All peace is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon Allaah's Messenger, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah. That is your best earning. Allaah says,

"O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared. (Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always), and die not except in a state of Islaam."

(Aal-'Imraan 3:102)

Dear Muslims! Indeed, Allaah endowed you with many abundant blessings. The greatest of His blessings upon you is that He made you Muslims and believers. Allaah says,

"They regard as favour to you (O Muhammad) that they have embraced Islaam. Say: "Count not your Islaam as a favour upon me. Nay, but Allaah has conferred a favour upon you that He has guided you to the Faith if you indeed are true."

(Al-Hujuraat 49:17)

You should therefore thank Allaah and praise Him for His blessings and guidance. For it is He Who made you the best community ever evolved for mankind. He guided you to the landmarks of this religion in which there is no ambiguity. One of the greatest landmarks of this religion and its greatest rites and treasures is prayer which is the second pillar of Islaam. It is next to the statement of testimony and the greatest act of worship. He who observes it preserves his religion and he who neglects it neglects the rest of his religion.

Prayer is the pillar of the religion and the very topmost of the trust. Allaah's Messenger said, "The head of the affair is Islaam and its pillar is prayer."

Allaah makes the prayers source of happiness and refuge for the distressed. Allaah's Messenger said, "The comfort of my eyes is put in the prayer." He would also say, "O Bilaal! Give us succour with the prayer."

Happiness and peace of mind are the goal of every Muslim in everything he does. They are the desired goal at the end of every calamity. Prayer is an act of worship that entails submission, concentration, and show of helplessness, supplication, praise and glorification of Allaah. The Messenger of Allaah said, "When one of you is in his prayer, he is addressing his Lord." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Brethren in faith! Prayer is the best means of preserving security and fighting crimes. It is the best means of inculcating sense of modesty and virtue. Allaah says,

"And perform prayer. Verily, the prayer prevents from Al-Fahshaa' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed) and the remembering (praising) of (you by) Allaah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed (than your remembering (praising) of Allaah in prayers."

(Al-'Ankaboot 29: 45)

Prayer is the cause of success and salvation. It is the first act of worship to which man will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection. If it is correct, he will succeed and be saved; but if it is not correct he will be among the losers.

Observance of prayers is a sign of truthfulness and faith and negligence of it is a sign of humiliation and loss. He who observes it will have light and safety on the Day of Resurrection. He who does not observe it will not have light or safety, and on that Day, he will be in the company of Qaaroon, Pharaoh, Haamaan and Ubayy bin Khalaf.

He who observes these five obligatory prayers perfectly with their bowings, prostrations and performs them at their prescribed times, and knows that they are an obligation ordained by Allaah, he will enter Paradise.

Prayer is full of blessings and mercy. It expiates for sins, raises degrees and multiplies reward. The Messenger of guidance said, "If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?" They said, "Not a trace of dirt would be left." The Prophet added, "That is the example of the five prayers with which Allaah erases evil deeds." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Prayer is an act of worship that is a ray of hope in the darkness of error. It salvages the distressed from their sorrow and leads to the path of salvation and life. Allaah says,

"And perform prayer at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night (i.e. the five compulsory prayers). Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice)."

(Hood 11:114)

Fellow Muslims! It is very saddening that many Muslims neglect this great act of worship. Some totally abandon it and some observe parts of it and leave out others. In our time, prayer has become insignificant in the eyes of many so much so that it is only few Muslims who care to observe it. Az-Zuhree said, "I visited Anas bin Maalik in Damascus and I found him weeping. I said, 'Why are you weeping?' He said, 'I know nothing [that remains] of the things that used to be at the time of Allaah's Messenger except the prayer. Even this prayer is being neglected." (Al-Bukhaaree)

Dear brethren! One of the greatest sins is to deliberately, disdainfully and indolently abandon prayers or delay it until its prescribed time is over. The Messenger of Allaah said, "Covenant that is between us and them is prayer. Whoever abandons it has disbelieved." (Ahmad) Allaah's Messenger also said, "The screen between man and disbelief and polytheism is abandonment of prayers." (Muslim)

Missing of an obligatory prayer is like loss of properties and loss of wife and children. Allaah's Messenger said, "He who misses a prayer is like the one who is bereaved if his family and wealth." (Ibn Hibbaan)

The one who abandons prayer will be visited with Allaah's wrath. The Prophet said, "He who abandons prayer, Allaah will be angry with him when he meets Him." (Al-Bazzaar) Allaah says,

"(And he on whom My Anger descends, he is indeed perished."

