PRESENTER:Of course we must never fail to perform prayer, but is there such a thing as “performing it late,” and how acceptable is it?

ADNAN OKTAR:Yes, of course if one is punctilious most of the time. Evidently one has missed that prayer. Nevertheless if he prays regularly and without missing all the time, he has to perform the prayer at a later time. In other words, if one prays regularly and never misses, of course he has to perform the prayer at a later time when he misses it. But skipping a prayer is in any case a disaster. I cannot imagine it. One must set one’s alarm and take extraordinary precautions. One must regard this as a most vital matter. There are some types who go to bed and don’t worry about if and when they will wake up. They get up in the afternoon and say, “Ooh, I must have overslept” and that kind of thing. What kind of prayer is that? If they were to say we will give you 10 billion lira when you get up for the morning prayer, everyone knows just how such a person will rise to pray, isn’t that right? Do you think they would miss a prayer under those circumstances, what do you say? 

PRESENTER:I don’t imagine so.

ADNAN OKTAR:By Allah’s leave that is impossible. Prayer is more important than everything. Look, one of the first things the dwellers in hell are asked is what brought them there. “What led you to Hell?” And they say, “They will say, ‘We were not of those who performed prayer.” That is the first explanation they give. The prayer is the life-blood of the religion. It is a most vital issue. It is most beautiful and relaxing. But they should not be apprehensive. One has to perform it with enthusiasm and fervor in the first place one finds, without muttering, “which room shall I pray in?” “where shall I pray?” or “have I performed my ablutions?” Those things mean falling into satan’s trap. They are unacceptable. One must wash in a relaxing and comfortable manner. One must then pray. In that event, abundance enters one’s life and mind. One’s brain will grow. One will never be depressed or fall into the hands of drug peddlers and one will see open success in all things. Allah bestows a profound power of understanding. He bestows the delight of being a believer, a Muslim. Because you are in the same position as the Prophet Abraham (pbuh). He used to pray like us. The prayer we perform is the same as that performed by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). People think they prayed differently. Not at all. It is exactly the same. That is even in the Torah, there is standing, bowing the head and prostration. There are Jews who perform the prayer. I can show you a film of them some time. They stand in the same position, read from the Torah, then bow and prostrate themselves. They perform the prayer. Of course. It is an immutable religious observance. It has never changed since the time of the Prophet Adam (pbuh). That is why Allah does not describe the prayer in minute detail in the Qur’an. Because people know it. Our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) has described it in great detail in the hadiths, in detail so there should be no confusion.