It is established in the two Sahīhs that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“will recognize his community by the radiance of their faces and limbs from the traces of ablution.” This radiance belongs only to those who perform ablution and pray: their faces, hands, and feet become radiant through ablution, and they pray with radiant faces and limbs. Whoever neither performs ablution nor prays will have no such radiance. He will therefore lack the distinguishing mark of the Muslims—the Prophet’s identifying insignia, like the insignia by which a commander recognizes his men—and will not belong to the community of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

It is also established in the Sahīh that:

“The Fire consumes every part of the son of Adam except the marks of prostration.”

Thus, whoever is not among those who prostrate to the One who is worshipped, the All-Forgiving, the Most Loving, the Lord of the Glorious Throne, will be consumed by the Fire.

In the Sahīh, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Between a servant and associating partners with Allah lies only the abandonment of prayer.”

He also said:

“The covenant that distinguishes us from them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved.”

And he said:

“The first of a servant’s deeds for which he will be called to account is prayer.”

A servant should not say, “Whatever Allah wills and so-and-so wills,” “I have none but Allah and so-and-so,” “I seek what I need from Allah and from so-and-so,” or similar expressions. Rather, he should say, “Whatever Allah wills, then whatever so-and-so wills,” and “I seek what I need from Allah, then from so-and-so.” As related in the hadith, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Do not say, ‘Whatever Allah wills and Muhammad wills.’ Rather, say, ‘Whatever Allah wills, then whatever Muhammad wills.’”

A man said to him, “Whatever Allah wills and you will.” He replied:

“Have you made me an equal to Allah? Rather, whatever Allah alone wills.”

Allah knows best. May Allah bless Muhammad.