Praying
on Time is Just as Important
Here is some evidence, that we not only have to pray
5 times a day, but that we have to do it on time. The following is from Al
Kabaair -The Major Sins by Sh. Adh-dhahabi
The Fourth Major
Sin - Not Praying
Allah most High says: Then
there succeeded them a generation which neglected prayers and followed lusts.
They will meet with destruction (Ghayy), excepting the one who repents and
believes and acts righteously. (Quran 19:59-60)
Ibn abbas (RAA) explained that it does not mean that
they completely abandoned prayers, but that they delayed them to the end of
their prescribed times. Sa'id bin Musayyab, a great Imam following the
generation of the Companions, elaborated on this, saying: "A person
neglects if he delays the noon prayer up to the afternoon prayer time,
afternoon prayer up to almost sunset prayer time, sunset prayer up to evening
prayer time, and evening prayer up to morning prayer time, while delaying
morning prayer until just before sunrise. If anyone dies without
repentance while continuing in this manner, Allah has promised Ghayy for him,
and that is a valley in Hell which is very deep and has foul food."
Allah Most High says: Woe
to the worshippers who are unmindful of their prayer. (Quran 107:4-5)
Saad bin Abi Waqqas said: "I asked Allah's
Messenger (SAW) about the meaning of 'unmindful,' and he replied:
'It is delaying it (the prayer) up to the end of its prescribed time.'" (Bazar)
While Allah calls such people , they are lazy and
perform the prayer very late. He has promised them (Wayl), which
signifies a great punishment.
Some say, "Wayl is a valley in Hell, exceedingly
hot, and that is the place for those who delay or miss the prayer, excepting
the ones who repent and correct their habits."
Allah Most High says: O
you who believe, let neither your wealth nor your children distract you from
the remembrance of Allah. And those who do so, they will be the losers (Quran
63:9)
The commentators say: "The 'remembrance of
Allah' in this verse means the five daily prayers. If anyone is so busy in
buying and selling, or with his daily work of earning a livelihood, or with
his children, that he cannot perform prayers on time, he will be among the
losers."
The Prophet (SAW) said in this regard: "The
first thing which will be judged among a person's deeds on the Day of
Resurrection is the prayer. If that is in good order, he will pass the test
and prosper, and if that is defective, he will fail the test and be a
loser." (Tirmidhi)
Informing us about the inhabitants of Hell, Allah
Most High says: (The people in Hell will be
asked): "What caused you to enter Hell-fire?" They will say:
"We were not among those who prayed, nor did we feed the needy. We used
to engage in vain discourse with the vain-talkers, and we used to deny the Day
of Judgment, until there came to us that which is certain (i.e.. Allah's
judgment)." Then no intercession by an intercessors will benefit them. (Quran
74:42-48)
Allah's Messenger (SAW) is reported to have said:
"If anyone abandons the afternoon prayer, his deeds
are of no avail." (Bukhari).
And he said: "If
anyone abandons prayer deliberately he has no claim upon Allah" (Sunan).
Abdullah bin amr bin al-As (RAA) said that the
Prophet (SAW) mentioned prayer one day saying, "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 Qaran, Pharoah, Haman, and Ubayy bin Khalaf (a great enemy of
Islam from among the Quraish)." (Ahmad, Darimi and Baihaqi)
Mu'adh bin Jabal (RAA) reported Allah's Messenger
(SAW) as saying: "If anyone abandons prayer
intentionally he has no claim to Allah Most High." (Ahmad)
Umar ibn al-Khattab (RAA) reported that a man asked
the Prophet (SAW): "Messenger of
Allah, what action is dearest to Allah Most High?" The Prophet (SAW)
replied: "Prayer at its proper time. The one who does not pray has no
religion. Prayer is the main pillar of the religion (of Islam)." (Baihaqi)
After Umar had been stabbed, it was said to him,
"As-salat, ya amir ul-mumineen!" (The prayer, Leader of the
Believers!) He said, "Yes, truly! If anyone misses the prayer, he
has no share in Islam," and thereupon he prayed while his wounds were
bleeding.
Abdullah bin Shaqiq (RAA) said that the Companions of
the Prophet (SAW) did not consider the abandonment of any good deeds to be
unbelief excepting the abandonment of prayer.
When Ali (RAA) was asked about a woman who did not
pray, he replied: "The one who does not pray is an
unbeliever." Ibn Masood said that the one who does not pray has no
religion, and Ibn Abbas said: "The one who leaves off a single prayer
deliberately will find, when he meets Allah Most High, that He is angry with
him."
Allah's Messenger (SAW) said:
"When a person meets Allah after neglecting his prayer, he will meet him
as if he had not worshipped him at all, nor done any good deeds." And
Ibn Hazm said: "There
is no greater sin after polytheism than missing a prayer [That is to say, if
one deliberately delays a prayer until its time has passed, although he was
able to pray it on time, without any valid reason which permits delaying it
before its time.] and killing a believer without just cause."
Ibrahim Nakahi said: "The one who has left off
the prayer has become a disbeliever."
Awn bin Abdullah said: "When a person is
buried, the first question which will be asked him will be concerning the
prayer. If that is accepted from him, his other deeds will be looked at, but
if that is not accepted form him, no other deeds will be looked at."
Abdullah bin al-As reported Allah's Messenger (SAW)
as saying: "A person who combines two
prayers without excuse, enters a gate among the major sins."
We seek Allah's guidance and help,
for indeed. He is the Generous, the Magnanimous, and the Most Merciful of all
merciful ones!