The importance of Salaah

Q: There are various scenarios in which there could be difficulty in me performing Salaah at its prescribed time (of which I have noted four examples below):

a) Being kidnapped and held at gunpoint for a couple of hours

b) The little room in my workplace (which the hierarchy of the company have allowed me to use for Salah during my break times) being occupied by others for a one-off meeting they are having

c) Bleeding from a wound or a cut for a couple of hours

d) Waking up about 15 minutes before Fajar time ends to find that nocturnal emission has taken place and realizing that there is not sufficient time for me to have a ghusl and pray Fajar.

My questions:

1. If I become a person of Taqwa, it is absolutely impossible for any of the four scenarios mentioned above (or similar scenarios) from occurring? (The reason for asking this is that in a previous answer, Muftisaab stated that when Allah says in Surah Talaaq “And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out”, it refers to any difficulty that a person may be in. Surely this would also relate to difficulties in performing Salaah at its prescribed time).

2. Would I become a kafir if I believe or state that such scenarios could – on the rare one-off occasion – take place even if I fear Allah and keep my duty to Him? Having such a belief would surely mean that a person has rejected the second verse of Surah Talaq? Yes? No?

Q: If a person does other good deeds but he doesn't pray his five time Salaah, will his other good deeds be counted and accepted?

Q: We are university students in Canada who have final exams coming up. Some of which are from 2pm to 5pm. However, Asr Mithl to Maghrib is from 2:10 to 4:30. How should we pray our Asr Salah assuming we cannot pray during the exam?

Q: My question is if a person misses his or her salah does he or she become a kafir? Some scholars say that it is kufr.

Q: I know someone who has never prayed in his life!  From a Muslim background. When I say has never prayed, I mean that he has tried, but without wudhu and not really uttering the words of prayer properly, or even not saying them at all!  He is not really one who has abandoned prayer or has left the prayer, because he hasn’t really prayed or prayed properly in the first place.  So I said to him that he is like one who has never prayed at all. He is in his early 30’s, but he tells me that he strongly believes in Allah and His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).  He also mentioned that he knows and believes that praying is obligatory. He also said that sometimes he prays with the people who think he is praying properly, only to please them, but yet he feels tense inside when he is asked to pray with them, as he believes he is not ready.  He is never in a state of wudu before he prays superficially anyway. The thing is, he keeps saying that he will learn and pray when he is in the right situation, as he is not in the best of states at the moment.  I think he knows that pray is central and foremost, but neglects it and puts other things in front of him that he feels are more important right now for him. Please note that he also knows and believes that prayer is mandatory. He does not look down on Islam, and never mocks it!  So I don’t know if he is one who is not praying out of laziness, or by the information above, is one who is considered an unbeliever, because he is putting other things that he feels needs to be achieved first before the importance of prayer?  (I’m trying to advise him as best I can) Also the question on making up 33 years of prayer for him, if this applies to  him, is extremely burdensome.  With people’s life and work life the way they are these days, it would be very difficult.  We know, without question, that Allah (azza wa jal) deserves infinite prayers, but if he has to make them up, then this would be calculated at 60,060 prayers that is has missed! Could you shed some light on this person’s status as it would help me try and convince him not to worry about things and to take prayer seriously.

Q: The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) once said, that the one who leaves or abandons prayer is a kaafir. So what if one who has parents that are from a Muslim background, (practising or otherwise), has never prayed the 5 prayers out of laziness or other reasons, but believes in Allah and His Messenger; is he/she still considered a kaafir? I mean, will they still be Muslims, but only called non-practising Muslims due to them not praying? Also, what if they try to pray sporadically, but without wudu or without saying the prayer words properly or without intention, only to please others (while they still know this is wrong); are these people still considered non-practising Muslims, even though they still believe wholly in Allah and His Messenger? How is a Muslim defined in this case? The reason why I am asking this, is because I heard that because one has either left the prayer or has never properly prayed to begin with, is not even considered a Muslim, regardless of whether he/she believes in Allah and His Messenger or not?  Is this correct?

Q: I recite quaran daily in the morning without fail. Also I had started salat but unfortunately I can not perform five time salaat on time because my job is like that. So whatever time of salaat I get, I perform it. Like I came early home so I perform magrib and isha. So my question is that how can I perform Salaah on it's proper time or else I have to perform kaza namaz.

Q: Any wazifa for wealth (rozi)? I do quran tilaawat every day in the morning without fail. But 5 time namaz I am not getting because my job is such that I am not getting time. Whenever I get time, I pray.

Q: I used to pray my daily salah properly on time but as in the future I've lost interest astagfirullah. I really want what I had before with Allah but don't know how to get it. Could you please tell me some ways jazkallah?

Q: I have been missing and delaying prayers due to the time it takes me to make istinja and Wudu because I am suffering from OCD/Waswasas. I feel like a kafr because I have heard that your're a kafr if you miss prayers without an acceptable reason. I am definitely not missing/delaying prayers on purpose so am I considered a kafr? What should I do about this situation?