Question Summary:
Siblings stopped praying salaah.

Question Detail:

I have a question regarding practice of Deen . Alhamdulillah, my siblings and I are up in a very Deen I household and as such have a lot of knowledge of Deen and have always been very practicing. Now, my two eldest brothers( one who is a Hafiz and one who is almost a Hafiz, one is in college and the other in high school) have been having trouble praying their five daily Salah for about two years now. And now for the past 6-7 months they have stopped praying 5 times a day. Now this really scares me and worries both me and my parents. I am really worried because this hurts my parents and I am scared for my brothers, and the major sins that they are committing. I am really worried because they just seem to be going further and further away and I don't know how to help them. I also don't want to drive them further away from Deen by giving advice in the wrong manner ( forcing them to pray, etc.) 

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

We take note of the contents of your email.

It is encouraging to note your passion for Deen and your desire to help your siblings become better Muslims. Make Allāh Ta`ālā help you fulfill this endeavor. Ameen.

Rasulullah Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam has stated in a Hadith,

الشَّبَابَ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ

Translation: Adolescence is a branch of insanity.¹ 

Masha-Allah, you realize the importance of helping your brothers overcome the challenges they are currently facing and Insha-Allah your effort will not go in vain. Be confident that by the Will of Allah you will be able to help them. A person in his youth faces many challenges from biological to financial, from family to social. The different feelings tend to cloud their rationale and they end up making serious mistakes. If they are not carefully handled, the mistakes could develop into perpetual habits and thus aggravating the problem. It is the responsibility of seniors to bring balance in their lives and use diplomacy and wisdom in doing so.

What you state regarding your siblings is a typical conduct of a youth.

We advise you to adopt the following ways:

Nowadays parents should behave towards their children as children. Father should act as a son; not with the awe and fear of yesteryear. He should deal with love, tenderness and affection…. ‘Son it is time for the meals.... son it is time for bed, etc. These are all request; as if one brother is talking to another; for the era of dictating and commanding are over (Ashraf’s Blessings, Page 369)

Through patience and perseverance, your siblings will come around and learn to establish a strong connection with Allah Ta'ālā. Insha Allāh. Keep hope in Allah and your efforts will be appreciated by Allah.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Huzaifah Deedat

Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia 

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

___________________

1 مسند الشهاب القضاعي- مؤسسة الرسالة (1/ 100) 

 أَخْبَرَنَا الْقَاضِي أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدُ الْكَرِيمِ بْنُ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ الْمُقَدَّمُ ذِكْرُهُ فِي الْجُزْءِ الْأَوَّلِ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي الْخُطْبَةِ الطَّوِيلَةِ الَّتِي فِيهَا «الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ» ، وَمَا ذَكَرَ مَعَهُ

اعتلال القلوب للخرائطي- نزار مصطفى الباز (1/ 103)

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ غَالِبٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْمَدَنِيُّ، وَعَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ خَالِدِ بْنِ الْجُهَنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ، وَالنِّسَاءُ حِبَالَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ

المقاصد الحسنة (ص: 401)- دار الكتاب العربي

حَدِيث: الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الْجُنُونِ، وَالنِّسَاءُ حِبَالَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ، أبو نُعيم في الحلية عن عبد الرحمن بن عابس، وابن لال عن ابن مسعود، والديلمي عن عبد اللَّه بن عامر في حديث طويل، والتيمي في ترغيبه عن زيد بن خالد، كلهم مرفوعا به، وحبالة بالكسر هو ما يصاد به من أي شيء كان، وجمعه حبائل، والرواية به أكثر أي مصائده، ولا ينافيه ما روينا عن سفيان الثوري من قوله: يا معشر الشباب عليكم بقيام الليل، فإنما الخير في الشباب، لكونه محلا للقوة، والنشاط غالبا، ومن شواهد الحديث: عجب ربك من شاب ليست له صبوة، وسيأتي

الجامع الصغير وزيادته (ص: 7171، بترقيم الشاملة آليا)

الخرائطي فِي اعتلال الْقُلُوب) عَن زيد بن خالد الجهني.( الشَّبَابُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الجُنُونِ وَالنِّسَاءُ حُبَالَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