Prayer is the most important of all religious acts, and if it is accepted by Allah the Almighty, other acts of worship will also be accepted, and if prayer is not accepted by Allah, other acts of worship will not be accepted either.

Just as washing the body five times a day every day cleans all the dirt and grime off, offering prayers five times a day everyday purifies human beings of all sins.

It is befitting that one should offer their prayers at its prime time. A person, who considers prayers as unimportant, is just like the one who does not offer prayers at all.

His Holiness, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated, “One, who disregards and disrespects prayers, deservers the punishment of the hereafter”.

It is befitting that one should avoid doing the things which diminish the heavenly rewards for prayers, for instance, they must avoid offering prayers drowsily, or avoid looking at the sky while praying.

Rather, one should do the things which enhance the heavenly rewards for prayers, for instance, they should have pure and clean clothes on, perfume themselves, brush their teeth and comb their hair, to prepare for offering prayers.

Q364: Is a person legally allowed to stay up late at night, or to study etc. until late at night while it is certain or very likely that if they do such things, they will have to say their prayers after the legally prescribed time, that is to offer the Quadha prayers?

A: When it is certain that one will have to offer the Quadha prayers in the morning, they are not allowed to stay up late at night, and if this happens, they have committed a sin and it is seen as intentional abandonment of an obligatory act. However, notifying people of such certainties as issues which involve the right of Allah is not obligatory, and in the case of advisable acts such as mourning for His Holiness Imam Hussain (PBUH) or studying religious and Islamic books, it is not desirable but is even blameworthy to notify someone.

Q365: What is the case of socializing with a woman who has intentionally abandoned prayers, treats Mahram and Non-Mahram in the same way, does not veil herself and enjoining the good has no influence on her?

A: Such a person must be enjoined the good and forbidden from doing evils in any possible way, even if it entails shunning and ignoring her.

Q366: Is the obligation of offering prayers obviated while fighting in war, drowning, being involved in a fire holocaust, lack of the two purifiers (water and soil) or their being harmful to one's health, dissimulating, being paralytic, tied to the bed at the hospital, being a disabled person and even unable to turn their eyes etc.?

A: The obligation of offering prayers is never obviated and prayer must be offered even by turning the eyes, moving one's head up and down, or in any possible way, and when one offers prayers in any of the possible ways, the obligation is fulfilled, except for the case of lack of the two purifiers (water and soil), in which, as an obligatory precaution, one must offer both the prayers, and the Quadha prayers for those.