AbandoningPrayer(Salaat)

2.2

AbandoningPrayer(Salaat)
AMajorsininIslam
AllaahMostHighsays(whichmeans): Thentherehassucceededthemagenerationwhichhas
givenupprayers(i.e,madetheirpraycrstobelost,eitherbynotofferingthematallorbynot
offeringthemperfectlyorbynotofferingthemintheirproperfixedtimes,etc.)andhavefollowed
lusts.SotheywillbethrowninHell.ExceptthosewhorepentandbelieveintheOnenessofAllaah
andHisMessenger(
),andactrighteously. [Maryam,19:5960]
AndHe(T)said(whichmeans): Woeuntothoseperformersofprayers(hypocrites)whoare
unmindfuloftheirprayers(i.e.,delaytheirprayerfromitsstatedfixedtime). [AlMaa'oon,
107:45]
AndHe(T)said(whichmeans): Oyouwhobelieve!Letnotyourpropertiesoryourchildren
divertyoufromtheremembranceofAllaah.Andwhosoeverdoesthat,thentheyarethelosers.
[AlMunaafiqoon,63:9]
ThecommentatorsoftheQur'aansay:"The'remembranceofAllaah'mentionedintheseAayaatmeans
thefivedailyprayers.Ifanyoneissobusyinbuyingandselling,orwithhisdailyworkofearninga
livelihood,orwithhischildren,thathecannotperformprayersontime,hewillbeamongthelosers."
Thefirstthingwhichwillbejudgedamongaman'sdeedsontheDayofResurrectionisthePrayer.
Ifthisisingoodorderthenhewillsucceedandprosperbutifitisdefectivethenhewillfailand
willbealoser.[Nasaa'ee,Tirmidhee,IbnMaajah]
InformingusabouttheinhabitantsofHell,AllaahMostHighsays(whichmeans): (ThepeopleinHell
willbeasked:)WhathascausedyoutoenterHell?Theywillsay:Wewerenotamongthosewho
usedtopray.Nordidwefeedthepoor.Andweusedtotalkfalsehood(allthatwhichAllaahhated)
withvaintalkers.AndweusedtobeliethcDayofRecompense.Untiltherecametousthatwhich
iscertain(i.e.,death).SonoIntercessionofintercessorswillbenefitthem [AlMuddaththir,74:42
48]
TheProphet
said(whichmeans):Thecovenantbetweenusandthemisprayer,soifanyone
abandonsithehasbecomeadisbeliever.[Ahmad,Tirmidhee,Nasaa'ee]
Andhe
alsosaid(whichmeans):Whatliesbetweenamananddisbeliefistheabandonmentof
prayer.[Muslim,AbooDawood,Nasaa'ee]
Andhe
said(whichmeans):Ifanyoneabandonsprayerdeliberatelythenhehasnoclaimupon
Allaah.[IbnMaajah,ADABALMUFRADofBukhaari,Tabaraani]
Andhe
said(whichmeans):Ihavebeenorderedtofightagainstthepeopleuntiltheytestifythat
thereisnooneworthyofworshipbutAllaahandthatMuhammadistheMessengerofAllaahand

