Omitting Prayer Intentionally is a Greater Sin. <\/strong>The traditions of Imam Taqi (a.s.), Imam Ri\u010fa (a.s.) Imam M\u016bsa Kadhim (a.s.) and Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) (mentioned in Abdul Az\u012bm\u2019s Sahifa) support this view. This fact is also confirmed by the tradition of Amir ul-Mu\u2019min\u012bn (a.s.). In Islam prayer is an obligatory duty which has to be performed without fail. Anyone who does not offer prayer considering it non-obligatory is an infidel and outside the pale of Islam. To deny prayer is to deny the Holy Prophet (S) and to deny the Holy Qur\u2019an and such a person is an unbeliever. Many traditions have been recorded in this connection.<\/p>\n (Layali al-Akhb\u0101r page 394, Sal\u0101t & Z\u0101sail)<\/strong> Misunderstanding of some stupid people<\/strong> Promise of chastisement in the Qur\u2019an<\/strong> Omitting prayer intentionally is a greater sin. The traditions of Imam Taqi (a.s.), Imam Ri\u010fa (a.s.) Imam M\u016bsa Kadhim (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) (mentioned in Abdul Az\u012bm’s Sahifa) support this view. This fact is also confirmed by the tradition of Amir ul-Mu’min\u012bn (a.s.). In Islam prayer is an obligatory duty which has to be performed without fail. Anyone who does not offer prayer considering it non-obligatory is an infidel and outside the pale of Islam.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7756,7376,7458],"tags":[20243,9546,20256,10821,9395,19650,19669],"class_list":["post-4655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ethics","category-jurisprudence","category-morality","tag-great-sin","tag-islam","tag-omitting-prayer","tag-prayer","tag-salat","tag-shia","tag-shia-studies-world-assembly"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4655\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nImam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says,
\nA person came to the Holy Prophet (S) and begged him for a moral lesson. The Messenger of Allah (S) said, \u201cDo not omit prayer intentionally because whoever leaves prayer voluntarily has exited from the pale of Islam.
\n(Sal\u0101t, Wasa\u2019il ul-Shia Vol. 3 page 29)
\nThe Messenger of Allah (S) says:
\n\u201cThe thing that turns a Muslim into Kafir is to omit prayer intentionally or to offer prayer considering it insignificant and unimportant.\u201d
\n(Wasa\u2019il ul-Shia Vol. 3 page 29)
\nThe Holy Prophet (S) also says,
\n\u201cThere is no difference between faith and infidelity except the omitting of prayer
\n(Wasa\u2019il ul-Shia Vol. 3 page 29)
\nAllamah Majlisi (r.a.) writes in the commentary of al-K\u0101fi that some of these traditions emphasise that to omit all or some obligatory acts is infidelity. This itself is one of the connotations of \u2018Kufr\u2019 as recorded in ayats and traditions. It is mentioned, \u2018One who intentionally omits prayer is a Kafir, one who doesn\u2019t pay Zakat is a Kafir one who omits Hajj is a Kafir.\u2019
\nIn the traditions omitting obligatory acts is not separately mentioned as a greater sin. This is perhaps so, because when a person commits an act which is Har\u0101m, he is under some compulsion, either emotional or physical or social or of some other need which he seeks to fulfil. For example a person may commit fornication due to a physical urge; or under the influence of anger he may use foul language or may even commit murder and do injustice to others in many other ways. But in the case of omitting obligatory acts and particular prayers, there are no such compulsions. Obligatory acts are avoided by those who consider religious commands insignificant and attach no importance to them; and this amounts to denial of the Almighty.
\nIn the tradition which equates omitting prayers to infidelity it may be argued that a person may avoid Hajj and Zakat for being a miser, or he may not fast out of concern for his health or because the idea of hunger and thirst deters him. But as far as prayer is concerned, there is not a single factor that can come in the way of a person offering prayer to the Creator, except that he considers religion insignificant and takes prayers lightly.
