Like Losing Your Family And Wealth

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The two most precious possessions that one has are one's family and money. Most people spend most of their time trying to make as much money as they can to support their families and trying to make them happy.

No doubt, one will be grief-stricken if he lost his family and his wealth. Feel the same way when we miss praying the 'Asr prayer.

It is all so easy to to miss 'Asr prayer, even for the one who prays regularly, if you don't plan your day carefully. Maybe you get stuck in traffic, or resting a little too long when you arrive home after a long day at work/long drive, or maybe you are busy cooking for your family or entertaining your guests, etc.

You work hard trying to make money to support your family and give them the comfort of this life, or you want to make your family happy by cooking their favorite dishes, but it won't do you any good if you missed your 'Asr prayer and having to make it up later.

It is important that we pray all prayers in its time. So plan carefully so you don't miss praying the 'Asr prayer in its time. Maybe pray first at work before you go home perchance you get stuck in traffic or pray first before you get carried away with cooking, etc.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

Whoever misses the ‘Asr prayer, it is as if he had lost his family and his wealth”

(Bukhari and Muslim)

There are some other hadiths that state this meaning clearly:
Narrated from Ibn-i Burayda that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

Whoever does not pray the asr prayer until the sunset and abandons it, his deeds of worship become void.

Everyone knows Muslims pray five times a day. This is the basic thing people know about Islam.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, "What is the best of works?" He replied, "Prayer at its times." (Bukhari)

So we should pray 5 times a day, not 2, 3 or 4 times a day. Each prayer (fajr, dhuhr, 'asr, maghrib and isha) is meant to be prayed in its time, not making up missed prayers everyday. Then you are not praying 5 time a day, but 4 or less times a day.

"The five prayers and Friday to Friday are expiation of whatever happens between them, as long as one avoids the major sins." (Muslim)

Of the major sins a person can commit in his life is neglecting the prayer and neglecting the times of the prayer.

The prayer itself is the most powerful of the act of worship in Islam. Suffice us to know that Allah commands us to pray five times a day. It is the most central act of worship to us. We do hajj once in a lifetime to purify ourselves; we fast Ramadhan once a year to purify ourselves but with the prayer, we can't go a day without doing it at least five times. This is to help keep us going towards our Lord. This tells us that we need the prayer. Allah does not need our prayers. Allah ordains upon us to make sure that we keep praying at times which are spread out throughout the day so we keep afloat, keep connected, keep aware of our Lord. Without the prayers we become distant; we become cut off; we become lost.

We are in need and we are poor. Prayer is what Allah bless us with to enrich us. As for Allah, He is free of need of everything which He ever created.

Of the great wonders of prayer is that Allah didn't obliged it upon us on earth. Allah obliged it upon us when the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in heaven on the night of the Isra' (the ascension). It is an act whoever stays with it, it becomes his haven which he retreats to throughout his day. It becomes his support and his comfort.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "O Bilal! Comfort us with it (call to prayer)." So we can go back to our haven.

Prayer is of the most powerful of spiritual works for he who maintains it throughout his life, whether healthy or sick; traveling or staying at home; studying or having exams; watching kids or entertaining guests; shopping or working; or in cold temperature or hot weather; it will leave its mark on the person.

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَٲعُونَ (٨) وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٲتِہِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ (٩) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡوَٲرِثُونَ (١٠) ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلۡفِرۡدَوۡسَ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (١١)

And they who carefully maintain their prayers - (9) Those are the inheritors (10) Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally. (11)

[Qur'an A-Mu'minun 23:9-11]

May Allah make us steadfast with our prayers and grant us tawfiq. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam