But what really happens when we stop praying?
The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُحَاسَبُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ صَلَاتُهُ، فَإِنْ صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ سَائِرُ عَمَلِهِ، وَإِنْ فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ سَائِرُ عَمَلِهِ
“The first deed for which a servant will be brought to account on the Day of Judgment will be his prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound; and if it is corrupt, then the rest of his deeds will be corrupt.”
Imagine a student who skips the main exam but still writes the extra credit questions. Even if they get 100% in the extras, they will still fail because they ignored the core test. That is what happens when a Muslim neglects prayer.
Islam makes a clear distinction. If someone denies the obligation of prayer, it becomes kufr (disbelief). But if someone admits it is obligatory yet abandons it out of carelessness, it is fisq (sinfulness). In both cases, the person is spiritually at risk, though one is graver than the other.
Sadly, in our times, it has become easy to neglect prayer casually “I’ll pray later,” “I’m too tired,” or “Allah knows what’s in my heart.” Yet Allah already warned:
فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَهْمَلُوا الصَّلَوَاتِ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا
“But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil.” (Qur’an 19:59)
Think about how often do we stop everything when our phone rings or when an important message comes in? Yet when the call of Allah (Adhān) reaches us, we sometimes delay. We rush for business meetings but treat the meeting with Allah casually.
Two people may stand side by side in the same mosque. Outwardly, they look the same, but Allah values them differently. The one who is sincere and consistent in prayer is like refined gold, while the one who neglects prayer loses value, like impure metal.
In the grave, neglecting prayer opens the door to punishment in Barzakh (the life between death and Judgment Day).
On the Day of Judgment, the Qur’an says about the people of Hell:
مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ ﴿٤٢﴾ قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿٤٣﴾
“What led you into Hellfire?”
They will say: “We were not of those who prayed.” (Qur’an 74:42-43)
A person who abandons prayer may feel an inner emptiness, anxiety, and a lack of direction. Many Muslims testify that whenever they reconnect with prayer, their hearts feel lighter, their homes calmer, and their lives more organized.
Despite the seriousness of abandoning prayer, Allah’s mercy remains vast. The door of tawbah (repentance) is always open. The Prophet ﷺ reassured us:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ النَّهَارِ، وَيَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِالنَّهَارِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ اللَّيْلِ، حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا
“Allah spreads out His hand at night to accept the repentance of those who sinned during the day, and He spreads out His hand during the day to accept the repentance of those who sinned at night.”
So even if one has missed years of prayer, the way back is always possible.
In conclusion, prayer is not a burden; it is a lifeline. It’s not something that takes away from our daily routine, but the very thing that gives it meaning, balance, and barakah. If we truly love Allah and hope for His mercy, then prayer cannot be the thing we delay it must be the thing we run to.