The Grave Consequences of Abandoning or Corrupting Ṣalāĥ

Excellence of Durūd Sharīf

The Prophet of mankind, the peace of our heart and mind, the most generous and kind صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to the one glorifying Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ and reciting Durūd Sharīf having offered Ṣalāĥ, 'Present your supplication, it will be answered; ask (for anything), you will be granted.'

(Sunan Nasāī, pp. 220, Hadīš 1281)

صَلُّوْا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! Many virtues of offering Ṣalāĥ and severe punishments for abandoning it have been stated in the Qurān and Aḥādīš. Therefore, the 9th Āyaĥ of Sūra-tul-Munāfiqūn in Paraĥ 28 says:

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَاتُلْهِكُمْ اَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَآاَوْلَادُكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللّٰهِ ۚ وَمَنْ

يَّفْعَلْ ذٰلِكَ فَاُولٰٓئِكَ هُمُ الْخٰسِرُوْن

O believers! Let not your wealth or your children make you negligent from the remembrance of Allah and whoever does that, they are the losers.

(Kanzul Īmān [Translation of Quran])

Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Imām Muḥammad bin Aḥmad Żaĥabī رَحْمَۃُاللّٰہِتَعَالٰیعَلَیْہِ narrates that the honourable Mufassirīn say, "In this Holy Āyaĥ, the remembrance of Allāĥ عَزَّوَجَلَّ refers to the five daily Ṣalāĥ, therefore, the one who does not offer his Ṣalāĥ at its specified time because of his preoccupation with his wealth (i.e. trading), cultivation and employment, goods and his children, is at loss.

(Kitāb-ul-Kabāir, p. 20)

The Very First Question on the Day of Judgement

The beloved and blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, "On the Day of Judgement, the very first question that will be asked to man out of his deeds will be about Ṣalāĥ; if his Ṣalāĥ is correct he will succeed but if it is incomplete, he will be disgraced and will suffer loss."

(Al-Mu'jam-ul-Awsaṭ-liṭ-Ṭabrānī, pp. 32, vol. 3, Hadīš 3782)

Nūr for Muşallī

The Prophet of mankind, the peace of our heart and mind, the most generous and kind صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, "The one who secures his Ṣalāĥ, the Ṣalāĥ will be Nūr, evidence and salvation for him on the day of judgement; and the one who does not protect it, there will be no Nūr, evidence or salvation for him on the Day of Judgement and such a person will be kept with Pharaoh, Qārūn, Ĥāmān and Ubay bin Khalaf on the day of judgement."

(Musnad Imām Aḥmad, pp. 574, vol. 2, Hadīš 6587)

Whom will People be resurrected with?

Dear Islamic brothers! Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Imām Muḥammad bin Aḥmad Żaĥabī رَحِمَهُمُ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی say that the one who abandons Ṣalāĥ will be resurrected with Pharaoh, Qārūn, Hāmān and Ubay bin Khalaf on the Day of Judgement because people usually abandon their Ṣalāĥ due to wealth, rule, ministry and trade.”

The one who abandons his Ṣalāĥ due to being occupied with state affairs will be resurrected with Pharaoh. The one who abandons his Ṣalāĥ owing to his wealth will be resurrected with Qārūn. If the reason of abandoning Ṣalāĥ is ministry, he will be resurrected with Pharaoh’s minister, Hāmān and if the reason of abandoning Ṣalāĥ is busyness in trade, he will be resurrected with Ubay bin Khalaf, the head trader of the unbelievers in Makka-tul-Mukarramah.”

(Kitāb-ul-Kabāir, p. 21)

Ṣalāĥ even in Severely Wounded State

When Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā ‘Umar Fārūq-e-A’ẓam رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ was seriously wounded as a result of an attack, he was told, “Yā Amīr-ul-Mumīnīn رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ, (it is time to offer) Ṣalāĥ!” He رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ said, “Yes, listen! The one who abandons Ṣalāĥ has no share in Islam.” He رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ offered Ṣalāĥ despite being severely wounded.

(ibid, pp.22)

Causes of Nūr or Darkness for Ṣalāĥ

Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā ‘Ubādaĥ bin Ṣāmit رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ narrates that our Makkī Madanī Muṣṭafā صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم said, “The one who makes Wuḍū properly, stands for Ṣalāĥ and completes its Rukū’, Sujūd and recitation, his Ṣalāĥ says, ‘May Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ secure you as you have secured me!’ The Ṣalāĥ is then elevated to the sky and there is glare and brilliance for it. The portals of the sky are opened for it and it is presented in the court of Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ and such Ṣalāĥ intercedes for that Muṣallī (the one who offered it).”

On the contrary, if he does not complete its Rukū’, Sujūd and recitation, the Ṣalāĥ says, “May Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ discard you as you have distorted me!” The Ṣalāĥ covered in darkness is then taken to the sky. The portals of the sky are closed for it and it is then bundled up like an old piece of cloth and thrown onto the face of that Muṣallī.”

(Kanz-ul-’Ummāl, pp. 129, vol. 7, Ḥadīš 19049)

A Cause of Bad End

Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Imām Bukhārī رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ says that Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Ḥużayfaĥ bin Yamān رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ saw a person performing his Rukū’ and Sujūd improperly during his Ṣalāĥ, so he رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ said to the person, “If you die offering Ṣalāĥ in the way as you have just offered, you will not die in accordance with the teachings of Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Muḥammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم.”

(Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 284, vol. 1, Ḥadīš 808)

The narration in Sunan Nasāī also states that he رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ asked (the person), “For how long have you been offering Ṣalāĥ in this way?” The person replied, “For forty years.” He رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ said, “You haven’t offered Ṣalāĥ at all for the past forty years; if you die in this state, you will not die following the religion of Muḥammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم.”

(Sunan Nasāī, pp. 225, Ḥadīš 1309)

The Thief of Ṣalāĥ

Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Abū Qatādaĥ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهُ narrates that beloved Rasūl of Allāh صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم said, “The worst thief is the one who steals from his Ṣalāĥ.” He was humbly asked, “Yā Rasūlallāh صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم, who is the thief of Ṣalāĥ?” He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم replied, “The one who does not perform its Rukū’ or Sujūd properly.”

(Musnad Imām Aḥmad, pp. 386, vol. 8, Ḥadīš 22705)

Two Types of Thieves

Commenting on the foregoing Ḥadīš, the famous Mufassir of Qurān, Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat Ḥaḍrat Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ says, “It became obvious that the thief of Ṣalāĥ is worse than that of money because the thief of money gains at least some worldly profit though he is punished, the thief of Ṣalāĥ will be punished but he will not gain any benefit at all. The thief of money violates the right of people but the thief of Ṣalāĥ, violates that of Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ. It is the condition of those offering defective Ṣalāĥ; so those who do not offer Ṣalāĥ at all should learn a lesson.”

(Mirāt-ul Manājīḥ, pp. 78, vol. 2)

Dear Islamic brothers! Many people do not offer Ṣalāĥ at all and even most of those offering Ṣalāĥ are deprived of offering Ṣalāĥ properly due to the lack of interest in learning Sunnaĥ. Therefore, a brief method of offering Ṣalāĥ is being presented. For the sake of Madīnaĥ! Please read it very carefully and correct your Ṣalāĥ.