\nSad\u016bq (r.a.) quotes a tradition from Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) wherein it was asked from the Imam (a.s.) why adulterers and drunkards are not called Kafirs while one who omits prayer is labelled so? Imam (a.s.) said,\u201cAdultery etc. are committed when a person is subdued with sensuality but prayer is not omitted except that it was considered insignificant because one who commits adultery, does so to derive pleasure but one who leaves prayer does not get any pleasure.\u201d
\nThe above hadith proves that if one leaves an obligatory duty considering religion unimportant one is a kafir. The Messenger of Allah (S) says,
\n\u201cOne who considers prayers light (insignificant) is not from us.\u201d Another hadith mentions that such a person will not get the intercession of Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s.). \u201cAnd one who consumes intoxicants is not from us and by Allah one who drinks wine will not be able to arrive at the Pool of Kawthar.\u201d
\n(Furu K\u0101fi, Vol. 3, page. 271)
\nIn his last moments, Imam Ja\u2019far as-Sadiq (a.s.) has been recorded to have said,
\n\u201cOur intercession will not reach those who consider prayer light (insignificant).\u201d
\n(Furu K\u0101fi, Vol. 3, page. 241)
\nIt may be mentioned that a person who accepts that prayer has been prescribed by the Almighty and he believes in the prophethood and in the message of the Seal of the prophets (S), but fails to offer prayers due to sheer laziness, is not considered an unbeliever, but a transgressor.<\/p>\n
\nWhen those who do not pray are warned and exhorted to pray and asked why they do not pray, they say that the Almighty Allah (S.w.T.) is not in need of their prayer. These thoughts are inspired by Shaitan. The fact is that these people believe that they are not in need of Allah (S.w.T.). They do not realize that they owe their very existence to Allah (S.w.T.)\u2019s mercy and they function because they are always surrounded by divine favours. This attitude prompts them to give up all acts of thankfulness and service to their Benefactor. Their refusal to pray is due to hard heartedness, stubbornness and injustice. Accordingly Allah (S.w.T.) will also give them the destination they deserve (hell) and reward the obedient in the abode of peace.<\/p>\n
\nThere are numerous Qur\u2019anic Verses that emphasise the importance of Prayer and the certainty of Divine chastisement for neglect. A few of these ayats are given below:
\n\u201cIn gardens, they shall ask each other. About the guilty: What has brought you into hell? They shall say: We were not of those who prayed; And we used not to feed the poor; And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who entered into vain discourses. And we used to call the day of judgment a lie.\u201d
\n(Surah al-Muddaththir 74:40-46)
\n\u201cSo he did not accept the truth, nor did he pray, But called the truth a lie and turned back, Then he went to his followers, walking away in haughtiness.\u201d
\n(Surah al-Qiy\u0101ma 75:31-33)
\n\u201cNearer to you (is destruction) and nearer, Again (consider how) nearer to you and nearer.\u201d
\n(Surah al-Qiy\u0101ma 75:34-35)
\nSome commentators of Qur\u2019an explain that \u2018destruction\u2019 is \u2018wael\u2019 (a place in hell). And the repetition of word \u2018nearer\u2019 four times is for emphasis. Or the four repetitions may signify four stages of destruction: Once in this world, second the punishment of grave, terror in Qiy\u0101ma and fourth the everlasting stay in Hell.
\nIn Surah al-M\u0101\u2019\u016bn, the Almighty remarks,
\n\u201cAnd wael (woe) to the praying ones, who are unmindful of their prayers, who do (good) to be seen.\u201d
\n(Surah al-M\u0101\u2019\u016bn 107: 4\u20136)
\n\u2018Waelun\u2019 (terrible punishment) is for those who are unmindful about prayers; prayer which is a pillar of faith and the dividing line between belief and disbelief. \u2018Waelun\u2019 is one of the sections of Hell, or a well situated in Hell. It is also used as a word denoting terrible punishment the \u2018Un\u2019 which is added at the end makes it a superlative.
\nThe Almighty Lord says in Surah Maryam,
\n\u201cBut there came after them an evil generation, who neglected prayers and followed sensual desires, so they will meet perdition.\u201d
\n(Surah Maryam 19: 59)
\nThe word \u2018gayya\u2019 which is translated as \u2018perdition\u2019 above is a valley in Hell where the punishment is far more severe than other areas. Even the inmates of Hell seek Allah (S.w.T.)\u2019s refuge from this punishment. Ibn Abbas has related that, \u2018There is a serpent in this valley which is sixty day\u2019s journey long and thirty day\u2019s journey wide. Since the day it was created it has opened it\u2019s mouth only to swallow those who neglect prayer and those who drink.\u201d Allah (S.w.T.) the Almighty remarks in Surah ar-R\u016bm,
\n\u201c\u2026And keep up prayer and be not of the polytheists\u2026\u201d
\n(Surah ar-R\u016bm 30: 31)
\nThis verse implies that a person who neglects prayer is at par with the idol worshippers and polytheists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"