The importance of Salaah

Will one become a kaafir if he does not perform Salaah?

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?

Omitting one's Salaah and performing it as qaza due to one's job

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.

Not waking up for fajr Salaah

Q: It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: A woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when we were with him and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, my husband Safwaan ibn al-Mu’attal does not pray Fajr until the sun has risen.” Safwaan was with him, so he asked him about what she had said, and he said: “O Messenger of Allaah, we are a family who are known not to wake up until the sun has risen.” He said: “When you wake up, then pray.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2459; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 7/65. 

I can't pray fajr salah because I have sleep problems.  I don't fall asleep easily and if I wake up for fajr I can't fall asleep again so can I pray fajr at zuhr time, would it be valid and am I a kafir if I don't pray fajr on time. Above hadith it says our prophet allowed a man to pray fajr after sunrise.

Not performing Salaah due to laziness

Q: Zeid doesn't pray salaat regularly because of laziness. He has been told by a Hanafi maulana that this is not kufr (however it is fisq). But, there is an opinion related from Imam Ahmad that leaving salat because of laziness is kufr. If Imam Ahmad's opinion turns out to be the correct one, what will happen to Zeid? Will he be a kafir who is forever destined for hell, or will he be excused since he is a Hanafi and acted according to the information given to him by Hanafi ulema?

Not performing Fajr Salaah

Q:

  1. Someone prays all Salaahs on time except the Fajr prayer which he misses for many reasons. One is that he watches TV, etc. Will Allah (SWT) accept from him the four prayers if he doesn't pray Salat Al-Fajr? 
  2. I have sleep problem, I don't fall asleep easily.  I try using alarm to wake me up for fajr salah but it doesn't works.  If I wake up for fajr I can't fall asleep again so can I pray fajr as qaza during zuhr time, praying as qaza would fajr be valid?

Foregoing Salaah

Q: I am 18 and currently studying in university. During Ramadhaan, I used to pray 5 times a day and would read Qur'an everyday. But ever since Ramadhaan ended, I haven't been praying my Salaah very often. I really want to start praying 5 times a day but I don't know how to start. Every time I think of starting to pray, I become lazy and delay my Salaah. Please tell me what I should do to start praying everyday and come closer to my Deen. I've wasted a lot of time doing useless things rather then praying my Salaah. If I start praying 5 times a day, will Allah Ta'ala forgive me for not praying my past Salaahs?

The importance of Salaah

Q: I want you to tell me some waizfa so that I can become namzi. In ... I used to offer prayer and recite tasbeeh, but since I came to ... I hardly offer prayer. Please I am really worried. Every night I promise myself to pray but during the day I don't end up praying. Please give me some dua?