The Book of Salah - Sunan an-Nasa'i 479

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Among the prayers is a prayer which, if a person misses it, it is as if he has robbed of his family and his wealth.' Ibn 'Umar said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'It is 'Asr prayer.'' Muhammad bin Ishaq contradicted him.

Scholarly Commentary

This hadith emphasizes the grave importance of the 'Asr prayer specifically. The comparison to being robbed of one's family and wealth indicates the severe spiritual loss incurred by neglecting this prayer.

The severe wording underscores that missing 'Asr prayer is not merely a minor negligence but constitutes a major spiritual deprivation, equivalent to losing what is most precious in worldly life.

The mention of Muhammad bin Ishaq's contradiction refers to a variant narration chain, which scholars reconcile by understanding that while all prayers are important, 'Asr holds particular significance due to its timing and the human tendency to neglect it during busy afternoon hours.

Classical scholars explain that the 'Asr prayer serves as a critical spiritual anchor in the latter part of the day, protecting the believer from heedlessness and maintaining their connection with Allah throughout daily activities.

Legal Rulings

The majority of scholars consider intentionally missing any obligatory prayer without valid excuse as a major sin, with particular emphasis on 'Asr due to this and other similar narrations.

Making up missed prayers (qada') is obligatory according to scholarly consensus, though it does not completely erase the sin of having delayed them beyond their prescribed time without legitimate excuse.