untiltheyperformthePrayersandpaytheZakaah,andiftheydosotheywillhavegained
protectionfrommefortheirlivesandproperty,unless[theydoactsthatarepunishable]in
accordancewithIslaam,andtheirreckoningwillbewithAllaahMostHigh.[Bukhaari,Muslim]
Andhe
,mentioningtheprayer,said(whichmeans):Ifanyonekeepstoit,itwillbelight,evidence
andsalvationforhimontheDayofResurrection.Butifanyonedoesnotkeeptoit,itwillnotbe
light,evidenceandsalvationforhimontheDayofResurrection,andonthatDayhewillbe
associatedwithQaroon,Pharaoh,NamaanandUbayybinKhalaf(anenemyofIslaamfrom
amongtheQuraysh).[Ahmad,Tabaraanee,IbnHibbaan]
IbnAlQayyimexplained:Thepersonwhoabandonsprayerwillberaisedwithsuchafoursomebecause
hisneglectofplayermaybeduetohisinvolvementwithhisproperty,hiscountry,hisadministrative
workorhistrade.Therefore,ifhewasinvolvedwithhispropertyhewillberessurectedwithQaroonif
withhiscountry,thenwithPharaohifwithhisadministrativework,thenwithHamaanandifwithhis
tradethenwithUbayybinKhalaf,thetraderamongthedisbelieversofMakkah.
`AbdullaahbinShaqeeqAl`AqeeleeTabi`ee(Tabi`ee:asuccessortothecompanionsofthe
Prophet
]said:"TheCompanionsoftheProphet
didnotconsidertheabandonmentofany
gooddeedtobedisbeliefexcepttheabandonmentofthePrayer."[Tirmidhee,Haakim]
When`Alee
wasaskedaboutawomenwhodidnotpray,hesaid:"Theonewhodoes
notprayisadisbeliever."[Tirmidhee,Haakim]
IbnMas`ood(R)said:"Theonewhoabandonstheprayerhasnoreligion."[MuhammadbinNasr
AlMirwazee]
Ibn`Abbaas(R)said:"Theonewholeavesoffasingleprayerdeliberatelywillfind,whenhe
meetsAllaahMostHigh,thatHe(T)isangrywithhim."[MuhammadbinNasrAlMirwazee,Ibn
AbdulBarr]
IbnHazmsaid:"Thereisnogreatersinafterpolytheismthandelayingaprayeruntilitstimehas
passedandkillingabelieverwithoutajustcause."
IbraheemAlNakha`eesaid:"Theonewhohasabandonedtheprayerhasbecomeadisbeliever."
AbooAyyoobAlSakhtiyaneesaidsomethingsimilartothis.
IbnHazmwritesconclusively:"Ithascomefrom`Umar,`AbdurRahmaanbin`Awf,Mu`aadhbinJabal,
AbooHurayrahandothercompanionsthatanyonewhoskipsoneobligatoryprayeruntilitstimehas
finishedbecomesanapostate.Wefindnodifferenceofopinionamongthemonthispoint."
ThiswasmentionedbyAlMundhireeinATTARGHEEBWAATTARHEEB.Thenhecomments:A
groupofCompanionsandthosewhocameafterthembelievedthatanintentionaldecisiontoskipone
prayeruntilitstimeiscompletelyfinishedmakesoneanunbeliever.Thepeopleofthisopinioninclude
`UmarbinAlKhattaab,`AbdullaahbinMas`ood,`Abdullaahbin`Abbaas,Mu`aadhbinJabal,Jaabirbin
`AbdullaahandAbooAdDardaa'.Amongthenoncompanionswhosharedthisviewwere:IbnHanbal,
IshaaqbinRahwayh,`AbdullaahbinMubaarak,AnNakha`ee,AlHakambin`Utaibah,AbooAyyoob
AsSakhtiyaanee,AbooDawoodAtTiyaalisee,AbooBakrbinAbooShaybah,ZuhayrinHarb,and
others.
REFERENCES:

1. AlHaythamee,IbnHajr,AZZAWAAJIR`ANIQTIRAAFALKABAA'IR,Vol.I,(correctedby)
AhmadAbdushShaafee,DaarAlKutubAl`Ilmiyyah,Beirut,Lebanon,1987
2. Dhahabee,ImaamMuhammadbin`Uthmaan,KITAABALKABAA'IR,(Engl.tr.)Mohammed
MoinuddinSiddiqui,DarElFiker,Beirut,Lebanon,1993.
3. Sabiq,AsSayyid,FIQHUSSUNNAH,Vol.I,(Engl.tr.)MuhammadSa`eedDabasandJamalal
DinZarabozo,MaktabatalKhadamateAlHadithah,Jeddah,SaudiArabia,1987.