Abandoning Salaat (The Prayer) a pathway to hell-fire
By Shais
In this article, I would be mentioning about the most important thing in Islam i.e. Salaat (The Prayer). I would not be mentioning its benefits in this article but I’ll be only mentioning the importance of it and the sin of abandoning the five obligatory Prayers, which I see many Muslims doing it.
(i) The Holy Quran curses such people who are neglectful of their prayers.
“4. So woe to the worshippers 5. Who are neglectful of their prayers, 6. Those who (want but) to be seen (of men), “ (Quran 107:4-6)
(ii) The reply of the people in hell fire.
41. And (ask) of the Sinners: 42. "What led you into Hell Fire?" 43. They will say: "We were not of those who prayed; (Quran 74:41-43)
(iii) Allah (SWT) declares the one who abandons the prayer as Mushrik (idol-worshipper)
“establish regular prayers, and be not ye among those who join gods with Allah,-“ (Quran 30:31)
The Quran tells us to establish the prayers and be not of the ones who join other gods with Allah. In other words, anyone who abandons prayer is as good as a Mushrik (idolater)
This can be better understood if we read the following Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh).
It is narrated on the authority of Jabir that he heard the Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) saying. Verily between iman (faith) and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer. (Sahih Muslim, Volume 1, Hadith 146)
So there you go my brothers and sisters. There is no difference between a Muslim who professes to be a Muslim and doesn’t pray and between an unbeliever, Allah and his messenger (pbuh) consider both of them to be the same.
(iv) Quran calls those people who do not pray as “rejecters of Truth”
“47. Ah woe, that Day, to the Rejecters of Truth! 48. And when it is said to them, "Prostrate yourselves!" they do not so. (Quran 77:47-48)
Aren’t we rejecters of truth when we refuse to bow down before Allah (SWT) 5 times everyday when we are commanded to do so?
(v) Those who are neglectful of Salaat (prayer) are indeed the followers of satan.
“It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that when, the son of Adam recites the Ayat of Sajdah (prostration) and then falls down in prostration, the Satan goes into seclusion and weeps and says: Alas, and in the narration of Abu Kuraib the words are: Woe unto me, the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated and Paradise was entitled to him and I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused and am doomed to Hell.” (Sahih Muslim Volume 1, Hadith 144)
So there you go, according to the above hadith the person who refuses to bow before Allah (SWT) when he is commanded to do so, he follows in the footsteps of satan. Thus, there is no difference between a Satanist and a Muslim who doesn’t pray!
(vi) Allah will not look at other deeds of a person who has not prayed
“The first thing about which the people will be called to account out of their actions on the Day of Judgment is prayer. Our Lord, the Exalted, will say to the angels - though He knows better: Look into the prayer of My servant and see whether he has offered it perfectly or imperfectly. If it is perfect, that will be recorded perfect.
If it is defective, He will say: See there are some optional prayers offered by My servant. If there are optional prayer to his credit, He will say: Compensate the obligatory prayer by the optional prayer for My servant. Then all the actions will be considered similarly.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 863)
In Brief the Hadith states that the first thing Allah will look on the day of judgment is the Prayer and Allah will ask the angel to count the prayers and see if they were performed in an acceptable manner. If they were not performed in an acceptable manner then Allah will look at the voluntary prayers and see if they make up for the shortcoming in obligatory prayers and if they do make up, then only Allah will look at your other deeds further.
Salaat is one of the Characteristic of a Believer
The Quran says
“1. The believers must (eventually) win through,- 2. Those who humble themselves in their prayers; 3. Who avoid vain talk; 4. Who are active in deeds of charity; 5. Who abstain from sex, 6. Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (in their case) they are free from blame, 7. But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors;- 8. Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants; 9. And who (strictly) guard their prayers;- 10. These will be the heirs, 11. Who will inherit
The Holy Quran says
“2. For, Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord; 3. Who establish regular prayers and spend (freely) out of the gifts We have given them for sustenance: 4. Such in truth are the believers: they have grades of dignity with their Lord, and forgiveness, and generous sustenance:” (Quran 8:2-4)
“O ye who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. If any act thus, the loss is their own.” (Quran 63:9)
According to many scholars this “remembrance of Allah” is referring to the Prayer.
“By men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the Remembrance of Allah, nor from regular Prayer, nor from the practice of regular Charity: Their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed (in a world wholly new),-“ (Quran 24:37)
There is a lot more than one can write about Salaat but I feel that is sufficient for now for a person who has even little bit of Eeman (faith). Brothers and sisters start praying if you are not doing so before its too late and remember you have no excuse for not praying. I know its difficult initially, but the Quran addresses this issue. The Quran says
“45. Nay, seek ((Allah)'s) help with patient perseverance and prayer: It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit,- 46. Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord, and that they are to return to Him. (Quran 2:45-46)
Pray 5 times a day. Missing fajr (morning) prayer is a sign of a hypocrite. Prophet (pbuh) said
“Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The most burdensome prayers for the hypocrites are the night prayer and the morning prayer. If they were to know the blessings they have in store, they would have come to them, even though crawling,” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1370)
“The Prophet said, "No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to crawl." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Hadith 626)
Start praying if you are not doing so, its difficult but not for those who have certainty to meet Allah (SWT) on the day of judgment. You have to strive initially to make yourself regular at it. The Quran says
“And those who strive in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths:” (Quran 29:69)
Strive in Allah’s path and he will open your pathways. So Brothers and Sisters, Pray before you are prayed upon.
May Allah guide all of us!
