Wa Alaykum Assalam Dear All
i see my self in this though not neglegting prayer, I sometimes delay it,make dua for me brothers&sisters.aamiin.
aslo
Alhumdulilah Great article
,However i dont think this is the issue for the majority of the Ummah today, rather the problem i think is doing the prayers on time or even doing them at all. I am still struggling to do every single one of my prayers sometime, and i will admit that when i do make up prayers i do them extremely fast and i have a feeling that it doesnt feel right, i slow down but then after like 30 seconds i speed up without even noticing.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to delay his prayers beyond the time when they are due without a legitimate excuse. Legitimate excuses which allow a Muslim to delay his prayers until the time for them is over include sleeping and forgetting. Doing worldly work is not an excuse for not praying or for delaying a prayer until its time is over. Rather one of the characteristics of the sincere believers is that they do not let business or trade distract them from remembering Allaah and establishing regular prayer.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“In houses (mosques) which Allaah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is remembered [i.e. Adhaan, Iqaamah, Salaah (prayers), invocations, recitation of the Qur’aan]. Therein glorify Him (Allaah) in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings,
37. Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allaah (with heart and tongue) nor from performing As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) nor from giving the Zakaah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection).
38. That Allaah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace. And Allaah provides without measure to whom He wills”
[al-Noor 24:36-38]
Even though these men engaged in trade, buying and selling, that was no excuse and it did not distract them from giving precedence to “the remembrance of Allaah (with heart and tongue) nor from performing As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) nor from giving the Zakaah.” Rather they made obedience to Allaah and worship of Him their ultimate goal and purpose, and whatever came between them and that goal, they rejected it.
Because giving up worldly interests is hard for most people, and earning and various kinds of trade are dear to them, and it is hard for them to give that up in most cases, and to give precedence to the rights of Allaah, Allaah mentions that which will motivate and encourage them, as He says: “They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection)” – because of the intensity of its horrors and suffering. Hence they will fear that Day, so it become easier for them to strive for the Hereafter and give up that which distracts them from it.
Tafseer al-Sa’di.
Concerning the obligation of offering prayers and the ruling on its timing, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, As-Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”
[al-Nisa’ 4:103].
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di said:
This means it is enjoined at its time, which indicates that it is obligatory and that it has a time (to be offered) and is not valid at any other time. These are the times that are well known among the Muslims, young and old, scholars and ignorant. They learned that from their Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” The phrase “on the believers” indicates that prayer is the measure of faith, and a the quality of person’s prayers corresponds with his level of faith.
Tafseer al-Sa’di.
And Allaah says, warning those who delay their prayers until the time for them is over with no legitimate excuse (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salaat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell.
60. Except those who repent and believe (in the Oneness of Allaah and His Messenger Muhammad), and work righteousness. Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught”
[Maryam 19:59-60]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So woe unto those performers of Salaah (prayers) (hypocrites),
5. Those who delay their Salaah (prayer from their stated fixed times)”
[al-Maa’oon 107:4-5]
Ibn Katheer said:
It was narrated from Ibn Mas’ood that it was said to him that Allaah mentions prayer a great deal in the Qur’aan: “Those who delay their Salaah (prayer from their stated fixed times)” [al-Maa’oon 107:5] and “Those who remain constant in their Salaah (prayers)” [al-Ma’aarij 70:23] and “and they are constant in guarding their Salaah (prayers)” [al-An’aam 6:92]. Ibn Mas’ood said: (This means) offering prayers at the stated times. They said: We thought that these verses referred to not praying at all. He said: That is kufr.
Al-Awzaa’i said, quoting from Ibraaheem ibn Yazeed, that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez recited: “Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salaat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell” [Maryam 19:59]. Then he said: “Their giving up their prayers does not mean that they do not pray at all, rather it means that they have given up praying at the proper times.”
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/128, 129.
So it is not permissible for you to delay your prayers
also i want you know also the difference between delaying prayer and missing the time for prayer,
Missing the time for prayer means leaving the prayer until the time is over and one has not prayed. This is a major sin, unless that is for a legitimate excuse such as sleeping or forgetting.
