He replied:

As for the daytime work that Allah does not accept at night, and the nighttime work that Allah does not accept by day, these are the Zuhr and ʿAsr prayers. It is not permissible for a person to delay them until night. Indeed, it is authentically reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever misses the ʿAsr prayer is as though he had been bereft of his family and wealth.”

It is also reported in Sahīh al-Bukhārī that he said:

“Whoever misses the ʿAsr prayer, his deeds are rendered void.”

As for someone who sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it should pray it when he remembers it, for that is its appointed time.”

But whoever deliberately lets its time pass has committed one of the gravest major sins. According to the majority of scholars, he must make it up; according to some, performing it as a make-up prayer is not valid at all. Even when he makes it up, he has not discharged his obligation in full, nor does Allah accept it from him in such a way that his punishment is lifted and he becomes entitled to reward. Rather, He lessens his punishment on account of the prayer he has made up, while the sin of deliberately missing its time remains. This is among the sins that require some other means of expiation. He is like someone who owes two duties, fulfils one, and leaves the other unfulfilled.

Allah Most High says:

“So woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer.”

The scholars agree that delaying prayer beyond its appointed time is a form of being heedless of it. Allah Most High also says:

“But they were succeeded by generations who neglected prayer and followed their desires; they will meet with ruin.”

Several of the early generations said that neglecting it means delaying it