What is the authenticity of the hadith: “Whoever is lax in prayer, Allah will punish him”?
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This message, Your Eminence Shaykh Abdul Aziz, is similar to one we received previously and presented to you, and you answered it. However, since it is widespread among people and keeps coming to us, we want to present it again. The sender of this message (A. J. S.) from Makkah says:
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers, our master Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions. As for what follows:
The paper inside this message is about the punishment for the one who abandons prayer. Is this hadith authentic, and was it narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? I have attached the paper, and it reads: As for what follows:
It was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):, then it mentioned these matters which we do not wish to dwell on?
Answer: This hadith is not authentic. The scholars of knowledge, including al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in al-Lisan and al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in al-Mizan, and others, have pointed out that it is fabricated and has no authenticity. In fact, it is one of the fabricated hadiths falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) erred in mentioning it among the major sins; the correct view is that it has no basis. It is a fabricated, false hadith with no basis.
It is well known that prayer is a matter of great importance and is the pillar of Islam. Allah the Exalted said regarding it: [al-Baqarah: 43]. He said regarding it: [al-Baqarah: 238]. He said regarding it: [al-Ma'un: 4-5]. And He (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding its status and its exaltation: [Maryam: 59], meaning: ruin and destruction.
So prayer is a matter of great importance, and it is the pillar of Islam. Whoever neglects it neglects his religion, and whoever preserves it preserves his religion. It is obligatory for the people of Islam, both men and women, to maintain it, to be upright in it, and to perform it in its times with tranquility, purity, humility, and other of its requirements. This is the obligation for all Muslim men and women: to exalt this prayer, maintain it, and perform it in its times, and to take care of its purity and all that Allah has prescribed in it; because it is the pillar of Islam. Whoever preserves it preserves his religion, and whoever neglects it is more neglectful of everything else.
And the man adds to this that he performs it in congregation. He is obligated to perform it in congregation in the mosques of Allah. He is not allowed to perform it at home like a woman. No. In fact, this is one of the characteristics of the people of hypocrisy and of imitating them. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) even said:. And Allah the Exalted said regarding the hypocrites: [al-Nisa: 142].
So the verses suffice for what the fabricators have fabricated and the liars have lied about. Likewise, what came in the Sunnah from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding prayer is sufficient and complete. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam). And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , narrated by Muslim in the Sahih.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) also said, in what Ahmad narrated in the Musnad with a good chain, when he mentioned prayer between him and his companions:Mishkat al-Masabih 578. We seek refuge in Allah from this. These are among the great disbelievers and their leaders. So one must beware of neglecting prayer and imitating the enemies of Allah by staying away from it.
Some of the scholars of knowledge said: The one who neglects prayer will be gathered with these disbelievers; because either he neglects it for the sake of leadership and kingship, in which case he resembles Pharaoh, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection, we seek refuge in Allah; or he neglects it because of his ministerial position, in which case he resembles Haman, the minister of Pharaoh, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection; or he neglects it because of wealth and desires, in which case he resembles Qarun, whom Allah caused the earth to swallow along with his home when he became arrogant, transgressed, and refused to obey Moses (peace be upon him) in his time; or he neglects it because of trade and transactions, in which case he resembles Abu ibn Khalf, the merchant of the people of Makkah, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection.
The conclusion is that maintaining prayer is among the most important matters and the most obligatory duties. Staying away from it and neglecting it is among the characteristics of the people of hypocrisy and among the greatest of what is wrong, and among the causes of entering the Fire. In fact, abandoning it entirely is one of the types of disbelief in Allah, specifically major shirk, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions.
So one must beware of that, and it is obligatory for both men and women to maintain the prayers and perform them as Allah has prescribed. It is also obligatory to take care of tranquility in them, not to be hasty, and not to perform them like tapping (nukr), and that they be performed in their time. One must take care of purity and completing it, and take care of humility, as the Exalted said: [al-Mu'minun: 1-2]. Until the Exalted said after that: [al-Mu'minun: 9-11].
So we ask Allah to rectify the conditions of the Muslims, and to guide them to maintain this great prayer and take care of it, and to beware of being lax with it and abandoning it. Yes.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon the noblest of the prophets and messengers, our master Muhammad, and upon his family and all his companions. As for what follows:
The paper inside this message is about the punishment for the one who abandons prayer. Is this hadith authentic, and was it narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? I have attached the paper, and it reads: As for what follows:
It was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever is lax in prayer, Allah will punish him with fifteen punishments: six in this world, three at the time of death, three in the grave, and three when he comes out of the grave.