(Taa Haa 20:81)

The Messenger of Allaah warned, "Do not ever abandon the prayer deliberately. Whoever does so is no longer under the protection of Allaah and His Messenger." (At-Tabaraanee)

Abdullaah bin Shaqeeq said, "The companions of Allaah's Messenger did not see any act whose abandonment is tantamount to disbelief except the prayer."

Fellow Muslims! Showing negligence in prayer is one of the greatest causes of calamities and misery in this world and the punishment in the Hereafter. Allaah says,

"Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up the prayers (i.e. made their prayers to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times) and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell."

(Maryam 19:59)

Allaah's Messenger said in the hadeeth narrated about his dream, "Last night two persons came to me (in a dream) and woke me up and said to me, 'Proceed!' I set out with them and we came across a man lying down, and behold, another man was standing over his head, holding a big rock. Behold, he was throwing the rock at the man's head, injuring it. The rock rolled away and the thrower followed it and took it back. By the time he reached the man, his head returned to the normal state. The thrower then did the same as he had done before. I said to my two companions, 'Subhanallaah! Who are these two persons?' At the end of the narration, the two persons informed Allaah's Messenger, 'As for the first man you came upon whose head was being injured with the rock, he is the symbol of the one who studies the Qur'aan and then neither recites it nor acts on its orders, and sleeps, neglecting the enjoined prayers." (Al-Bukhaaree)

Dear brother! How can you neglect the prayer while it is your spiritual capital? How can your faith be correct without it? How can you neglect it while you read the severe threat in the word of Allaah that says,

"So woe unto those performers of prayers (hypocrites); those who delay their prayer from their stated fixed times)"

(Al-Maa'oon 107:4-5)?

How can you adopt the trait of the hypocrites whom Allaah describes as follows:

"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allaah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for the prayer, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allaah but little."

(An-Nisaa 4:142)

Fellow Muslims! Prayer is an act of worship from whose performance no legally obligated Muslim is excused under any circumstances even in war or in sickness except for the menstruating woman and the woman in post-natal bleeding. Allaah says,

"Guard strictly (five obligatory) the prayers especially the middle prayer (i.e. the best prayer - 'Asr). And stand before Allaah with obedience. And if you are in the state of fear, perform prayer on foot or riding. And when you are in safety, offer the prayer in the manner He has taught you, which you knew not (before)."

(Al-Baqarah 2:238-239)

Dear brethren! Observe the prayers at their prescribed times. Perform the ablution perfectly and observe the standing, concentration, bowing and prostration perfectly, you will earn the reward and the blessings of the prayer.

Brethren in Islaam! Clear evidence from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah are abundant that congregation prayer is obligation for men either at home or on a journey. Allaah says,

"And perform prayer and give Zakaah, and bow down (or submit yourselves with obedience to Allaah) along with those who bow."

(Al-Baqarah 2:43)

Allaah also tells His Messenger while he was on the warfront,

"When you (O Messenger Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in the prayer, let one party of them stand up in prayer with you taking their arms with them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in the rear and let the other party come up which have not yet prayed, and let them pray with you taking all the precautions and bearing arms."

(An-Nisaa 4:102)

'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood said, "He who likes to meet Allaah tomorrow as a Muslim should persevere in observing these prayers where the call is made for them, for Allaah has laid down for your Prophet -may peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him- the paths of right guidance, and these prayers are among the paths of right guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this straggler does in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet -may peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him- and if you abandon the practice of your Prophet -may peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him- you would go astray. Any man who purifies himself perfectly, and then makes for one of these mosques, Allaah will record a good deed for him for every step he takes, raise him a degree for it and efface for him a sin on its account. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was known. Even a (sick) man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row.” (Muslim)

O Muslim youths! Abdullaah bin Umm Maktoom came to Allaah's Messenger requesting to be excused from congregational prayer. He said, "Allaah's Messenger, I have grown old, my bones have become feeble and I can no more see. I have a guide whose guidance is not suitable for me. Can you please permit me to perform the [obligatory] prayers in my house?" Allaah's Messenger asked him, "Do you hear the call to prayer while you are at your house?" He said, "Yes." Allaah's Messenger then said, "I cannot permit you [to pray at home]." He then said, "Had this one who stays away from congregational prayers known the reward that is set aside for those who attend them, he would have attended them if he had to crawl on his hands and legs." (At-Tabaraanee)

The Prophet was seriously angry with those who stay away from congregational prayers. He said, “I intended that I should order the prayer to be commenced and order a person to lead people in prayer, and I should then go along with some persons having a fagot of fuel with them to the people who had not attended the prayer (in congregation) and would burn down their houses.” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Aboo Hurayrah said, "It is better for man to have his ears blocked with melted led than to hear the call to prayers and not answer it."

