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The punishment of Allaah for abandoning the prayer

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Question

I was unwillingly performing my prayers and I was not regular in praying until I saw the bald-headed poisonous snake in my dream. It did not cause me any harm. From that moment on, I started performing my prayers regularly. What is the interpretation of this dream?

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Accepted Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

The narration, which people always mention with respect to the punishment of an individual who does not perform their prayers, concerning the snake called Ash-Shujaa‘ Al-'Aqra' (the courageous bald-headed), which beats him for this sin, is fabricated, and not authentically attributed to the Prophet .

This does not mean, however, that the matter of prayer should be belittled, or that the punishment for an individual who abandons it is not great in this world or the Hereafter. Indeed, abandoning praying is a grave major sin and a heinous offence. The Muslim jurists hold the opinion that the person who abandons their prayer, even out of laziness, is a non-Muslim.

It is good that you saw such a dream, because it reminds you of the punishment that Allaah assigns for those who neglect His obligations. In a narration on the authority of Abu Hurayrah the Prophet stated that the person whom Allaah has given wealth but does not pay Zakah on it, on the Day of Resurrection this wealth will be presented to him in the form of a huge snake with two black spots on the sides of its mouth or above its eyes. It will encircle itself around the person’s neck and pull his cheeks aside and say: "I am your wealth, I am your treasure." The Prophet then recited, {And let not those who [greedily] withhold what Allaah has given them of His bounty ever think that it is better for them…} [Quran 3:180] [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] This was only an example for abandoning one of the obligations and commandments of Allaah.

Allaah Knows best.

Fatwa

The punishment of Allaah for abandoning the prayer

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Related Fatwa

Is a husband sinful if he let his wife miss the prayer on time out of laziness?

Fears Getting Sick If He Performs Ghusl and Goes Out for Jummah Prayer in Cold Weather

Delayed Prayer upon waking up at a time close to sunrise

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Praying ‘Asr in the Mosque Late with the Hanafi Madh'hab

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