Can Someone Abandon Prayer Claiming Allah Has Not Guided Him to Pray?
هل يمكن أن يجلس الإنسان في بيته ويترك الصلاة ويقول إن الله لم يهدني؟
Man never knows whether Allah the Almighty has decreed guidance for him or not, bearing in mind that Allah the Almighty gives the people the ability to obey Him and abandon the forbidden matters, so how could he claim that he knows that Allah the Almighty has not decreed guidance for him? Man can never know the things decreed for him until they take place, so he might not have been guided in the past, but he cannot be sure that Allah will not guide him in the future. Allah the Almighty says:
(The polytheists will argue, “Had it been Allah’s Will, neither we nor our forefathers would have associated others with Him ˹in worship˺ or made anything unlawful.” Likewise, those before them rejected the truth until they tasted Our punishment. Ask ˹them, O Prophet˺, “Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us? Surely you follow nothing but ˹false˺ assumptions and you do nothing but lie.”) [Al-An’am 6:148]
This clarifies the point that Allah the Almighty decrees sustenance to man, but the latter should strive to get his sustenance without saying, "Well, Allah the Almighty has decreed that sustenance to me, so I will definitely get it."
Allah the Almighty orders the servants to make use of the available means of guidance such as praying, remembering Allah, and uttering words of Tasbeeh (saying Subhana Allah: glory be to Allah), Tahleel (saying La ilaha illa Allah: there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah Alone) and Istighfar (asking Allah for His Forgiveness).
(But I am truly Most Forgiving to whoever repents, believes, and does good, then persists on ˹true˺ guidance.”) [Ta-Ha 20:82]
Allah the Almighty has placed ‘guidance’ after ‘believing’ and the good deed, and forgiveness follows that.
إن العبد لا يعلم إن كان الله كتب له الهداية أو لم يكتب وقد جعل الله للعبد القدرة على الطاعة والقدرة على ترك المحرمات، فكيف يعلم العبد أن الله لم يكتب له الهداية؟ إذ لا يمكن للإنسان أن يعلم ما كتب له إلا بعد أن يقع القدر، فإذا كان لم يهده الله فيما مضى، فكيف علم العبد أن الله لم يكتب له الهداية فيما سيأتي؟
كما قال الله تعالى: (سَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَا آبَاؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ ذَاقُوا بَأْسَنَا ۗ قُلْ هَلْ عِندَكُم مِّنْ عِلْمٍ فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَا) [الأنعام 6: 148]
يوضح ذلك أن الله كتب للعبد الرزق لكن العبد يسعى في الوصول إلى رزقه دون أن يقول إن الله كتب لي رزقا وسيأتيني.
فالله قد أمر العبد بأسباب الهداية من الصلاة والذكر والتسبيح والتهليل والاستغفار كما قال سبحانه: (وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ) [طه 20: 82]
فجعل الهداية عقب الإيمان والعمل الصالح والمغفرة تابعة لذلك.
1. The Argument of the Polytheists | لو شاء الله ما أشركنا
The excuse is old: The polytheists will argue, Had it been Allah’s Will, neither we nor our forefathers would have associated others with Him (6:148). Ibn Kathir explains that this is a false and broken argument, for had it been sound Allah would not have made them taste His punishment and destroyed them; and do you have any knowledge means: any knowledge that Allah is pleased with what you are doing, and you follow nothing but false assumptions means: illusion and fancy. What destiny means is explained in the meaning of fate and destiny.
سَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَا آبَاؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَيْءٍ (سورة الأنعام: 148)
هذه الحجة قديمة. قال تعالى: (سيقول الذين أشركوا لو شاء الله ما أشركنا ولا آباؤنا ولا حرمنا من شيء) (الأنعام 6: 148)، قال ابن كثير: وهي حجة داحضة باطلة؛ لأنها لو كانت صحيحة لما أذاقهم الله بأسه، ودمر عليهم ... (قل هل عندكم من علم) أي: بأن الله تعالى راض عنكم فيما أنتم فيه ... (إن تتبعون إلا الظن) أي: الوهم والخيال.