من تهاون في الصلاة عاقبه الله بخمسة عشر عقوبة، ستة منها في الدنيا، وثلاثة عند الموت، وثلاث في القبر، وثلاث عند خروجه من القبرAnswer: This hadith is not authentic. The scholars of knowledge, including al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in al-Lisan and al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi in al-Mizan, and others, have pointed out that it is fabricated and has no authenticity. In fact, it is one of the fabricated hadiths falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) erred in mentioning it among the major sins; the correct view is that it has no basis. It is a fabricated, false hadith with no basis.
It is well known that prayer is a matter of great importance and is the pillar of Islam. Allah the Exalted said regarding it:
And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَMaintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ(4) So woe to those who pray (5) [But] who are heedless of their prayer -
فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَBut 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 غَيًّاSo prayer is a matter of great importance, and it is the pillar of Islam. Whoever neglects it neglects his religion, and whoever preserves it preserves his religion. It is obligatory for the people of Islam, both men and women, to maintain it, to be upright in it, and to perform it in its times with tranquility, purity, humility, and other of its requirements. This is the obligation for all Muslim men and women: to exalt this prayer, maintain it, and perform it in its times, and to take care of its purity and all that Allah has prescribed in it; because it is the pillar of Islam. Whoever preserves it preserves his religion, and whoever neglects it is more neglectful of everything else.
And the man adds to this that he performs it in congregation. He is obligated to perform it in congregation in the mosques of Allah. He is not allowed to perform it at home like a woman. No. In fact, this is one of the characteristics of the people of hypocrisy and of imitating them. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) even said:
I have seen us, and none stayed away from it—meaning the congregational prayer—except a known hypocrite whose hypocrisy is known.
لقد رأيتنا وما يتخلف عنها -يعني: صلاة الجماعة- إلا منافق معلوم النفاقIndeed, 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 إِلَّا قَلِيلًاSo the verses suffice for what the fabricators have fabricated and the liars have lied about. Likewise, what came in the Sunnah from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding prayer is sufficient and complete. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
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 a man and disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the abandonment of prayer.
بين الرجل وبين الكفر والشرك ترك الصلاةAnd he (peace and blessings be upon him) also said, in what Ahmad narrated in the Musnad with a good chain, when he mentioned prayer between him and 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 نوراً وبرهاناً ونجاة يوم القيامة، ومن لم يحافظ عليها لم يكن له نور ولا برهان ولا نجاة، وحشر يوم القيامة مع فرعون وهامان وقارون وأبي بن خلفSome of the scholars of knowledge said: The one who neglects prayer will be gathered with these disbelievers; because either he neglects it for the sake of leadership and kingship, in which case he resembles Pharaoh, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection, we seek refuge in Allah; or he neglects it because of his ministerial position, in which case he resembles Haman, the minister of Pharaoh, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection; or he neglects it because of wealth and desires, in which case he resembles Qarun, whom Allah caused the earth to swallow along with his home when he became arrogant, transgressed, and refused to obey Moses (peace be upon him) in his time; or he neglects it because of trade and transactions, in which case he resembles Abu ibn Khalf, the merchant of the people of Makkah, and will be gathered with him on the Day of Resurrection.
The conclusion is that maintaining prayer is among the most important matters and the most obligatory duties. Staying away from it and neglecting it is among the characteristics of the people of hypocrisy and among the greatest of what is wrong, and among the causes of entering the Fire. In fact, abandoning it entirely is one of the types of disbelief in Allah, specifically major shirk, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions.
So one must beware of that, and it is obligatory for both men and women to maintain the prayers and perform them as Allah has prescribed. It is also obligatory to take care of tranquility in them, not to be hasty, and not to perform them like tapping (nukr), and that they be performed in their time. One must take care of purity and completing it, and take care of humility, as the Exalted said:
(1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ(9) And they who carefully maintain their prayers - (10) Those are the inheritors (11) Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally.
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْوَارِثُونَ الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَSo we ask Allah to rectify the conditions of the Muslims, and to guide them to maintain this great prayer and take care of it, and to beware of being lax with it and abandoning it. Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.