Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem.

I believe you all know that salah is fard(compulsory). I mean the 5x daily prayers and that the reward of doing so is great, and the sins of not doing so are terrible. Hellfire, punishment on the Day of Judgment, punishment in this life, all these things are but possibilities.

But let’s take a look at a slightly different angle: What’s the position of the scholars on someone who doesn’t pray intentionally?

The position of all four madhaahib, Imam Maalik, Imam Shaafi’ee, Imam Hanbali, and Imam Hanafi, with no difference of opinion is that a person who does not pray intentionally is not a Muslim. Think about that. Not a Muslim. Meaning no chance of Paradise. Meanwhile you can die anytime any day so imagine dying as a non Muslim whiles Allah warning us not to die except as practicing Muslims. Read Quran 3:101 going.

There is a very explicit hadith on this–the hadith of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The difference between us and them (Kuffar/Non-Muslims) is that of salaah so whoever abandons salaah certainly commits kufr.(Tirmidhi, kitab ul Iman, Declared Sahih by Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Nasai and Allama Iraqi, Minhaaj ul Muslimeen pg.80).

This is a very direct, explicit hadith–salaah is the contract, part of the mithaaq, the original contract, with Allah that all humans took. And this is only one of the explicit ahadith like this.

What’s more, it was inconceivable in the time of the sahaba that someone could be a “Muslim” and not pray. It just doesn’t make sense.

So think about that, next time you feel like skipping a salah. Honestly, it just takes five minutes. Don’t let your lame excuses side-track you. Just do it. For recommended actions to get us on our sajda again. May Allah keep guiding our eemaan and aid our brothers and sisters who are neglectful of their salaat to bounce back especially as Mr Ramadan approaches. May Allah aid us all in our efforts to please HIM. Aameen.