to him. When he turned to leave, he called him back and asked: ‘Do you hear the call to prayer?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Then answer it.’”

The same collection also reports that Abū Saʿīd, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“Whoever wishes to meet Allah tomorrow as a Muslim should diligently observe these prayers wherever the call to them is made. Allah has prescribed for your Prophet the ways of guidance, and these prayers are among those ways. If you prayed in your homes as this man who stays away prays in his home, you would abandon your Prophet’s sunnah; and if you abandoned your Prophet’s sunnah, you would go astray. Whenever a man purifies himself thoroughly and then sets out for one of these mosques, Allah records a good deed for every step he takes, raises him a degree thereby, and removes a sin from him thereby. I remember a time among us when no one stayed away from these prayers except a hypocrite whose hypocrisy was known. Indeed, a man would be brought, supported between two men, until he was placed in the prayer row.”

This is a broad subject. What we have written points to the path of guidance in this matter, which distinguishes the upright adherents of monotheism—the followers of Abraham’s faith who adhere to the religion of Allah with which He sent His messengers and revealed His Books—from those who mix truth with falsehood and taint pure monotheism with the association of partners with Allah.

Allah Most High says:

“And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: ‘Did We appoint any gods besides the Most Merciful to be worshipped?’”

Allah Most High also says:

“We never sent a messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.’”