Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little,
إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَى يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلا قَلِيلًاAnd what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling.
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمْ أَنْ تُقْبَلَ مِنْهُمْ نَفَقَاتُهُمْ إِلا أَنَّهُمْ كَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَلا يَأْتُونَ الصَّلاةَ إِلا وَهُمْ كُسَالَى وَلا يُنْفِقُونَ إِلا وَهُمْ كَارِهُونَAnd the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are the 'Isha' prayer and the Fajr prayer. If only they knew what (reward) there is in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.
أثقل الصلاة على المنافقين صلاة العشاء وصلاة الفجر، ولو يعلمون ما فيهما لأتوهما ولو حبواTherefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim man and every Muslim woman to preserve the five prayers in their times, to perform them with tranquility, and to turn to them with humility and presence of heart. This is based on the saying of Allah, Exalted is He:
Certainly will the believers have succeeded:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ Whoever hears the call for prayer and and does not come (to the mosque for prayer), his prayer will not be accepted from him, unless he has a (legitimate) excuse.
من سمع النداء فلم يأت فلا صلاة له إلا من عذرAnd in Sahih Muslim, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that a blind man came to him and said: O Messenger of Allah, I have no guide to lead me to the mosque. Do I have a dispensation to pray in my house? He granted him a dispensation, then he called him and said:
Do you hear the call to prayer?
هل تسمع النداء للصلاةThen respond.
فأجبAnd in the two Sahihs, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), that he said:
I was thinking of commanding that the call to prayer be given, then I would tell a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would go out with some other men carrying bundles of wood, and go to people who do not attend the prayer, and burn their houses down around them.
لقد هممت أن آمر بالصلاة فتقام ثم آمر رجلا فيؤم الناس، ثم أنطلق برجال معهم حزم من حطب إلى قوم لا يشهدون الصلاة فأحرق عليهم بيوتهمAnd these authentic hadiths indicate that prayer in congregation is, for men, among the most important obligations, and that the one who neglects it deserves a deterrent punishment. We ask Allah to rectify the conditions of all Muslims and to grant them success in what pleases Him.
As for abandoning it entirely, even if only at some times: it is major disbelief, even if he does not deny its obligation, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions, whether the one who abandons it is a man or a woman. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Between man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat.
بين الرجل وبين الشرك والكفر ترك الصلاةThe 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 كفرAs for the one who denies its obligation, whether a man or a woman, he disbelieves in major disbelief by the consensus of the scholars of knowledge, even if he prays.
So we ask Allah for us and for all Muslims to be saved from that, for He is the best of those asked.
And it is obligatory for all Muslims to advise one another, to enjoin truth upon one another, and to cooperate in righteousness and piety. This includes advising the one who neglects prayer in congregation or is negligent in it and abandons it at times, and warning him of the anger and punishment of Allah. And it is upon his father, his mother, his brothers, and his family to advise him, and to continue in that until Allah guides him and he becomes upright.
And likewise, for the women who are negligent in it or abandon it, it is obligatory to advise them, to warn them of the anger and punishment of Allah, and to continue in that, and to boycott the one who does not comply, and to punish him with appropriate discipline, if one is able to do so. Because all of this is from cooperating in righteousness and piety, and from enjoining good and forbidding evil, which Allah has made obligatory upon His servants, men and women. This is based on His saying, Exalted is He:
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌOrder your children to pray at the age of seven, hit them for it at the age of ten, and separate them in their beds.
مروا أولادكم بالصلاة لسبع، واضربوهم عليها لعشر، وفرقوا بينهم في المضاجعAnd if sons and daughters are ordered to pray at seven and beaten for it at ten, then the adult is even more obligated to be ordered to pray and beaten for it if he neglects it, along with continuous advice.
And enjoining truth upon one another and patience in it. This is based on the saying of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) :
(1) By time, (2) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (3) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
وَالْعَصْرِ * إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ * إِلا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِWe ask Allah to rectify the conditions of the Muslims, to grant them understanding in the religion, and to enable them to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and to enjoin good and forbid evil, and to enjoin truth upon one another and be patient in it. Indeed, He is Generous and Noble.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.