Bismillah. Today, insha’Allah we’re going to touch on a slightly different angle on the concept of salah. Now, you know that salah is fard–the 5x daily prayers–and that the reward of doing so is great, and the sin of doing so are terrible. Hellfire, punishment on the Day of Judgment, punishment in this life, all these things are but possibilities.
But let’s take a look at a slightly different angle: scholars. What’s the position of the scholars on someone who doesn’t pray?
The position of all four madhaahib–Maliki, Shafi’ee, Hanbali, and Hanafi–with no difference of opinion–is that a person who does not pray, ever, is not a Muslim.
Think about that. Not a Muslim. Not anyone who has a chance of Paradise.
Why? There’s a very explicit hadith on this–the hadith of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم):
The contract between us and them is salaah. Whoever leaves it, he has disbelieved (fa qad kafara). [Source?]
This is a very direct, explicit hadith–salaah is the contract, part of the mithaaq, the original contract, with Allah that all humans took. And this is only one of the explicit ahadith like this.
What’s more, it was inconceivable in the time of the sahaba that someone could be a “Muslim” and not pray. It just doesn’t make sense.
…
Scared yet?
…
No? Well, there’s more. What is the position of the scholars of Islam on someone who doesn’t pray, today, who lives in that now-extinct species of Islamic State? Then what happens?
Again, there’s no difference of opinion on this.
The position of a Muslim in an Islamic state, who doesn’t pray, is to be jailed.
And once they’re in jail, they should be advised. That what they’re doing is haram. That prayer is so, so important. That it is a major sin. That it just takes five minutes, five times a day–less than one sitcom.
And if they don’t repent? Keep advising them for a day. Then, a second day. Then, a third day.
And if they still don’t repent?
Then they are executed.
So think about that, next time you feel like skipping a salah. Honestly, it just takes five minutes. Don’t let your lame excuses side-track you. Just do it.
Action Items:
- Make Tawbah. Whether you pray regularly or not, if you’ve missed prayers in your past, make wudoo and pray two rakaahs of tawbah for that. And be optimistic–insha’Allah Allah WILL forgive you!
- Hit the Minimum 5x/day. If you don’t pray your 5x daily prayers, start. Right now. Today. Praying is difficult at first, but over time, it becomes easier. Pick up prayers one at a time, whatever you can do, until you’re at least covering the daliy five consistently.
- Add Sunnah/Nafl Prayers. If you already have your five covered, alhamdulillah, start adding the sunnahs–starting with the two before Fajr, and with salaat-ul-Witr. Those are the best. Then gradually add more. Add Tahajjud, if you’re already praying all the sunnah prayers. The sunnahs are like a shield that protect your fard prayers; if you always pray them, in the worst case, you might skip one or two–but if you only pray fard, those are the first to go.
- Reflect on the Reward and the Punishment. If you didn’t know, for every fard action, Allah rewards you. Think about THAT. You’re actually getting some ajr! And reflect on the punishment of not praying, ever–capital. YOU might be praying, but you probably know someone in your family (near or extended), who doesn’t. Advise them gently.
- Read. Islam QA has a great eBook on 33 ways to increase khushoo’ in salah. When you get khushoo, you actually enjoy salah! So read it, and apply one or two of those techniques daily.
- Make Du’a. ‘Aishah said: “You will not even get a shoelace without the permission of Allah.” So ask Allah to help you pray regularly and in the best way.
We ask Allah to make us among the musalleen, those who pray regularly and on time and have their prayers accepted. This, if this is the only good thing you do with your life, is a great success that many people the world over have not achieved.
Note: We’re NOT saying that you should go around killing people. Nobody’s going to be executed for not praying–there IS no Islamic state in our time. But if there was, and if a Muslim living there didn’t pray, then the punishment is capital. It’s something to think and reflect over–the seriousness of salaah. It IS the contract between us and Allah.
salam,
I commend you for trying to encourage people to pray Salah. Second, I want to say that I am an avid reader of your blog and am excited whenever a post shows up in my Google Reader because you always have something beneficial to post.
However, I have to show concern with this one for two reasons:
1. The Shari’ opinion about being executed for not praying is a little more complicated than this. Unfortunately, this post draws it down to make it sound like such a simple reality that I feel that it does injustice to the breadth and depth of Islamic Law.
