the Sal?t with the congregation in the mosque; both are grave sins for missing either is one of the characteristics of the hypocrites.

Accordingly, every muslim should be keen to attend the congregation in the mosque when Sal?t is due and avoid abandoning it. It is incumbent on the Im?ms of the mosques to encourage muslims to attend the congregational Sal?t and warn them against All?h’s ( - ) punishment and wrath.

Shaikh Ibn B?z said: ‘It is impermissible for a muslim to stay awake late at night even for reading Qur’?n or seeking knowledge, if doing so makes him miss Fajr Sal?t with the congregation or miss the Sal?t itself at its due time. The matter is even worse if one spends the night watching television, playing cards or the like!!

Whoever does so has incurred a sin upon himself and deserves All?h’s ( - ) punishment and the punishment of those in authority in order to get back to the right path’. (1)

The third: Some of the well-versed scholars believed that the prophet ( - ) warned against staying awake late at night after performing ‘Ish?’ Sal?t because after one’s sins are forgiven due to performing Sal?t, it is not proper to chat with others lest one articulate words that incur sins on oneself. One should preferably go to sleep immediately after being completely free of sins. (2)

Sufy?n Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: ‘Having performed ‘Ish?’ Sal?t, I talked [with my companions] then I thought I should not go to sleep as shuch. Accordingly, I performed Wud?’, performed two Rak‘ahs Sal?t and asked All?h’s ( - ) forgiveness. I have not told you this to seek your praise but that you do the same’. (3)

Al-Q?sim Ibn Ab? Ayy?b said: ‘Sa‘?d Ibn Jubair used to perform four Rak‘ah Sal?t after performing ‘Ish?’ Sal?t. Then when I speak to him while being with him at home he would never talk back to me’. (4)