The Unwavering Dichotomy

 

Another edition of the MSSNUCH da’wah enlightenment program was held on Wednesday, 26th of January 2022

With its dignified lecturer (Ustaadh Ibrahim Aikoore) explaining the importance of Salah(prayer) and the rulings on whoever abandons it. 

An awe-inspiring justice was made to the topic by the lecturer as we came to understand that salah literarily means Du’aa(supplication), and it’s an act of worship which collectively engages the heart, mouth, and limbs and in some cases may involves money.

Also, Salah is the second most important pillar of Islam after the Shahaadah and the major difference between a Muslim and kaafir(unbeliever). Sadly, many Muslims today totally abandons this major act of worship or performs it with utmost negligence.

The crucial state of salaah in Islam had been accentuated with the saying of the prophet ﷺ which commands us not to rebel against a tyrant Muslim ruler who oppresses and abuses the Muslims if he says his salaah. Also, with the Nabiyy on his deathbed and being unable to lead the Muslims in prayer, salaah was still not abandoned as he ordered Abubakr Assiddiq to take the lead and his heartfelt satisfaction was expressed by the pleasant smile which laid across his face even in that state.

The lecturer also emphasized the need to learn and re-learn the act of salaah just as any other skill one seeks to master as it has its already laid down principles and protocols to be followed which if jeopardized could render the whole process useless and void. And foe what will it profit a man who observes salaah in the wrong way for more than 60years!

As regards the ruling on the one who abandons salaah affirming that it is not an obligatory act on him, then it is collectively agreed upon by the consensus of scholars that such individual has disbelieved and is liable to be treated as one (a kaafir). As for he who does not observes salaah but still affirms its obligation, then he has not disbelieved but regarded as a Faasiq(a criminal) and the judgement of the one who decides to leave the religion is due on him.

But for the one who is negligent or inconsistent with salaah, then he should be advised and encouraged in a subtle way to do so while taking time to explain the benefit and dangers of abandoning salaah in the shariah.

We ask Allah to grant us the strength and firmness to say our salaah with due diligence and commitment in all situations.

Aisha Ajadi