Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Due to the cloudy weather, there was a fear that if they delayed, the sun might set and the time for prayer would pass. There was also the concern that, because of the bad weather, people might become preoccupied with arrangements and thus delay the prayer. For this reason, Hazrat Buraidah radi Allahu anhu made an extraordinary effort regarding the performance of the Asr prayer. Furthermore, the importance of the Asr prayer is greater compared to other prayers because at this time deeds are raised up and the angels also present themselves to change their shifts. In addition, people are usually engaged in buying, selling, and commercial transactions at this time, which is why the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave a special command regarding its timely performance and issued a severe warning for abandoning it.

(2)
According to the Mu'tazilah, a person becomes a disbeliever (kafir) by committing a major sin (kabirah). They use such ahadith as evidence. Similarly, some Companions also said that one who abandons prayer is outside the religion of Islam. However, according to the majority of hadith scholars, committing a major sin does not make a person a disbeliever, nor does abandoning prayer cause a person to lose his faith, because Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالْإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ﴾ “And whoever disbelieves in faith, his deeds will become worthless.” (al-Ma'idah 5:5)
From this verse, it is understood that whoever does not choose disbelief instead of faith, his deeds will not be wasted, whereas in the hadith there is a warning of the loss of deeds for abandoning the Asr prayer. Thus, the apparent meaning of the verse and the explicit wording of the hadith seem to be in opposition to each other. The scholars have presented various explanations for this, such as:
• If one abandons the prayer while denying its obligation, then his deeds are wasted.
• By “loss of deeds” is meant a metaphor, that the one who abandons the Asr prayer is so deprived and unfortunate as if all his deeds have been wasted.

(3)
The preferred opinion is that these words have been used to express the severity and gravity of abandoning the prayer, so that people may avoid this grave sin; its apparent meaning is not intended, just as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Abusing a believer is wickedness (fisq) and fighting him is disbelief (kufr).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Iman, Hadith: 48)
Whereas the Noble Qur’an has referred to those who fight each other as believers, as Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ وَإِن طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا... ﴾ “And if two groups among the believers fight each other...” (al-Hujurat 49:9)
In light of this Qur’anic verse, the “disbelief” mentioned in the hadith does not mean real disbelief. Similarly, in the hadith, “loss of deeds” does not mean actual loss of deeds, but these words have been chosen to express the gravity and severity of the crime, because only disbelief, polytheism, and apostasy are such acts that cause the destruction of deeds.

(4)
According to the explicit statements of the Noble Qur’an, there are three major causes for the loss of deeds (habt al-a‘mal):
• Committing polytheism (shirk) after having faith, as Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾ (6:88) “If they (i.e., even the noble Prophets alayhim as-salam) had associated others with Allah, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them.” (al-An‘am 6:88)
• Adopting the path of apostasy after having faith, as Allah the Exalted says:
﴿وَمَن يَرْتَدِدْ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ﴾ “And whoever among you turns back from his religion and dies while he is a disbeliever, then those are the ones whose deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter.” (al-Baqarah 2:217)
• Disrespecting and showing insolence to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَن تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ ﴾ (49:2) “O you who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak loudly to him as you speak loudly to one another, lest your deeds become worthless while you do not perceive.” (al-Hujurat 49:2)