In this article we are sharing some ahadith and Ayaat which state the importance    of Salaah/Salat. By Salaah/Salat, we are referring to the obligatory prayers which a Muslim has to offer five times a day.

Guard your Salawaat (plural of Salaah)
(Surah Baqarah, ayah 238)

Jabir bin Abdullah says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) saying this: The difference between a man (Muslim) and shirk and kufr is the abandoning of salaah.
(Sahih Muslim: Kitab ul Iman: Book 001, Number 0147)

Prophet Muhammad (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: The difference between us and them (Kuffar/Non-Muslims) is that of salaah so whoever abandons salaah certainly commits kufr.
(Tirmidhi, kitab ul Iman, Declared Sahih by Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Nasai and Allama Iraqi, Minhaaj ul Muslimeen pg.80)

Prophet Muhammad (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: The difference between a slave (Muslim) and shirk is the abandoning of salaah. When he leaves salaah, he commits shirk.
(Ibn Maja, Sahih Jami ul Sagheer part 2 pg 95, Sanad: Sahih, Minhaaj ul Muslimeen pg. 80)

From the above ahadith it is clear that leaving of salaah is kufr and shirk, it should be known:

Surely Allah won’t forgive shirk, anything besides that Allah will forgive….
(Surah Nisa, ayah 48)

Furthermore Allah the Exalted says: If they (Kuffar) repent and establish salaah and give zakaah, then they are your brothers in religion.
(Surah Taubah, ayah 11)

From the above ayah we can conclude that in order for a person to become a brother in religion he has to establish salaah as well.

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

Allah’s messenger (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight against the people until they testify that:

1) None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam),

2) And offer salaah,

3) And give Zakaah,

If they perform this, then they save their lives and property from me except for Islamic laws and then their reckoning (accounts) will be done by Allah.
(Sahih Bukhari, kitab ul Iman: Volume 1, Book 2, Number 24)

We must examine the above hadith and see what criteria Prophet Muhammad (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) gave for fighting people. This hadith should be examined by those people who claim to be Muslims but don’t offer their prayers five times a day.