I pray, however I (still) perform some evil actions; so, what is your advice for me? And why does my prayer not prevent me from forbidden actions?

Shaykh Uthaymeen Replies:

My advice for you is that you repent to Allah (The Mighty and Majestic) and that you sincerely draw close to Allah. (Likewise) that you recall the greatness of the one you have disobeyed and recall His punishment (The Mighty and Majestic), for whoever opposes his command.

You should also read the statement of Allah,

نَبِّئۡ عِبَادِىٓ أَنِّىٓ أَنَا ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ (٤٩) وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ ٱلۡعَذَابُ ٱلۡأَلِيمُ (٥٠)

Declare (O Muhammad SAW) unto My slaves, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful. (49) And that My Torment is indeed the most painful torment. (50)

So, seek Allah’s forgiveness and mercy and fear his punishment. As for your situation, i.e. that you pray and you prayer does not prevent you from evil actions, then perhaps your prayer has deficiencies, because the prayer which prevents from fahshaa (i.e. great sins) and munkar (everything Islam rejects & has prohibited) is the complete prayer, (meaning) the prayer which is (performed) in accordance to that which the Messenger of Allah came with; with presence of heart, performing the actions (of the prayer) as they were reported in the sunnah. It is not every prayer which prevents from fahshaa (i.e. great sins) and munkar (every thing Islam censures & has forbidden ), rather it is the established prayer (in the sunnah) which the people perform in the manner which is befitting.

Allah The Most High said:

﴿اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ﴾ [العنكبوت:45]

Recite (O Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa salam) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur’ân), and perform As-Salât (Iqamât¬as¬Salât). Verily, As-Salât (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahshâ’ (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed).

Meaning, the prayer which is performed in the correct manner (according to the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah), prevents these evils.

(1) The questioner is alluding to this aayah in the Quran: Al-Ankaboot: 45

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The Qurān is the greatest of Allāh’s blessings upon us, after the Messenger (sallallāhu alaihi wa salam), and it is at our disposal, easy for us.

Listen to this much needed reminder by Shaykh Sālih al-Fawzaan about the blessing of the Quran!

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وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad sallallāhu alaihi wa salam) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright. (Al-Baqarah: 186)

Benefits Extracted from this Verse for the Fasting Person:

Supplicating to Allāh whilst fasting is one of the times where supplications are most likely to be answered. This is because Allāh mentioned this verse within the verses of fasting. Especially since He spoke about it at the end of His speech regarding the verses of fasting.

Some of the scholars said, There is another benefit extracted from this verse: it is befitting to supplicate at the end of the fasting day, (i.e. before Maghrib, at point of opening fast).

Shaykh Uthaymīn (rahimahullāh) said,

This is one of the best times to supplicate, as the fasting person is weak and the weaker a person is, the more softer and open his heart is.  This person is more likely to turn repentantly to Allāh and to lower and submit himself to Allāh.

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1. Shaykh Uthaymīn’s Tafsīr Al-Baqarah Vol.2 Pg 344

2. Majmū’ Al-Uthaymīn Vol. 19 Pgs. 323-324

Shaykh Uthaymīn (rahimahullaah) explained the outcome for those who reject the truth, based on the tafsir of the following verse:

بَلْ كَذَّبُوا بِالْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ فَهُمْ فِي أَمْرٍ مَرِيجٍ

‏Nay, but they have denied the truth (this Qurān) when it has come to them, so they are in a confused state (can not differentiate between right and wrong).
‏Sura Qāf: 5

Shaykh Uthaymīn:

“Likewise every person who rejects the truth the first time, then he should know that he will be trialed with doubts and uncertainty in accepting the truth in the future. Therefore it is obligatory upon us when we hear that this thing is the truth, that we say: “we hear and obey.”

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Tafsīr Al-Hujurāt – Al-Hadīd 89-90

‏Shaykh Uthaymīn (rahimahullāh) in explanation of verse 12 in Al-Hujurāt:

Repentance (tawbah) from the servant is to move from disobeying Allāh to obeying Him. And repentance from Allāh means that Allāh accepts the repentance of the servant and subsequently exchanges his sins for good deeds.

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Shaykh Uthaymīn’s Tafsīr Sūrah al- Hujurāt – Al-Hadīd Pg. 50

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Q: Which of the two is best, that a person memorises (the whole or significant portion of the) Quran whilst not contemplating on it, or he memorises a little whilst contemplating and pondering on its meanings?

A: Memorising and contemplating (together) is best, the one who memorises and recites, even if only by looking and contemplating this is knowledge.And if it is easy for him to memorise it completely, this is good upon good, however giving importance to contemplating on the Quran, even if he had to look and recite from the Mushaf, is better than merely memorising without contemplation.

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Shaykh ibn Bāz’s Sharh Kitāb at-Tawhīd min Sahīh al-Bukhāri pg 411