AhlulBayt (AS) International News Agency - ABNA:
a) If someone rejects prayer to the point that it equates to denying God and the Prophet, they are considered a disbeliever. However, if they accept prayer but neglect to perform it out of disobedience, they are not disbelievers but sinful Muslims who are liable to divine punishment. While good character may bring them some benefit, without prayer and obedience to God, it lacks lasting value and cannot save them from Hell.
b) People can generally be divided into four types:
- Those who pray and do good deeds
- Those who do not pray but have good morals and actions
- Those who pray but behave immorally or act wrongly
- Those who neither pray nor act well nor have good morals
Undoubtedly, group 2 is better than group 4. But how do they compare to the others?
Thus, even if a non-praying person appears morally upright, there's no guarantee that their morality will endure. Moreover, by what standard have they defined right and wrong?
Without prayer and the spiritual nourishment it brings, such a person is deprived of many virtues and unaware of prayer's blessings—like someone satisfied with a piece of candy while ignoring a vast orchard filled with fruits and beauty.
The Place of a Morally Good but Non-Praying Person in Islam
From the Islamic perspective, prayer and fasting are not merely rituals—they are pillars of faith and bridges to moral elevation. If a person seems morally upright but does not perform these acts, where do they stand in Islamic thought?
Worship signifies submission to divine authority and deepens one’s awareness of monotheism.
If someone believes in prayer and fasting but neglects them, they are sinful but still Muslim.
If they reject them in heart and speech, it may equate to rejecting God and His Prophet, which removes them from the fold of Islam.
More importantly, morality without spirituality is rootless. Any virtue not anchored in God and disconnected from prayer lacks durability, depth, and real impact. As the Qur’an states, prayer prevents immorality and wrongdoing—it is the foremost shield of moral conduct. In Islamic pedagogy, morality must be nurtured from the spring of servitude to God.
The analogy of someone relying solely on morality without prayer is like being content with candy while ignoring the fruit-filled garden of faith—pleasures of human ethics without God are shallow and unsustainable. Without divine commitment, people are more prone to losing their morals over time due to external pressures or temptations.
Educational Approaches to Address the Doubt and Strengthen Religious Commitment
1. Teaching the Link Between Morality and Worship
Youth must be shown that prayer spiritually nourishes the soul and gives meaning to morals. Many fail to connect ethics with worship, thinking they can be good without God.
The role of teachers and religious guides is to show that morality without God lacks backing. This can be taught through Qur’anic examples, sayings of the Prophet and Imams, and even psychological studies that highlight how worship disciplines the soul.
Practical example: Host workshops focused on breaking bad habits using prayer as the core tool—highlight the verse “Indeed, prayer keeps one from indecency and wrongdoing.”
2. Reasoned Dialogue
Hold counseling sessions or group discussions analyzing the long-term sustainability of morals with and without prayer. Use real-life examples of behavioral changes in non-praying individuals under societal pressure.
Avoid preaching. Instead, encourage questioning and logical discussions. Why do some societies with no prayer see greater moral breakdowns under pressure? What truly anchors human ethics?
Practical example: Organize dialogue circles to explore the fragility or resilience of morality in secular or non-religious environments.
3. Personalized Spiritual Experiences
Allow youth to taste the sweetness of connecting with God, the peace after prayer, the serenity of a sincere supplication.
One deep moment in prayer can impact more than hours of theory. Enable these experiences—retreats, silent time in mosques, praying under the stars, or in a heartfelt congregational prayer.
Practical example: Organize spiritual retreats, night vigils, heartfelt prayer circles, or trips to sacred sites.
4. Role Modeling
Showcase real-life examples of people whose ethics stem from worship. Share biographies of religious scholars, martyrs, ethical teachers, or even modern figures who attribute success to prayer.
Also, explore how some public figures who lacked spirituality faced moral or psychological collapse despite outer success.
Practical example: Screen documentaries or assign readings about role models like Shahid Beheshti, Allama Tabatabai, and others.
5. Deepening Religious Knowledge
Without understanding the wisdom behind prayer, the philosophy of religious duties, or their psychological impact, one won’t find lasting motivation to pray.
Host sessions explaining why we pray, how it strengthens the will, and stabilizes the mind.
Practical example: Run workshops titled “Secrets and Impacts of Prayer” or reading competitions on the philosophy of religious obligations.
6. Group Environment and Positive Reinforcement
Community plays a powerful role. Being part of a praying group builds momentum. Congregational prayers, religious clubs, and team-based religious activities promote consistency and reduce isolation.
Symbolic or spiritual rewards can also reinforce the habit in schools or homes.
Practical example: Prayer competitions, group prayer charts, “Salihin” circles, or public recognition of committed youth.
Conclusion
In Islam, ethics and spirituality are inseparable. Deep, lasting morals come from servitude to God.
Islamic education seeks to elevate people from secular ethics to divine virtues. A polite, decent non-praying person is better than a corrupt one—but still deprived of the spiritual source of enduring virtue.
Prayer instills humility, gratitude, and meaning in behavior—it is what gives ethics depth and permanence.
Successful religious training convinces the youth that only by linking ethics to worship can life become peaceful, elevated, and truly fulfilling.
The path of effective religious development must include love, wisdom, curiosity, real-life experience, and a positive religious atmosphere. This is the path that guides today’s youth to a meaningful and lasting relationship with prayer and with God.
Your Comment