Question Summary:
I have noticed that many adult fit males do not attend the musjid for salaat with jamaat,some of them even stay near the musjid where the azaan is clearly heard.these men are punctual with every other aspect of their lives like going to work, Question Detail:
I would like to know what is the shariah implication of the following problem.
I have noticed that many adult fit males do not attend the musjid for salaat with jamaat,some of them even stay near the musjid where the azaan is clearly heard.these men are punctual with every other aspect of their lives like going to work, sunday drives, shopping malls and some even spend their time in the gym at the time of salaat.i have even noticed a personal friend of mine who is at the gym during the time of asr and magrib salaat yet they find it difficult to attend the musjid punctually. Every other event is carried out like even going for holidays and umrah but no salaat in the musjid.
Answer :
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
Firstly we glorify Almighty Allah and ask blessings and salutations of peace for the Noble Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions and those who follow him in upholding the cause of the true and perfect religion.(Aameen)
Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Quran:
“And whatsoever the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) gives you, take it and whatever he forbids, abstain (there from) and fear Allah. Surely Allah is severe in retribution.” {Surah hashr V.7}
In another verse Allah Ta’ala states,
“Say (O’ Prophet) to the people, ‘If you love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive your sins. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” {Surah Al-Imran V.31}
It is clear from the above verses that we must obey Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) . The second verse informs us that receiving Allah’s love depends on our following the (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet . In other words, our salvation and success lies in the obedience to the (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet .
Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) mentions:
“None of you can become a Muslim unless his desires become subservient to the religion that I have brought.” (Sharhu Sunnah)
Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has given emphatic commands for Salah to the Muslims. He has given great glad tidings for those who observe it well and said that those who do not offer it will face grave punishments and trials.
What is the status of Salah in Islam:
Even before the advent of Islam, every heavenly religion emphasized the importance of Salah. According to the Holy Quran, there had not been sent a prophet in the world who was not commanded by Allah to perform salah and who did not urge his followers for salah, yet the present situation is that nowhere else is salah present in such a prominent, clearly defined and exhortative way as Islam. Every previous religion was restricted to a certain time and confined to a certain nation it slowly lost the practical importance of Salah.No religion of the pre-Islamic time whole Salah possesses any acknowledgement of devotedness to Allah, any clear definition of His praise and adoration, and any emphasis on its importance as in salah. The reason for this is that because Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to this world as the last of His Prophet he emphasized in the importance of Salah and practically carried it out.
Salah is such an obligation that in normal circumstances no Muslim is absolved from this obligation.The virtue of Salah and the command and exhortation to discharge this duty more than 100 times in the Holy Quran. It has been told that laziness and lack of earnestness in the performance of this duty is a sign of hypocrisy, and its giving up is an indication if negation of Allah. This obligatory duty came into existence with the inception of Islam and its completion took place during the occurrence of Miraj (Ascension).
The ruling of Salah from the Quran and Hadith:
Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Holy Quran,
“Enjoin Salah upon your family and yourself and remain steadfast upon it. We do not ask provision from you, but we provide for you. The best result is for abstinence” {Surah Taha V.132}
Hadhrat Umar (RA) wrote the following to his governors,
“Indeed Salah is the most important of your duties in my opinion. Whoever safeguards it and is particular about his Salah has safeguarded the rest of his Deen. Whoever destroys his Salah will destroy the rest of his Deen to a greater extent. (Muatta Malik)
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Salam (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) always enjoined Salah upon his household when they encountered any problems. He would then recite them the verse,
“Enjoin Salah upon your family, and yourself remain steadfast upon it.” (Roohul Ma’ani)
It was the practice of Hadhrat Umar (RA) to perform Salah during the night and then awaken his household during the last portion of the night. He would tell them, “Perform Salah! Perform Salah!” Then he would recite the above mentioned verse to them. (Muatta Malik)
The benefits of Salah:
Salah establishes a bond between a person and Almighty Allah. Imam Bakr ibn Abdullah Al-Muzani (RA) has mentioned that a Muslim is able to communicate directly with Allah whenever he wishes through Salah. (Al Matjarur Rabih pg 60)
The abundant performing of Nafl Salah draws a person closer to his Creator. (Sahih Bukhari – Hadith 6502)
Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “The coolness of my eyes is in Salah.” (Musnad Ahmad – v.3 pg. 128)
Guarding and observing Salah with regularity:
It is of foremost importance that Muslims perform Salah with punctuality.
The Holy Quran refers to it in different places,
“Guard your Salah” {Al Baqarah V.238}
“And those who guard their Salah” {Al Ma’arij V.34}
“And who guard their Salah” {Al Muminun V.9}
“And they are constant in guarding their Salah” {Al Ana’am V.9}
“Those who remain steadfast in their Salah” {Al Ma’arij V.23}
From the above verses it is clear that Salah is such an obligatory duty from which no Muslim is ever absolved under any circumstances, and it has to be always performed regularly and punctually with all its conditions.
