Fariq Naik – Importance of Performing Salaah in Congregation

Asalaamu Alaikum Warahmatullah, I am Musa Ahmed and

I am a student.

My question is, what advice can I give

someone who doesn't value praying on time and

doesn't care of fulfilling the five daily prayers

in the masjid?

As far as offering prayer in the masjid

is concerned, for the men it is compulsory.

And this is the view of the Humbly

School of Thought, the Hanafi School of Thought,

as well as an opinion in the Shafi

'i School of Thought, as well as the

opinion of many from among the contemporary scholars.

So for the men, the prayer needs to

be offered in congregation and they should see

to it that they offer the salah in

congregation in the masjid.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in the

glorious Qur'an, when Allah subhanahu wa ta

'ala talks about Salatul Khawf, that even in

the battlefield, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is

telling the believers that when they offer Salatul

Khawf, they need to offer it in a

particular way and it is offered in congregation.

And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala also says

in the glorious Qur'an, Surah Al-Baqarah,

chapter number 2, وَرَكَعُوا مَعَ الْرَاكِعِينَ And bow

with those who bow down.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him,

he mentioned in an authentic hadith that he

felt like burning the houses of those people

who stayed back and did not come to

the masjid in order to offer the prayer,

but naturally referring to the men.

But the Prophet peace be upon him did

not burn their houses because in the house

there were women and children.

So offering Salat for the men in congregation,

it is compulsory.

And our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon

him said that the most difficult prayers for

the Munafiqeen, for the hypocrites, they are the

Isha prayer and the Fajr prayer.

And if they knew the importance of it,

they would have come to it crawling.

And there are several hadiths which stress upon

offering Salat in congregation and the reward of

offering Salat in congregation.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him

said that offering Salat in congregation it is

27 times more rewarding than offering Salat individually.

And we know the importance of Salat and

there are several hadiths which stress upon it.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him

said the difference between Iman and Kufr is

Salat.

So we know all of these hadiths of

our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.

So what you can do is you can

tell your friend regarding the importance of Salat.

It is the first deed that will be

questioned by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala on

the day of judgment.

And if this, it is pure, then all

the other deeds, they will be pure as

well.

So the first from among the actions that

will be questioned by Allah subhanahu wa ta

'ala on the day of judgment, it is

our Salat, it is our prayer.

Unfortunately, many Muslims, they are negligent as far

as the five daily prayer are concerned.

The men should see to that they offer

the five daily prayer in congregation in the

masjid.

This is very important.

We pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala

that may he keep all of us on

the Surat al-Mustaqeem, on the straight path

and may we be good and righteous human

beings.

And we should encourage our brothers and sisters,

stress and tell them the importance of following

the religion of Islam as well as regarding

offering prayer, which is a very important part

of Islam.