Allah, the Most High, says,

{But after them there followed a posterity who missed Prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, will they face destruction, except those who repent and believe, and work righteousness.} (Maryam: 59-60)

Commenting on the above verses (Ayat), Ibn ‘Abbas said,

“Allah’s statement, “Who missed Prayers does not mean that they did not perform it at all but rather they did not perform it in its due time.”

Sa’id Ibn AI-Mussaiyyib, Imam of the Tabi’een (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is he who postpones the Dhuhr (Early Afternoon Prayer) until the time of Asr Prayer (Late Afternoon Prayer) and so are Maghrib (Sunset Prayer) until’ /sha’ (Evening Prayer), /sha until Fajr (Dawn Prayer) and Fajr until the sun rises. If someone dies persisting in such habits and does not repent to Allah, Allah promises to make him face Ghayy (destruction). But Ghayy may also be the name of a valley in the Hell whose bottom is so deep and tastes so bitter.

Allah, the Most High, says,

{So woe to the worshipers who are neglectful of their Prayer.} (Ma’un: 4-5)

Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas related, “I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about the meaning of “the worshipers who are neglectful of their Prayer.’ He said, “It is the delaying of performing the Prayer in its definite time.” The word (Wayl) in the Ayah may refer to severe torture or it may be the name of a valley in the Hell. Were the whole mountains of the world brought in such valley it would melt because of severe heat. This is the abode of those who are not serious in Prayer unless they repent to Allah and regret for what they have done.

Allah, the Almighty, says,

{O ye who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah, if any act thus, surely they are the losers.} (AI-Munafiqun: 9)

The exegetes said, “The remembrance of Allah in the above Ayah means the five daily Prayers. Therefore, whoever preoccupies himself with his property, trade, livelihood or children rather performing Prayer in its definite time will be a loser.

The Prophet(ﷺ) said,

“The first of one’s works that he shall be called to account for on the Day of Judgment is the Prayer. If he performed it well, he will be prosperous. Otherwise, he will be loser.” 

Allah, the Most High, says,

{What led you into Hell-Fire? They will say, ‘We were not of those who prayed, nor were we of those who feed the indigent. But we used to talk vanities with vain talkers, and we used to deny the Day of Judgment until there came to us (the Hour) that is certain. Then will no intercession of any intercessor profit them.} (Al-Muddathir: 42-48)

The Prophet(ﷺ) said,

“The covenant between us and them consists of the Prayer: Whoever leaves it has disbelieved.”

It was related that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

“Between a man and unbelief is the nonperformance of the Prayer.”

“Whoever neglects the Prayer of ‘Asr (Late Afternoon Prayer) will have his deeds vain.”

“Whoever neglects the Prayer intentionally will be free from Allah’s covenant.”

“I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah and perform the Prayer, and pay Zakah. If they say it, they have saved their blood and possessions from me, except for the right of Islam over them, and their final reckoning is with Allah.”

“Whoever keeps on performing Prayers (in its due time), it will be a light, a proof and redemption for him on the Day of Judgment. Otherwise, he will be assembled with Pharaoh, Qarun Haman and ‘Ubai Ibn Khalaf.”

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Whoever neglects the Prayer is beyond the pole of Islam.”

One of the scholars of sacred knowledge said, “He (the one who neglects the Prayer) will be assembled with these four people because he is either preoccupied from performing Prayer by property, kingdom, ministry or trade. If he is preoccupied by wealth, he will be assembled with Qarun. If by kingdom, he will be with Pharaoh. If by ministry, he will be with Haman and if by trade, he will be with Ubai Ibn Khalaf.”

Mu’adh Ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever intentionally missed an obligatory Prayer there by becomes an unbeliever.”

The Benefits of Performing Prayers:

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “On the Day of Judgment, a man is brought before Allah. Then Allah issues a command to cast him into Fire. The man asks Allah, “O My Lord, why? Allah, then, replies, “Because you neglected to perform the Prayer in its time and you swear falsely by Me.”

The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said,

“The first faces that will turn dark on the Day of Judgment are the faces of those who neglect the Prayer. In the HellFire. there is a valley called AI-Malham that contains serpents. Each serpent is as fat as a camel’s neck and its length is equal to the distance covered in a day. Then, it stings the one who neglects the Prayer, the poison boils in his body for seventy years then the flesh is torn out.

Integrals of Prayer 

‘Ubadah Ibn As-Aumit related, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“Whoever makes ablution properly and performs properly the integrals of Prayer: bowing, prostration and recitation therein, the Prayer says, “May Allah preserve you as you preserve me.” Then the Prayer is risen up skyward enveloped with light. When approaching the heaven ‘s gates, it will find it opened. So it keeps on rising up until it reaches Allah. There, it intercedes for the one who performed it. But if he does not perform (its integral) properly: bowing, prostration or recitation therein, the Prayer says, “May Allah neglect you as you neglected me.” Then, the Prayer is risen up skyward enveloped with darkness. Approaching the gates of heaven, it will find it closed. Then, it will be folded as an old cloth and kicked back to the doer’s face.”

Ibn ‘ Abbas narrated that the Prophet(ﷺ) said,

“Whoever prostrates should place his forehead, nose and hands on the floor, as Allah has revealed upon me to prostrate on five organs: Forehead, nose, the palms of hands, the knees and feet. I have also not to prostrate on hair nor cloths. Thus, whoever prostrates improperly, the organ that fails to touch the floor will curse him until he completes the Prayer.

AI-Bukhari reported on the authority of Huzayfa Ibn AI- Yamman (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that he once noticed a man praying but he bowed and prostrated improperly. He said to him: “You did not pray. If you die, you will die believing in a religion other than Muhammad’s(ﷺ).”

Importance of Prayer in Congregation 

Someone of early Muslims said, a congregational Prayer is missed because of sins. Ibn ‘Umar narrated, “Once Umar was in his garden, when coming back, he found that the people had performed the Asr Prayer. Thereby, he said, “We will surely return to Allah! I missed the Asr Prayer in congregation. May you witness that I gave my garden in charity to the needy so as to expiate what ‘Umar had done.”

It is recommended to pay more attention to ‘Isha’ and Fajr. The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“The hypocrites find dawn (Fajr) and night (Isha’) Prayers in congregation as very oppressive. If they could know the virtues of these two Prayers, they would certainly join them, even if they had to go crawling.” 

The Status of Prayer

Prayer is the pillar of Islam. It is second in status to the Shahadatayn (twin testimony of faith) as further proof of the soundness of a person’s belief and as visible evidence of the beliefs that reside in the heart. Prayer occupies a special position among other acts of worship because of the way in which it was enjoined.  Allah erases sins by means of prayer. Prayer is the last part of religion to be lost, and if it is lost the whole religion is lost. Prayer is the first thing for which a person will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection.

Reference 

Book

Dhahabi, Imam Shamsu ed-Deen (2012). The Major Sins. Trans Aisha Bewley, Edt Abdalhaqq Bweley and Muhammad Isa Waley. London Dar Al Tawqa Ltd.