A lot of Moslem often find it difficult to answer to Fajr prayer. There are a lot of reasons for doing that. The consequences for neglecting prayer have already explained in Al Quran and hadeeth. Pray is better than asleep, that is the focus for Moslem, Fajr is an obligation for Moslem.
Tired, deep sleeping, or Sleeping After Fajr Prayer in Islam is the common excused for neglecting fajr prayer. The most important thing to have is the will-power to pray and be a better Moslem. To have this is no easy task.
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Fajr, is especially special and important among the other praying time. So Allah told us to pray during this time. In Al Quran, the importance of fajr explained in the verses, the verses for example:
“So exalt it to God when you are in the evening to dusk and when you are at dawn.” (QS. Ar-Rum: 17)
“Establish your prayer from after the sun slip until dark night and (also pray) Shubuh. Indeed fajr prayer is witnessed (by angels).” (Qs. Al-Isra’: 78)
Beside fajr prayer, the other verses in Al Quran that clearly states the order to pray, are such:
“Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two-thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (QS.Al Muzammil: 20)
The consequences you will face if you neglecting fajr prayer.
1. Recognized as Hypocritical Pretender
Fajr prayer offers a lot of benefits if you do it, so much merit and reward from Allah the most gracious. When you neglect fajr prayer, as a Moslem, aren’t you afraid to be called the hypocritical pretender? Most people fail to do fajr prayer because of one activity, sleeping. Rasulullah already said and gave his direction in this context, the hadeeth goes like this:
“Indeed, there is no greater burden of prayers felt by the hypocrites than the Fajr prayers and the Isya prayers’. If only they knew what was in it, surely they would come to the calling even if they had to crawl.” (Bukhari no. 657 and Muslim no. 651)
[AdSense-B]
“There is no greater burden of prayers felt by the hypocrites than the Fajr prayers and the Isya prayers’. If only they knew what was in it, surely they would come to the calling even if they had to crawl. And really, I was thinking of telling the muadzin to call for iqama. Then I told someone to lead men, while I took the fire and I burned (the house) of people who did not come out (doing) the Fajr prayer. (Al-Lu’lu wal Marjan no. 383)
See also: Benefits of Zuhr Prayer
2. Got a Fierce Punishment in Akhirah
And there is a hadeeth from Bukhari that states things such as:
There is more, once Muhammad Shalallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam had a dream, and his dream is as real as it can be. He said, “Last night I had dream two figures came to me by order. Both of them said ‘Let’s go!’ so I went with them. We came to someone who lied down. Suddenly, there is another guy stood in the top of him carrying a huge stone.
He dropped the stone into the head of guy that lied down. The head splitted, the stone rolled away. The guy followed the stone and picked it. Before the person came back to where he stood, the head already recovered, as good as new. The guy repeated what he did before”.
[AdSense-A]When Muhammad Shalallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam asked what did he just saw, both of the figures answered, “we will tell you, the first guy that you saw which his head was split, is someone who took Al Quran, refused it, and sounds asleep neglecting his obligatory prayer.” (Shahih al-Bukhari, hadeeth no. 7047)
From this long elaboration before, we can conclude that the consequences for Moslem that neglecting his duty to pray, while choose to sound asleep. In this case is Fajr prayer.
Imam Al-Bukhari dan Imam Muslim told a story about Abdullah bin Mas’ud radhiyallahu ‘anhum said; “It was said before Muhammad Shalallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam about someone who sleeps until the morning comes. He said, “that is the man whose ears was peed by Satan.” (Shahih al-Bukhari hadeeth no. 1144 and Muslim hadeeth no. 774)
“Satan made three marks on your scruff when you asleep. For each one he whispers ‘night is long, sleep!’ If he awake and dhikr to Allah, one mark is gone, if he goes and takes wudhu, another one is gone, and if he does prayer all the marks will be gone. (If that happened) In the morning he will be energized and pure. If not, he will be lazy and sluggish.” (Al-Bukhari hadeeth no, 3269)
See also: Importance of Istighfar
If there are lots of benefit by doing fajr prayer that Allah has already promised, as a good Moslem, do you still want to ignore the calling to Fajr prayer?
Importance of Fajr Prayer
The importance of fajr prayer can be explained as follows:
- The angel watching you at fajr prayer
This has been explained by Rasulullah, the saying goes like this:
“And the night and the day angels will gather altogether at fajr prayer.” (Bukhari no. 137 and Muslim no.632)
See also: Benefits of Zuhr Prayer
2. By doing fajr prayer, it will be count as doing prayer all night long
Allah promised his servants for those who done fajr prayer, their prayer will be counted as praying all night. This is explained by Rasulullah like this:
“Those who done isya prayer together in group, it means he has prayed for half the night. And those who done fajr prayer together in group means that he already prayed through the night.”(Muslim no. 656)
See also: Benefit of Tahajjud prayer
- Allah SWT guaranteed you
Rasulullah explained that Allah itself will guarantee for his servant that done fajr prayer:
“Those who done fajr prayer, then Allah will guarantee him (safety). So, do not make Allah guarantee him (with demise). Because for someone that Allah demand something from someone, Allah will find him, and surely plunged him into the deepest hell.” ( Muslim no. 163)
- Safe you from the hell and place in Allah’s heaven
It goes without saying, do your duty and its heaven and grace, while neglecting it will result in your doom in the hell. So, use the chances from Allah the powerful one, without excuse including the obligatory fajr prayer. Do this, and escape from Allah’s wrath and punishment in front of you. Rasulullah explained it like this:
“There will be no place in hell for those who done their prayer before the sunrise(fajr) and before the sun sets (ashar).” (Muslim no. 634)
So? Still want to neglect the fajr prayer?
“Those who done bardain prayer (fajr and ashar) and their place will be heaven.” (HR. Bukhari no. 574 and Muslim no. 635)
That concludes the explanation about why fajr prayer is very important and neglecting it will cost you severe. I hope we can all learn from this and do our best to answer the calling to prayer, especially the obligatory. Hope we can be a good and humble servant of Allah, so we can enjoy our afterlife in his grace. Thanks for your time.