Salah (prayer) has an exalted status in Islam that is unrivalled by any other act of worship. Salah is the pillar of Islam on which religion is firmly established. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said;
“The head of the matter (religion) is Islam, its pillar is the prayer and its highest peak is Jihad for Allah’s cause.” Tirmidhi Hadith 2616.
Salah constitutes the physical, mental and spiritual submission to Allah which starts by pronouncing “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great) and ends with the “Salaam” (salutation of peace). It is obligatory for every believing Muslim, male or female to perform Salah five times a day with the exception of women during their menstruation period or post partum bleeding.
Salah enables a Muslim to fulfill the obligation of worshipping Allah (SWT) because the sole purpose man was created was for worship, as He says in the Glorious Qur’an;
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [Qur’an 51:56]
And in another verse Allah (SWT) says;
So exalt [ Allah ] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him].
And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty (death). [Qur’an 15:98-99]
Negligence in the matter of Salah is infidelity, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“The covenant which is between us and them (disbelievers) is Salah, and whoever abandoned it has disbelieved.” Tirmidhi Hadith 2621.
In another narration, prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said this of Salah:
“Whoever guards it strictly will have light, evidence (of his faith) and deliverance on the Day of resurrection. And whoever does not guard it strictly will have neither light, nor evidence (of his faith) nor deliverance; and he will be gathered on the day of resurrection with Pharaoh, Haman, Qaroon and Ubayy bin Khalaf.” [Musnad Ahmad 6576]
Some scholars said in explanation to this Hadith that whoever neglects Salah will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with these disbelievers as follows:
- With Pharaoh if he neglects them out of pride because he is a king or leader.
- With Haman, Pharaoh’s Minister if he neglects them out of pride of holding a powerful position.
- With Qaroon if his neglecting Salah is due to distraction by his wealth or desires. Allah caused the earth to swallow Qaroon.
- With Ubayy bin Khalaf, the Makkan disbelieving trader if his business and other kind of dealings distract him from Salah.
Allah (SWT) inspires us to carefully guard our Salah in exchange for an everlasting reward- paradise, wherein we shall dwell forever. Allah says in the Qur’an;
“…And those who strictly guard their Salawaat. These will be the heirs, who will inherit Paradise. They will dwell therein forever.” [Qur’an 23: 9-11]
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that the prophet (PBUH) said;
“Five prescribed Salawaat efface all sins which are committed between them and similarly efface the sins committed between one Jumu’ah and the next- when one has abstained from major sins.” [Muslim]
If one performs Salah according to the Sunnah and while having a sincere intention, then his Salah should withhold him from sins. Yet if one does so and yet he still commits major sins then he should look closer to his Salah and see what he is doing wrong, for it Is impossible for the Salah to be accepted if it does not withhold one from major sins.
