Ramadān Qur’an Gem 30 {103: 4-5}: ”Sahoon”

Bismillah

Sahoon (Heedless) 

So woe unto those performers of Salat (prayers). Those who in regard to their prayers are heedless (sahoon).

{Surat Al-Ma’un 107 : Verse 4-5}

‘Saahoon’ in Arabic means to forget something out of neglect because it’s not something important to that person. It means that if the person caught the prayer then that’s good, but if he missed it… ah, no big deal. It means he/she makes plans to go to the mall, play sports, etc but prayer time was never included in their schedules.

‘Ata’ bin Dinar said that it also means that these people always delay their salat until the end of its time, or not fulfilling its pillars & conditions in the required manner [taken from tafseer Ibn Kathir].

How important is salat to Allah? These gems show a glimpse of it:

Remember the conversation when Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) introduces Himself to Musa directly?

“Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me & perform As-Salat for My Remembrance.”

{Surat Ta-Ha 20: Verse 14}

When you talk to someone super important, you’ll never forget it because it’s imprinted in your memory. Musa (Alayhi salaam) was talking directly to Allah. Do you think he will ever forget this? Yet he was commanded by Allah to establish salat so that he can remember Him. Think about that for a moment.

Say: “Verily, my Salat, my sacrifice, my living, & my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin.”                       

{Surat Al-An’aam 6: Verse 162}

Look at the order: My prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah. Before Allah mentions our lives and deaths – which are already big things by themselves – He mentions salat first. I was thinking, well my life already belongs to Allah, so shouldn’t salat be considered as part of it too? Nope, salat comes first & foremost. We are created for this, to worship Allah.

And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost…

{Surat Al-Baqarah 2: Verse 143}

In this ayat, Allah refers to salat as Iman and faith.

This ayat from surah al-Ma’un is a warning to those who are heedless in their prayers. In another surah, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) says that true believers are those who strictly guard their prayers {Surat Al-Mu’minun 23: Verse 9}. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’aala) make us true believers who take their salat seriously & protect us from being sahoon in regards to our prayers! -theidealmuslimah.com