It says in
al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 10/8: The fuqaha’ are agreed that it is forbidden to delay prayer until the time for prayer is over, without a legitimate excuse.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the person who deliberately delays the prayer until after the time for it is over, or who sets his alarm clock late so that he will not get up on time, he is deliberately not praying, and he has committed a great evil according to all the scholars, but is this kufr [disbelief] or not?
Here there is a difference of opinion among the scholars:
If he does not deny that prayer is obligatory, then the majority of scholars say that he is not committing major kufr in this case.
Some of the scholars were of the view that this is major kufr which puts him beyond the pale of Islam, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Between a man and shirk [associating others with Allaah] and kufr there stands his giving up prayer.” Narrated by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh, 82.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The covenant that stands between us and them is prayer; whoever gives up prayer is a kaafir [disbeliever].” Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the four authors of al-Sunan with a saheeh isnaad [sound chain of narrators]. And there is other evidence to support this.
It was also narrated from the Sahaabah [companions of the Prophet – may Allaah be pleased with them all].
The great Taabi’i ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Shaqeeq al-‘Aqeeli said: “The Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not think that omitting anything constituted kufr apart from prayer.”
With regard to delaying prayer, this may refer to two things:
1 – Delaying prayer until the time for that prayer is over. We have explained the ruling on this above.
2 – Delaying the prayer until the end of the time for that prayer.
See al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 10/6
It is permissible to offer a prayer at the end of its time, because of the hadeeth narrated by Muslim (614) from Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari, that someone came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked him about the times of prayer… and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained to him the beginning and end of the time for each prayer, and said, “The time is between these two.”
But if delaying the prayer means that one will miss out on praying in congregation and will pray it alone at the end of its time, then it is haraam because it means not praying in congregation, so long as one does not have an excuse for not praying in congregation.
It is better to do the prayer at the beginning of its time, except for ‘Isha’ prayer and Zuhr prayer when it is very hot; in these cases it is better to do them at the end of their allotted times.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is better to do the prayer at the time required in sharee’ah. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, answering the one who asked him which deed is most beloved to Allaah, “Prayer done on time.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 527; Muslim, 85. He did not say, prayer at the beginning of its time. That is because the prayers include some which it is Sunnah to pray sooner and some which it is Sunnah to pray later. It is Sunnah to pray ‘Isha’ later, after one-third of the night has passed. Hence if a woman is at home and asks which is better for me, to pray ‘Isha’ when I hear the adhaan or to delay it until one-third of the night has passed? We say, it is better to delay it until one-third of the night has passed, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) delayed one night until they said, “O Messenger of Allaah, the women and children have fallen asleep,” so he went out and led them in prayer, and said, “This would be its time, were that not too difficult for my ummah.” So if a woman is in her house, it is better for her to delay it.
Similarly, if it so happens that some men are travelling, and they ask whether they should pray ‘Isha’ sooner or later, we would tell them that it is better for them to delay it.
Similarly if a group goes out for a trip and the time for ‘Isha’ comes, is it better for them to pray ‘Isha’ sooner or later? We say that it is better for them to delay it if that will not cause them any hardship.
In the case of the other prayers it is better to pray them sooner unless there is a reason for doing otherwise. So Fajr should be prayed sooner, Zuhr should be prayed sooner, ‘Asr should be prayed sooner and Maghrib should be prayed sooner, unless there is a reason for doing otherwise.
Such reasons include the following:
If it is intensely hot, then it is better to delay Zuhr prayer until it cools down a little, i.e., until it is nearly time for ‘Asr, because it cools down a little when it is nearly time for ‘Asr. When it is intensely hot, it is better to pray when it is cooler, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When it is intensely hot, then wait until it cools down before you pray, for intense heat is from the breeze of Hell.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 537; Muslim, 615.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was on a journey and Bilaal stood up to give the call to prayer, and he said, “Wait until it gets cooler.” Then [Bilaal] stood up to give the call to prayer, and [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said, “Wait until it gets cooler.” Then [Bilaal] stood up to give the call to prayer, and [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] gave him permission to do so. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 629; Muslim, 616.