The Messenger of Allaah also said, "Whoever hears the call to prayer and no excuse prevents him from answering the call, his prayer will not be accepted." He was asked, "What is the excuse?" He said, "Fear or sickness." (Aboo Daawood)

The matter would become worse and more dangerous if the one who stays away from congregational prayers is among those that are emulated like scholars or students of knowledge.

Dear brethren! The above are clear evidences for the obligation of prayer in congregation.

Fellow Muslims! In our age, the number of people who stay away from congregational prayers has greatly increased. Men who are healthy and strong would hear the call to prayers in the morning and evening but they would not answer the call nor remember Allaah. Their tongues are engaged in idle talk and their hearts are heedless. Their efforts in this life will be in vain because they persisted in their erroneous ways.

Their pastime and businesses distract them from performing prayers. Had there been a worldly gain -however insignificant it may be- in performing congregational prayers in the mosque, they would surely have been quick to attend them. Allaah's Messenger said, "By Him, in Whose Hands my soul is, if anyone of them had known that he would get a bone covered with good meat or two (small) pieces of meat present in between two ribs, he would have turned up for the 'Ishaa' prayer." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Brethren in Islaam! It is the obligation of all Muslims, including the rulers and scholars to find out the reason these people are staying away from congregational prayers and to encourage them to attend the prayers in congregation.

Ubayy bin Ka'b narrated, "Allaah's Messenger led us in Fajr prayer one day. After the prayer was concluded he asked, "Is so-and-so at home?" He asked twice. We answered in the affirmative. He then said, "And he did not attend the prayer?" He then asked, "Is so-and-so at home?" He asked twice. We answered in the affirmative. He then said, "And he did not attend the prayer?" The Messenger of Allaah then said, "The most difficult prayers for the hypocrites are 'Ishaa and Fajr prayers. Had they knew the rewards that these two prayers contains, they would have attended them even if they had to crawl." (Aboo Daawood)

Allaah says,

"O you who have believed! Bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord and do good that you may be successful."

(Al-Hajj 22:77)

As for you who sluggishly come to the mosque and spend only few moments there, don't you know that mosques are houses of Allaah and the most beloved places to Him? The Prophet said, "The mosque is the house of every pious Muslim. Allaah has guaranteed mercy blessings and [safe] passage on the Path [Siraat] [1] to Allaah's pleasure and Paradise."(At-Tabaraanee)

The Prophet also mentioned a man whose heart is attached to the mosques among those who will be shaded under the shade of Allaah on the Day of Resurrection.

As for you who stay away from congregation prayers, you have missed a lot of blessings and rewards. Allaah's Messenger said, "Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning and evening [to perform obligatory prayers], Allaah will provide for him Paradise as an entertainment each time he goes there." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Further, anyone who performs ablution in his house and then goes to one of the houses of Allaah to perform an obligatory prayer ordained by Allaah, his sins with be erased with a step he takes and a degree will be raised for him with another. Those who earn most rewards as far as walking to attend congregational prayers is concerned are those whose houses are the farthest from the mosque. And those who stay away from congregational prayers will be delayed from Allaah's blessings. Allaah says,

"In houses (mosques), which Allaah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honored), in them His Name is remembered. Therein glorify Him (Allaah) in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings, men, whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts them from the Remembrance of Allaah (with heart and tongue), nor from performing the prayer, nor from giving the Zakaah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection). That Allaah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace. And Allaah provides without measure to whom He wills. As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing, but he finds Allaah with him, Who will pay him his due (Hell). And Allaah is Swift in taking account."

(An-Noor 24:36-39)

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah regarding your children. They are trusts with you. Command them to perform prayers and attend the congregations. Encourage them with incentives and gifts. Nurture them upon love of the Hereafter and be good models for them. Allaah says,

"And enjoin the prayer on your family, and be patient in offering them. We ask not of you a provision (i.e. to give Us something: money): We provide for you. And the good end (i.e. Paradise) is for the pious."

(Taa Haa 20:132)

The Messenger of Allaah said, "Command your children to pray when they reach age seven and spank them over it when they are ten." (Ahmad)

Beware of what can distract them from remembrance of Allaah and prayer, and invoke Allaah to reform your children and all Muslim children.


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[1] As-Siraat is a bridge that will be laid on the Day of Resurrection over the Hell. Every person will pass over this bridge in speeds commensurate to the their good deeds.