“Shaikh Muqbil about Sleeping through the Fajr Prayer”

Source: Ijaabatus-Saa'il, pp. 40-41

Translated by Aqeel Walker


Question : The person who prays all of the obligatory prayers but he
delays the Fajr prayer, are the (other) prayers that he prays
consider correct (i.e. acceptable)? And what do you advise him?

Answer : If he does not pray the Fajr prayer at all, then he is
considered a disbeliever (Kaafir), and if he delays it (the Fajr
prayer), then he is considered a disobedient sinner. It has been
reported in the Saheeh of Al-Bukhaaree that it was said, "O Messenger
of Allaah, so-and-so slept until morning came." So the Prophet
(Sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "That is a man whom the
Shaytaan has urined in his ears." It has also been reported in the
Saheeh of Al-Bukhaaree that the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) said, "The Shaytaan comes to one of you and he ties a knot at
the back of his head, tying three knots. And he (the Shaytaan) says
into every knot, 'Sleep, you have a long night upon you.' So when he
gets up and remembers Allaah, one of the knots is untied, and when he
makes ablution another knot is untied, and when he prays the three
knots are untied. Therefore, he will get up lively and with a good
spirit, and if he gets up and does not remember Allaah, and he does
not perform ablution, and he does not pray, then he gets up with a
bad spirit and lazy (i.e. sluggish)."

So this is if he delays it (the Fajr prayer), he is considered a
disobedient sinner, O Allaah, except if he does that rarely (with)
the sleep (i.e. over sleeping) happening to him occasionally and he
just is unable to get up. This is like what happened to the Prophet
(Sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) during an expedition from one of the
expeditions. He and his companions, they traveled during the night,
then at the end of the night they settled down (to make camp). So he
(the Prophet - Sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "Who will awaken
us?" Bilaal said, "I will." Then they slept and Bilaal went to sleep
after them due to the fatigue and staying up late at night. Bilaal
slept and nothing woke them except the heat of the sun. So the
Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) got up and commanded the
Mu'aththin to call the Athaan (call for prayer). Then they prayed
just as they would pray it (the Fajr prayer), meaning they prayed two
Rak'ahs of the sunnah prayer of Fajr. Then they prayed the obligatory
prayer. So if this happens occasionally (i.e. oversleeping) there is
no harm in that, if Allaah, the Most High, wills. Then, also I have
remembered something - that the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) said, "Whoevver sleeps through the prayer or forgets to make
it, its time is when he remembers it."

So this proves that there is no negligence in sleep and
forgetfulness, and this is if it occurs occasionally. However, if it
is the normal habit of the person, then no.