The times of Salah are also fixed. Allah has specified certain times for obligatory Salah for Muslims. In the Holy Quran Allah says,
“Salah at stated times are enjoined on believers.”
The importance and virtues of Salah with Jamat:
There are many who perform their Salah regularly but are not very particular about Salah with Jamaat.There are many emphasis in Shariah on performing salah with jamat.
Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) narrates that he heard the (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet saying, “A Salah with Jamaat is 27 superior to Salah perform individually.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
Hahrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that heard Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying, “Salah with Jamaat is 25 superior to Salah which is performed in the house or in the shop.”
Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (RA) narrates that he heard Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying, “A person who in all sincerity is constant with Salah in jamaat for 40 days without missing the first Takbeer receives two rewards awards: one for deliverance from hell and the other for freedom from Nifaq (hypocrisy).
The reproach on not performing Salah with Jamat:
Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (RA) narrates, “I heard Rasulluah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying, ‘If a person in spite of hearing the Azan does not go to the Masjid (and prefers to perform his Salah at home) without a valid excuse, then his Salah is not accepted.” When the companions enquired as to what could be strong excuse, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied, “Illness or fear.” (Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah)
Hadhrat Mu’az bin Anas (RA) narrates that he heard Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying, “A person who does not go for Salah after hearing the Azan is committing a great wrong and is doing an act of Kufr and Nifaq (hypocrisy).” (Ahmad)
Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that he heard the (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet saying, “I wish that I could ask the boys to collect a huge quantity of firewood for me and then I would go around and set fire to the dwellings of those who perform their Salah at their own houses without any excuse.” (Muslim)
Hadhrat Abu Darda (RA) reports that he heard Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying, “If there are (even) three persons in a village or in a desert and they do not perform their with Jamaat then Shaytan gets a hold of them. Remember that Jamaat for Salah is very necessary for you. Surely a wolf devours a lonely sheep, and Shaytan is the wolf for men.
The glad tidings for a person who performs Salah:
Hadhrat Abu Dharr (RA) said, the (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet had come out once in winter. Trees were shedding their leaves. He held the branch of a tree and more leaves fell from it. He said, “Oh Abu Dharr! When a Muslim offers Salah for Allah sincerely, his sins fall away from him in the same way as these leaves fall from the tree.”(Mishkat)
Hadhrat Abu Dharr (RA) reports that Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) once said, “Tell me, if a river flows by the door of a man and he bathes in it five times every day,
The (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet said, that Allah Almighty said, “I have made the five times Salah as Fardh on your Ummah, and I have given an assurance that for him who is careful and offers these five prayers at their time, then I will responsible to admit him to Paradise. As for him who is not careful of these prayers, I have no responsibility.” (Targheeb)
The (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet said, “The one who is regular in his Salah, Allah honors him in five ways.
1. Provisions are not restricted for him.
2. Punishment in the grave is not faced by him.
3. His records of deeds will be given on the day of Resurrection in his right hand (this described in detail in Surah Al-Haaqah)
4. He will cross the Siraat (bridge) with the speed of lighting.
5. He will be safe from reckoning
(Fadail amaal)
The punishments for a person who is unmindful of his Salah:
Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) reports that once Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said whilst referring to Salah, “If anyone pays proper attention to Salah then on the day of Resurrection it will be a light for him and at the time of reckoning it will be an argument and a plea and a means of deliverance. If anyone does not observe it then on the day of Resurrection, it will neither be a light for him nor an argument nor a means of deliverance. His destination will be with Firaun, Hamaan, Ubay bin Khalaf.” (Targheeb)
Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “Missing Salah is joining man to disbelief.” He also said, “The only thing that connects man with disbelief is neglecting Salah.” He also said, “The difference between faith and disbelief lies in forsaking Salah.” (Targheeb)
Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “If anyone omits Salah than though he may redeem it yet he will burn Hell up to one Huqub for not offering it on time.” One Huqub is equal to 80 years and each year is equal to 360 days and a day in the hereafter will be equal to our 1000 years. This adds up to the total of 28,800,000 years.
The Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) last advice:
Umm Salmah (RA) said that even in the last moments when Nabi (صلى الله عليه وسلم) tongue did not pronounce complete words; he placed emphasis on Salah and rights of slaves.
Hadhrat Ali (RA) also mentioned the same thing that the last words of the (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Prophet were to stress on Salah and instill fear of Allah concerning slaves. (Jamius Sagheer)
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Hafiz Luqman Hansrot,
Final Year Student
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah
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