Another reason is if it will be possible to pray in congregation at the end of the time but not at the beginning, in which case delay is preferable. For example, if a man is outside the city when the time for prayer comes, and he knows that he will reach the city and catch up with the congregation at the end of the time for prayer, is it better for him to pray when the time for prayer comes, or to delay the prayer until he reaches the congregation?
We say that it is better for him to delay the prayer until he catches up with the congregation; we say that it is even obligatory for him to delay in this case, so that he can catch up with the congregation.
Fataawa Arkaan al-Islam, p. 287.
What does this mean exactly? It is legally enforced...?
look brother Rayray i don't mean that 1st step to call those do not pray..and that is the last setp..
But The best way to call those who do not pray
Firstly:
We should consider the person being called to pray or to do other acts of worship, and pay attention to the most effective means of encouraging him or warning him. The general principle in Islam is to combine both approaches (encouraging and warning). It is also important to pay attention to how receptive or otherwise the person being called is, and whether he will be influences or put off by preaching.
Secondly:
The best way to call those who do not pray can be summed up as follows:
1 – Reminding them of the obligation of prayer and that it is the greatest of the pillars of Islam after the Shahaadatayn (twin declaration of faith).
2 – Telling them some of the virtues of prayer, for it is the best of the duties that Allaah has enjoined on His slaves, and the best way by means of which a person may draw closer to his Lord. It is the first of his religious affairs for which a person will be brought to account. The five daily prayers are an expiation for whatever sins come in between them, so long as he avoids major sins. A single prostration raises a person in status by one degree, and erases one sin… and there are other virtues of prayer that have been narrated. This may open his heart and perhaps prayer may become a source of delight, as it was for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
3 – Telling them of the stern warnings that have been narrated concerning not praying, and the different opinions of the scholars as to whether this constitutes kufr (disbelief) and riddah (apostasy). Islam does not give the one who does not pray the opportunity to live freely among people, because in his case he must he invited to pray, and if he persists in not praying, he is to be executed as an apostate according to the view of Ahmad and those who agreed with him among the salaf (early generations of Islam); or he is to be executed as a hadd punishment, according to the view of Maalik and al-Shaafa’i; or he is to be detained and imprisoned, according to the view of Abu Haneefah. But no scholar says that he is to be left free. So it should be said to the one who does not pray: are you happy that the scholars disagreed as to whether you are a kaafir and whether you should be killed or imprisoned?
4 – Reminding them of the meeting with Allaah, death and the grave, and what will happen to the one who does not pray, namely a bad end and the torment of the grave.
5 – Explaining that delaying prayer until the time for it is over is a major sin:
“Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salaah (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaah (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell”
[Maryam 19:59 – interpretation of the meaning].
Ibn Mas’ood said concerning al-Ghayy (translated here as “Hell”): it is a valley in Hell that is very deep and has a foul taste.
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So woe unto those performers of Salaah (prayers) (hypocrites),
5. Those who delay their Salaah (prayer from their stated fixed times)”
[al-Ma’oon 107:4-5]
6 – Explaining the serious implications of the view that they are kaafirs, such as their marriages being rendered invalid, it being forbidden for them to remain with and be intimate with their wives, and the fact that they will not be washed and prayed for after they die. Among the texts that indicate that the one who does not pray is a kaafir is the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving up prayer.” Narrated by Muslim, 82. and he said: “The covenant that stands between us and them is prayer; whoever gives it up is a kaafir.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2621; al-Nasaa’i, 463; Ibn Maajah, 1079.
7 – Giving them some booklets and tapes that deal with the subject of prayer and the punishment of the one who does not pray or is careless concerning the prayer.
8 – Forsaking and shunning them if they persist in not praying.
i have a question.
is salah more important than jihad. i have heard that jihad for the sake of Allah is more important than salah.
No brother Salah is more important than Jihaad
The basis for that is the report of Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “I asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘Which deed is most beloved to Allaah?’ He said, ‘Prayer done on time.’ I said, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘Honouring one's parents.’ I said, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘Jihaad for the sake of Allaah.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told me about them and if I had asked more he would have told me more.” (Agreed upon. Al-Bukhaari, 1/134; Muslim, 1/89-90)
<wasalam>
