Published on Feb 25 2010 

[Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II ^ra had been talking about the importance of keeping a beard] 

 

Then, the Islamic injunction concerning salat is more important than [keeping a beard]. 

 

"The keeping of a beard is related to our outer appearance - but salat is, on the other hand, the fountain-head of all spirituality - and it is, in fact, the means through which man may attain nearness to Allah. You are well aware that if a man consumes a lethal dose of poison then he shall certainly die - in the same way you should remember that failing to be regular in offering of salat is no less a danger than the consuming of a deadly poison. The difference is merely this, that this second poison is such as will show it's lethal effect on the day of judgement and will condemn the guilty one to an everlasting hell. So, one must never mistakenly think that the poison of being lax in salat does not cause death. This is such a lethal poison, in fact , that it would condemn a man to many deaths. Death will approach close to a man - but he will be unable to die. The poison that one consumes is not so harmful, in fact, as being lax in salat - since a man will only suffer a single death from the consumption of such a poison but the spiritual poison that a man consumes as a result of missing salat is such that it will condemn a man to many deaths. 

 

Allah the exalted says in the Holy Qur'an : 

 

Laa yamootu feehaa wa laa yahyaa 

(They will neither die therein nor shall they live) 

 

that is that in Hell man will neither be able to die nor will he live. Death will approach him from all sides but in spite of this he will be unable to die. He will not become senseless after having suffered the pangs of death - lacking the ability to suffer any further pain, and hence being delivered from any further suffering. The deaths he shall suffer will only be limited by the number of his own sins, the degree of his own laziness.... Each and every one of his sins will manifest itself as another death. The punishment for missing a single salat will be one death. Then the second death will be on account of missing a second salat, and the third death for having missed a third one. In the same way dishonesty, too, will become the cause of bringing multiple deaths upon a man. So it should be remembered that being lax in one's salat condemns a man to an everlasting hell in which he will suffer multiple deaths. One should save oneself from such a punishment by being regular in one's salat."

 

Mash’ale Raah : Vol 1; p 403