Library Ethics Greater Sins Chapter 38 Omitting Prayer Intentionally Promise of chastisement in the Qur’an
Promise of chastisement in the Qur’an
- Details
- Hits: 2375
Promise of chastisement in the Qur’an
There are numerous Qur’anic Verses that emphasise the importance of Prayer and the certainty of Divine chastisement for neglect. A few of these ayats are given below:
“In gardens, they shall ask each other. About the guilty: What has brought you into hell? They shall say: We were not of those who prayed; And we used not to feed the poor; And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who entered into vain discourses. And we used to call the day of judgment a lie.”
(Surah al-Muddaththir 74:40-46)
“So he did not accept the truth, nor did he pray, But called the truth a lie and turned back, Then he went to his followers, walking away in haughtiness.”
(Surah al-QiyÄma 75:31-33)
“Nearer to you (is destruction) and nearer, Again (consider how) nearer to you and nearer.”
(Surah al-QiyÄma 75:34-35)
Some commentators of Qur’an explain that ‘destruction’ is ‘wael’ (a place in hell). And the repetition of word ‘nearer’ four times is for emphasis. Or the four repetitions may signify four stages of destruction: Once in this world, second the punishment of grave, terror in QiyÄma and fourth the everlasting stay in Hell.
In Surah al-MÄ’Å«n, the Almighty remarks,
“And wael (woe) to the praying ones, who are unmindful of their prayers, who do (good) to be seen.”
(Surah al-MÄ’Å«n 107: 4–6)
‘Waelun’ (terrible punishment) is for those who are unmindful about prayers; prayer which is a pillar of faith and the dividing line between belief and disbelief. ‘Waelun’ is one of the sections of Hell, or a well situated in Hell. It is also used as a word denoting terrible punishment the ‘Un’ which is added at the end makes it a superlative.
The Almighty Lord says in Surah Maryam,
“But there came after them an evil generation, who neglected prayers and followed sensual desires, so they will meet perdition.”
(Surah Maryam 19: 59)
The word ‘gayya’ which is translated as ‘perdition’ above is a valley in Hell where the punishment is far more severe than other areas. Even the inmates of Hell seek Allah (S.w.T.)’s refuge from this punishment. Ibn Abbas has related that, ‘There is a serpent in this valley which is sixty day’s journey long and thirty day’s journey wide. Since the day it was created it has opened it’s mouth only to swallow those who neglect prayer and those who drink.” Allah (S.w.T.) the Almighty remarks in Surah ar-RÅ«m,
“…And keep up prayer and be not of the polytheists…”
(Surah ar-RÅ«m 30: 31)
This verse implies that a person who neglects prayer is at par with the idol worshippers and polytheists.
