The Danger of Delaying the Fajr Prayer and Neglecting It
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Some of what has become apparent and observed in this time is the delay of people in attending the Fajr prayer in the mosques, while they exert themselves in the other times. For example, the Fajr prayer might be one row, while in the other times there are three or four rows. We ask you to pay attention to this important matter and to write guidance for the Muslim community, urging them with encouragement and warning, and with the causes of mindfulness of Allah and waking up early. May Allah reward you with the best reward?
Answer:
This is undoubtedly a reality, and it is undoubtedly sad and regrettable; because many people stay up late at night, and when Fajr comes, they are like the dead, not rising for the Fajr prayer. They may even delay until they miss the prayer within its time, so they do not pray it except after the sun has risen when they get up for work. This is a great calamity, we seek refuge in Allah. And there is no doubt that intentionally doing so—intentionally doing this—setting the alarm for the time of Fajr, and not ordering anyone to wake him up, there is no doubt that this is intentional abandonment of the prayer, and intentionally abandoning it is major shirk (associating partners with Allah)—we seek refuge in Allah—so it is obligatory to be cautious of this.
And it is obligatory for every Muslim to fear Allah regarding himself and his family, and to be cautious of this dangerous matter that has occurred among people today. I cannot count how many say this about the mosques. This truly obligates Muslims to unite and cooperate in forbidding this evil, and to advise one another among Muslims.
And the preachers in the mosques must point this out, and they must speak about it frequently. And those who write advice about this must point this out; because this falls under the category of cooperating in righteousness and mindfulness of Allah, and under the category of enjoining good and forbidding evil, and under the category of calling to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) .
We ask Allah to help us in this, and to guide the Muslims to what brings them happiness and salvation, and to help the scholars and callers to perform the obligatory duty, and to guide the misguided among the Muslims in this matter and others.
Question: Is it obligatory for some imams to check on their congregation; because this has become widespread and increased?
Answer: There is no doubt that it is a great matter, and checking may achieve the intended purpose, and it may not achieve the intended purpose. If the checking is accompanied by forbidding the evil and punishment, then the intended purpose is achieved.
But if it is merely talk without anything else, the intended purpose is not achieved.
Some of what has become apparent and observed in this time is the delay of people in attending the Fajr prayer in the mosques, while they exert themselves in the other times. For example, the Fajr prayer might be one row, while in the other times there are three or four rows. We ask you to pay attention to this important matter and to write guidance for the Muslim community, urging them with encouragement and warning, and with the causes of mindfulness of Allah and waking up early. May Allah reward you with the best reward?
Answer:
This is undoubtedly a reality, and it is undoubtedly sad and regrettable; because many people stay up late at night, and when Fajr comes, they are like the dead, not rising for the Fajr prayer. They may even delay until they miss the prayer within its time, so they do not pray it except after the sun has risen when they get up for work. This is a great calamity, we seek refuge in Allah. And there is no doubt that intentionally doing so—intentionally doing this—setting the alarm for the time of Fajr, and not ordering anyone to wake him up, there is no doubt that this is intentional abandonment of the prayer, and intentionally abandoning it is major shirk (associating partners with Allah)—we seek refuge in Allah—so it is obligatory to be cautious of this.
And it is obligatory for every Muslim to fear Allah regarding himself and his family, and to be cautious of this dangerous matter that has occurred among people today. I cannot count how many say this about the mosques. This truly obligates Muslims to unite and cooperate in forbidding this evil, and to advise one another among Muslims.
And the preachers in the mosques must point this out, and they must speak about it frequently. And those who write advice about this must point this out; because this falls under the category of cooperating in righteousness and mindfulness of Allah, and under the category of enjoining good and forbidding evil, and under the category of calling to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) .
We ask Allah to help us in this, and to guide the Muslims to what brings them happiness and salvation, and to help the scholars and callers to perform the obligatory duty, and to guide the misguided among the Muslims in this matter and others.
Question: Is it obligatory for some imams to check on their congregation; because this has become widespread and increased?
Answer: There is no doubt that it is a great matter, and checking may achieve the intended purpose, and it may not achieve the intended purpose. If the checking is accompanied by forbidding the evil and punishment, then the intended purpose is achieved.
But if it is merely talk without anything else, the intended purpose is not achieved.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.