are heedless.”

Thus, He threatens woe to those who neglect prayer until its appointed time has passed, even if they perform it afterward. Likewise, Allah Most High says:

“Then there came after them successors who neglected prayer and followed their desires; so they will meet with ruin.”

When Ibn Mas‘ūd was asked what neglecting prayer meant, he replied: “It means delaying it until its appointed time has passed.” They said: “We thought it meant nothing other than abandoning it.” He replied: “Had they abandoned it, they would have been disbelievers.” Ibn Mas‘ūd would say of certain governors of Kufa in his time, “What has your successor done?” because they used to delay prayer beyond its appointed time.

His words,

“and followed their desires,”

include everyone who pursues what he desires at the expense of observing prayer at its appointed time. This applies whether the desired things are forbidden—such as forbidden food, drink, sexual relations, or things to listen to—or permissible, though excess in them is forbidden, or anything else. Whoever is distracted from performing prayer on time by games, entertainment, conversation with his companions, strolling in his garden, developing his property, conducting his business, or anything else has neglected that prayer and followed his desires.

Allah Most High says:

“O you who believe, let neither your wealth nor your children distract you from the remembrance of Allah. Whoever does so—it is they who are the losers.”

Anyone whose wealth and children distract him from performing the obligatory prayer at its appointed time falls within this warning and is therefore a loser.

Describing those whose conduct is the opposite, Allah Most High says:

“Therein, morning and evening, He is glorified by men