2. Very few people can be shock-scared into praying. Prayer needs to become the coolness of their eyes and the comfort of their heart through a deeper kind of approach. Many of the people who have lost a connection to the Deen, and to the prayer, may feel this type of example pushing them farther from their love for Islam.
3. Your blog is 100% public, and I can guarantee that the anti-Muslim blogosphere will take it and spit it out with a spin that will make Islam sound absolutely insane and barbaric. The image of the noose conjures images of the KKK, the Nazis, and others.
It a really bad dawah move is all and undo’s alot of work which is trying to present Islam’s true, comprehensive image.
I am not asking you to cover the truth.
Nor am I asking you not to persuade people to pray.
I am saying, there is a way of wisdom to do so, and there is also a means of calling to the prayer that will be more effective.
with love and respect,
your brother,
AS
So we should be scared of an Islamic state that hasn’t existed for 1300 years than of Allah and being his servant? I could have sworn there was an ayah in the Qur’an which says something like:
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.”
Assalamu Alayum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakahtuhu
First of all, this is the 2nd post I’ve come across on this blog (first was the palestine one), and I have to say that mashaAllaah this blog looks like it can achieve a lot bi’ithnillah.
Secondly, what the above 2 people have commented is correct but I think they could have said it in a nicer way, without trying to be rude. MashaAllaah the article reflects upon some important points, but I think that you can outline and post some rewards of praying salaah. This might make the reader think in a different way, rather then becoming scared even more.
I’m not saying what you posted is wrong or unapproachable, as a matter of fact I personally like to read about Hellfire and punishments more than Paradise and rewards because it increases my Imaan and motivates me towards carrying out good deeds.
Anyhow, my point was that everyone is different and has a different approach to things.
I have found this lecture on Salaah really good, and I typed up the lecture, who’s transcript and mp3 can be downloaded from here:
::MP3::
http://idawah.com/fisabeelillah/lectures/abu-salaam/Time%20to%20Establish%20Prayer.mp3
::Transcript::
http://idawah.com/fisabeelillah/lectures/abu-salaam/Time%20to%20Establish%20Prayer.doc
May Allaah reward you, Ameen.
[...] The Terrible Consequences of not Praying Salah – Ilm Fruits [...]
[...] The Terrible Consequences of not Praying Salah – Ilm Fruits [...]
Assalam Elekum
I have drop my salat for last 3 years. I want to offer but can’t. Please suggest and guidence me
@Syed wa’alikum as-salaam, as I mentioned, make two rakaahs of tawbah and start praying regularly from today insha’Allah, from the VERY NEXT salah that comes up. If you can’t do all five right away, alhamdulillah keep trying, and make du’a for Allah to help you.
[...] The Terrible Consequences of not Praying Salah – Ilm Fruits SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “SALAH, MADRASA (ISLAMIC PRAYER)”, url: “http://islamiclecture.islamuslims.com/salah-madrasa-islamic-prayer” }); [...]
[...] The Terrible Consequences of not Praying Salah – Ilm Fruits [...]
well what if you pray once in a while..and when you are about to and even when you do pray something still goes wrong everytime you do…and the people that do pray 5 times a day with all their heart are failing in school and worse, whilst the people that dont and are not muslim are rewarded daily with awsome grades and an amazng lifewhy is it that way?
@idk the discussion about jailing etc. applies to someone who has abandoned salah COMPLETELY; for someone who prays some salawaat, that’s not the same; that’s still a major sin though, and I hope this post highlights how serious this is.
I’m not sure what you mean by “something goes wrong.” Insha’Allah you can clarify. As to people praying and failing in school and worse … as for the non-Muslims, Allah makes it clear that their reward is in dunya ONLY, and on the Day of Judgment, they get NOTHING.
I know many muslims masha’Allah who are rich, thick-beardies, who pray all the time and are masha’Allah in the top of society. May Allah bless them more. If you run to Allah, He will run to you … so don’t be afraid. Do it insha’Allah, and see for yourself the difference in your life.
Why would a Muslim abandon salah if he/she still wants to be Muslim? They can say they are no longer Muslim, and if they don’t show hostility toward Islam, they are to be left alone (and treated like non-Muslims). There is no compulsion in religion.