2. Act, for Each Is Facilitated | اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له
The Companions asked the same question. When the Prophet told them that every one of them already has his place written, in the Fire or in Paradise, they said: Messenger of Allah, shall we not rely on what is written for us and leave deeds? He said: Act, for everyone is facilitated to what he was created for; whoever is among the people of happiness is helped to do the deeds of the people of happiness, and whoever is among the people of misery is helped to do the deeds of the people of misery; and then he recited: As for the one who is charitable, mindful of Allah, and firmly believes in the finest reward (92:5-6) (Sahih al-Bukhari 4949); and Allah continues: We will facilitate for them the Way of Ease (92:7). How man is free and still under Allah’s will is explained in whether man’s life is predestined or he has free will.
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ (سورة الليل: 7)
سأل الصحابة رضي الله عنهم السؤال نفسه. قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "ما منكم من أحد إلا وقد كتب مقعده من النار ومقعده من الجنة"، قالوا: يا رسول الله، أفلا نتكل على كتابنا وندع العمل؟ قال: "اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له، أما من كان من أهل السعادة فييسر لعمل أهل السعادة، وأما من كان من أهل الشقاء فييسر لعمل أهل الشقاوة"، ثم قرأ: (فأما من أعطى واتقى وصدق بالحسنى) (الليل 92: 5-6) الآية (صحيح البخاري 4949)، وتمامها: (فسنيسره لليسرى) (الليل 92: 7).
3. Those Who Strive, Allah Guides | والذين جاهدوا فينا لنهدينهم سبلنا
The scholar says a person must take the means of guidance. Allah says: As for those who struggle in Our cause, We will surely guide them along Our Way (29:69). Ibn Kathir explains: We will show them Our ways in this world and the Hereafter, and he reports that Abbas al-Hamdani said: those who act on what they know, Allah guides them to what they do not know. The two kinds of guidance are explained in why Allah does not decree guidance for all His creation.
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا (سورة العنكبوت: 69)
جاء في الجواب أن على العبد أن يأخذ بأسباب الهداية. قال تعالى: (والذين جاهدوا فينا لنهدينهم سبلنا) (العنكبوت 29: 69)، قال ابن كثير: أي: لنبصرنهم سبلنا، أي: طرقنا في الدنيا والآخرة، وقال عباس الهمداني: الذين يعملون بما يعلمون، يهديهم لما لا يعلمون.
4. Then Persists on Guidance | ثم اهتدى
The last verse in the scholar’s answer: But I am truly Most Forgiving to whoever repents, believes, and does good, then persists on true guidance (20:82). Ibn Kathir explains the last words: Ibn Abbas said, then does not doubt; Sa’id ibn Jubayr said, remains steadfast on the Sunnah and the community; and Qatadah said, holds to Islam until he dies. What Ibn Kathir reports shows that guidance is something a person keeps, not only something he waits for.
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ (سورة طه: 82)
وهذه آخر آية في الجواب. قال تعالى: (وإني لغفار لمن تاب وآمن وعمل صالحا ثم اهتدى) (طه 20: 82)، قال ابن كثير: وقوله: (ثم اهتدى) قال علي بن أبي طلحة، عن ابن عباس: أي ثم لم يشكك، وقال سعيد بن جبير: (ثم اهتدى) أي: استقام على السنة والجماعة ... وقال قتادة: (ثم اهتدى) أي: لزم الإسلام حتى يموت. ويتبين بما نقله ابن كثير أن الهداية أمر يحافظ عليه العبد، ولا يكتفي بانتظاره.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Can someone leave prayer saying Allah has not guided him?
No. No one knows what Allah has decreed for him until it happens, and Allah has given every person the ability to obey Him and to leave what is forbidden.
How is guidance like provision?
Allah writes a person’s provision, yet he strives for it instead of saying it will come to me anyway; so too he must take the means of guidance, such as prayer, remembrance and seeking forgiveness.
What did the Prophet say about relying on what is written?
Act, for everyone is facilitated to what he was created for (Sahih al-Bukhari 4949).
In which verse does Allah reject using destiny as an excuse?
Al-An’am 6:148: the polytheists will argue, Had it been Allah’s Will, neither we nor our forefathers would have associated others with Him, and Allah commands the Prophet to ask them: Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us?