Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: {So woe to those who pray...}

Question:
The two brothers ask Your Eminence to explain the saying of the Truth, Blessed and Exalted is He, I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan: [Al-Ma'un: 4-7]?

Answer:
The verse is to be understood according to its apparent meaning, and "wail" indicates the severity of the punishment. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, threatens the pray-ers described with these attributes mentioned by Him, which is His saying: [Al-Ma'un: 7]. "Sahw" (negligence) does not mean abandoning the prayer, for abandoning it is major shirk (associating partners with Allah)—we seek Allah's protection from that—but rather a type of laxity, such as delaying it from being performed in congregation or being negligent in some of its complements that are obligatory to perform... and the like of what relates to deficiency in it. In this lies the threat. However, if one abandons it intentionally, he becomes a disbeliever with major disbelief, even if he does not deny its obligation, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the people of the Sunan with a sound chain, and based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih.
These two hadiths and what came in their meaning constitute an established proof and a clear evidence for the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer, even if he does not deny its obligation, may we seek refuge in Allah. But if one is lax in it by being lax in performing it, not performing it as it should be, or delaying it from being performed in congregation, this is considered negligence regarding it. As for negligence within it, there is no harm in that and no threat, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was negligent and the Muslims were negligent. Negligence occurs from the believer in prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained its rulings. But the intended meaning is negligence regarding it, through laxity and negligence in performing it as Allah has made obligatory. And greater than that, more cunning and more evil, is showing off (riya'), may we seek Allah's protection from it, like the action of the hypocrites. For the disbelief of the hypocrite is more severe than the disbelief of the disbeliever. If he prays out of showing off, not out of faith that it is an obligation upon him, he becomes a disbeliever and his prayer is invalid. If he prays out of showing off as a voluntary prayer, it is also invalid. So it is obligatory for the believer to pray for Allah alone, seeking His noble Face and seeking the reward with Him , and knowing that Allah has made prayer—the five prayers—obligatory upon him, he performs it with sincerity to Allah, obedience to Allah, exalting Him, and seeking His pleasure .
And among their attributes is that they withhold the ma'un (small necessities). The ma'un was interpreted as zakah (alms), and that they withhold zakah; because zakah is a companion of prayer, as He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [Al-Bayyinah: 5]. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah: 43]. And other people from the scholars said: It is the loan that people need and are in dire need of, such as the bucket for bringing water, the scale for need, the pot for need, and the like. But withholding zakah is greater and more serious. The believer should be eager to perform what Allah has made obligatory and to help his brothers in need with loans; because it benefits his brothers and benefits him too and does not harm him. He should help with the ma'un that his neighbors and brothers need, such as a pot, a scale, a bucket, or other things that neighbors need. And success is from Allah. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.