Prohibition of Looking Around During Prayer
① Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates, I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about looking around during prayer, and he (peace be upon him) said:
هو اختلاس يختلسه الشيطان من صلاة العبد
“This is a snatch by which Satan cheats the servant out of his prayer.”
② Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
إياك والالتفات فى الصلاة، فإن الالتفات فى الصلاة هلكة، وإن كان ولا بد ففي التطوع لا فى الفريضة
“Avoid looking around during prayer because looking around in prayer is destruction; if looking is necessary, then only in voluntary prayer, not in obligatory prayer.”
Prohibition of Raising the Gaze Towards the Sky During Prayer
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samrah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لينتهين أقوام يرفعون أبصارهم إلى السماء فى الصلاة أو لا ترجع إليهم
“People should refrain from raising their eyes towards the sky during prayer, otherwise, they will not return to them.”
② Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه reports that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
ما بال أقوام يرفعون أبصارهم إلى السماء فى صلاتهم
“What is wrong with people that they raise their eyes towards the sky during their prayer?”
Regarding this, the statement of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم became severe, to the extent that he said:
لينتهين أقوام عن ذلك أو لتخطفن أبصارهم
“People should desist from this or else their eyes will be plucked out.”
③ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لينتهين أقوام عن رفعهم أبصارهم عند الدعاء فى الصلاة إلى السماء أو لتخطفن أبصارهم
“People should refrain from raising their eyes towards the sky during supplication in prayer, otherwise their eyes will be plucked out.”
Prohibition of Leaving Prayer
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه that he heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say:
إذن بين الرجل وبين الشرك والكفر ترك الصلاة
“Indeed, the difference between a person and disbelief and polytheism is abandoning the prayer.”
And in another narration from Sayyiduna Jabir رضي الله عنه:
بين الكفر والإيمان ترك الصلاة
“The difference between disbelief and faith is abandoning the prayer.”
② Sayyiduna Buraidah رضي الله عنه narrates from his father, who said the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
العهد الذى بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفر
“The covenant between us and them is the prayer; whoever abandons it has committed disbelief.”
③ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin As رضي الله عنهما narrates from the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم that one day he mentioned prayer and said:
من حافظ عليها كانت له نورا وبرهانا ونجاة يوم القيامة، ومن لم يحافظ عليها لم يكن له نور ولا برهان ولا نجاة يوم القيامة وكان مع قارون وفرعون وهامان وأبي بن خلف
“Whoever guards it will have light, proof, and salvation on the Day of Resurrection, and whoever does not guard it will have neither light, nor proof, nor salvation on the Day of Resurrection, but will be with Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, and Abu Jahl.”
④ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Shaqiq رحمه الله states that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم did not consider abandoning any act other than prayer as disbelief.
⑤ Sayyiduna Abu Maleeh رضي الله عنه narrates that on a cloudy day during a battle, we were with Sayyiduna Buraidah رضي الله عنه. He said: Pray Asr quickly because the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
من ترك صلاة العصر فقد حبط عمله
“Whoever abandons the Asr prayer, his deeds are lost.”
⑥ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
أول ما يحاسب به العبد يوم القيامة صلاته، فإن صلحت فقد أفلح وأنجح، وإن فسدت فقد خاب وخسر
“On the Day of Resurrection, the first thing to be accounted for from a servant will be his prayer; if it is sound, he will be successful and prosperous, and if it is not sound, he will be unsuccessful and unfortunate.”
⑦ Masroor bin Mukhramah narrates, we went to Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه and said: Prayer. He said: “Whoever abandons prayer has no share in Islam.” He prayed while blood was flowing from his wound.
⑧ Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
الذي تفوته صلاة العصر كأنما وتر أهله وماله
“Whoever misses the Asr prayer, it is as if his house and property have been destroyed.”
⑨ Yahya bin Saeed رحمه الله narrates, indeed the one who prays on time and does not miss it, and when he misses it at its time, he is greater or better than his family and wealth.
