People must cease to neglect the Friday prayer or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the negligent.
The Book of Prayer - Friday
Sahih Muslim 865
Hadith Commentary
This profound warning from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) establishes the obligatory nature of the Friday prayer for those upon whom it is incumbent. The sealing of hearts refers to Allah placing a barrier between the servant and guidance, rendering the heart incapable of receiving divine illumination.
Scholars explain that willful neglect of this fundamental pillar indicates spiritual sickness and weak faith. The heart becomes sealed gradually through persistent disobedience, culminating in the state of negligence (ghāfilīn) - those heedless of Allah's commands and the ultimate return to Him.
This sealing manifests as hardness of heart, inability to derive benefit from reminders, and preference for worldly pursuits over obedience to the Creator. The Friday prayer serves as a weekly renewal of faith and a collective demonstration of Muslim unity.
Legal Rulings
The consensus of scholars holds Friday prayer obligatory for free, resident, adult Muslim males without valid excuses. Valid exemptions include illness, fear of harm, extreme weather, or caring for the sick.
Three consecutive neglects without valid excuse constitute the major sin mentioned in the hadith. The obligation remains even if one must travel a moderate distance to attend the congregational prayer.
Spiritual Consequences
The sealing of hearts represents the ultimate spiritual punishment - deprivation of Allah's mercy and guidance. This state is more severe than worldly punishments, as it affects the soul's eternal destiny.
Negligence in religious duties creates a chain reaction: minor sins lead to major ones, hardness of heart increases, and eventually the individual joins the ranks of those utterly heedless of their Lord and the Final Day.