@Ikram there are a lot of Muslims who are born into Muslim families, who are not necessarily practicing; or the culture does not necessarily emphasize salah as important. I know several people from the sub-continent (desiland) like this.
The thing to realize is not that they hate salah or don’t want to pray; they just can’t be bothered. Maybe laziness, maybe shaytaan, maybe something else … allahu ‘alam.
[...] Re: Prayer or other things? The Terrible Consequences of not Praying Salah – Ilm Fruits [...]
i m praying now =)
i feel bad missing anyy salah
@idk alhamdulillah! Insha’Allah that’s a good sign that you feel bad; just remember that even if you miss a salah, don’t give up. That’s a scam from Shaytaan; keep working at it insha’Allah, it sometimes takes months or years to become consistent. And make du’a, insha’Allah Allah will help you a lot.
assalamualaikum,
plz tell me where to keep hands in salah and how to do it.[give me pictures if possible.plz]
I haven’t prayed in along time, yet I still consider myself a Muslim because I know Allah is my creator, but organized religion is a huge obstacle for me. I don’t understand salah and I can’t tolerate the bickering about manaj, race, and other friviolous matters.
@Wounded Soul, if you consider yourself Muslim, you should ask yourself–why don’t I pray? If you really believe in Allah and the Prophet Muhammad, shouldn’t you follow their teachings? Salah is the absolute minimum, the dividing line; can’t you at least do that much?
What is left of Islam if we don’t even have salah? Where’s the Islam, the submission to Allah?
You are right, Ilm Seeker. I ask myself this question all the time, supplications are easy but salah I’ve always felt like I was going through the motions instead of communicating with and worshipping Allah.
@Wounded Soul, the fact that you’re trying and struggling is enough–even if you’re praying late, or without khushoo’, or all of those other elements.
I find that salah is very much habitual–once you get into the zone of doing it regularly, it becomes easier to focus on issues like khushoo’ (one of the best ways to do this is learn about Allah, and learn the meaning of what you’re saying).
And again, the minimum is that you try and you work on it and you hope to achieve it. Allah would not perscribe something on us all except that it would be possible–even easy–on us. As the Messenger of Allah said, when you walk to Allah, he runs to you! So take that first step, insha’Allah, and every step becomes easier.
I had been praying since I was 16 yrs. I pray fard, sunneh and Nawafel. I was often awakened for Fajer prayer….just some months ago, I encountered a shocking experience- I married a Muslim man who used to be an Imam in europe who revealed to me his hypocratie, his fake Iman….I left him just one month after marriage. This disturbed my life: why this has happened to be while I am the very disciplined muslim? I pray, fast, pay money for charity and did hajj and I keep my Allah in everything I do. I never accepted marrying anyman….and the man I married because of his religion and was impressed with his Imam role, turned out to be fake….I am not anymore a regular preson for prayer..I am not feeling serenity nor peace anymore when I pray…on the contrary…I keep thinking of THE JUSTICE of Allah as I am praying . I decided to stop prayer since I am not showing the Khushou2 and concentration required in Islam. I know I am a believer and I know my Allah is great….but I feel that the reward I got was too harsh for my humanity to accept…At the end, I am just a simple person who seeks stability- that I cannot find in my life………! I feel Iam being tortured instead of rewarded for my acts…..
While I look around me I see the majortiy fo those who do not have Allah in their minds, are enjoying life…and even rewarded more and more.
I know I am failing the test of Allah……..but I think I have had tooo many tests that I managed to become stronger after each one…but now, I have given up…………
thinking about the justice and the fairness is not easy……..I knwo I need not to look around me and just focus on my life………..but cannot I get a chance to have some rest a bit?
I believe that you are being tested by Allah and you have failed taht test at teh moment. Once, I heard in a khutbah the story of a devout Muslim who abandoned Salah because he was shocked at teh death of his 5 year old daughter. He then had a dream that it was judgement day and he would end up in Hell unless he prayed. there were also other things in teh dream but it was very long. when he woke up he became convinced that he should be a sheikh. He is today. this is a true story.
there are many people whom Allah tests in life to see if they are on teh straight path
go see a sheikh and see if he can help you.