Prayer and its Impact on the Day of Resurrection

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 413
Huraith bin Qabisah narrated: “I arrived in Al-Madinah and said: ‘O Allah! Facilitate me to be in a righteous gathering.’” He said: “I sat with Abu Hurairah and said: ‘Indeed I asked Allah to provide me with a righteous gathering. So narrate a hadith to me which you heard from Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) so that perhaps Allah would cause me to benefit from it.’ He said: ‘I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) say: “Indeed the first deed by which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection is his Salat. If it is complete, he is successful and saved, but if it is defective, he has failed and lost. So if something is deficient in his obligatory (prayers) then the Lord, Mighty and Sublime says: ‘Look! Are there any voluntary (prayers) for my worshipper?’ So with them, what was deficient in his obligatory (prayers) will be completed. Then the rest of his deeds will be treated like that.”

• The hadith from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 413, narrates a conversation between Huraith bin Qabisah and Abu Hurairah regarding the importance of the Salat (prayer) in the sight of Allah. In this hadith, Huraith bin Qabisah expresses his desire to be in the company of righteous people and seeks to benefit from a hadith that Abu Hurairah had heard directly from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Abu Hurairah then narrates a saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) where he mentions that on the Day of Resurrection, the first action for which a person will be held accountable is their Salat. If a person’s Salat is complete and performed according to the prescribed manner, they will be successful and saved. However, if a person’s Salat is deficient or lacking in some way, they will have failed and lost. In the case of any deficiencies or shortcomings found in a person’s obligatory prayers, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will command the angels to check if the individual has performed any voluntary prayers. If there are voluntary prayers, these additional acts of worship will compensate for the deficiencies in the obligatory prayers. By completing what was lacking in the obligatory prayers through the voluntary prayers, the individual’s record of deeds will become complete and balanced.

📖Quran 40:60 says:

• “Indeed, those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, fully humbled.”
  (Arabic: Inna alladhīna yastakbirūna ‘an ‘ibādatī)
• “Yastakbirūna” = they show arrogance, pride, superiority.
• The verse does not mention laziness, weakness, mental struggle, or someone who forgets or delays due to human reasons.

So What Does This Mean?

Allah is not condemning:

• The one who believes in salah but misses it out of weakness.
• The one who wants to worship, but struggles with consistency.
• The one who remembers Allah in the heart, even if not regular in rituals.
• These people are not arrogant — they may be sinful, but they’re not rejectors.

Who is being condemned?

Only those who are arrogant, who:

• Feel they don’t need Allah.
• Say worship is beneath them.
• Reject salah out of kibr (pride).

Inability to Pray: Divine Compassion and Understanding

If someone unable to learn the prayer due to any reason, it is important to note that the obligation of performing the prayer is upon those who have reached the age of maturity and possess the mental and physical capacity to fulfill this duty. However, if someone is unable to learn or perform the prayer due to a valid reason, such as a physical or mental disability, their situation will be treated with mercy and compassion by Allah. In the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah (2:286) states: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.” This verse indicates that Allah, in His wisdom and mercy, does not impose upon individuals tasks or obligations that are beyond their capability. Therefore, if someone is genuinely unable to learn or perform the prayer due to a valid reason, they will not be held accountable for it. Allah, in His infinite mercy, knows the circumstances of each individual and judges them accordingly. It is important for individuals facing such challenges to turn to Allah with sincerity, seek His guidance and forgiveness, and engage in acts of worship that they are capable of performing. Islam recognizes the concept of “excused individuals” (ma’dhur), who are exempted from certain religious duties due to valid reasons. These individuals may seek alternative ways to draw closer to Allah and gain His blessings, such as supplication (du’a), remembrance of Allah (dhikr), giving charity, or performing other acts of kindness and goodness. Ultimately, it is crucial to approach matters of religious obligation with sincerity, seeking knowledge, and striving to fulfill one’s duties to the best of their ability, while also recognizing the mercy and understanding of Allah towards those facing genuine difficulties.

Quranic Context:

📖Quran 2:286
Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.
Each will have the consequence of what it has gained, and it will bear the burden of what it has earned. So pray: “Our Lord, do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake… This verse makes it clear: if someone genuinely can’t pray due to their condition, Allah will not punish them for it.

📖Quran 4:17
Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil ignorantly or carelessly and then repent soon after.
It is they to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.

This supports that if someone missed prayers but later repents sincerely, their repentance is accepted.

📖Quran 73:20
So recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’an. He knows that there will be among you those who are ill… so recite what is easy from it.
This verse was revealed even in the context of Qiyam al-Lail (night prayer), teaching the principle: flexibility in worship due to difficulty is from Allah’s mercy.