Numerous verses have been revealed and there are umpteen hadith telling us about the importance that Islam has given to the daily prayers. The Qura’n has declared the neglect of this duty to be a reason for going to Hell. When a group of those in paradise will meet and ask those in Hell “What brought you to Hell?” They will answer as written in verses 43 to 46 of Surah Mudaththir:

“We were not among those who prayed regularly. We did not feed the poor and we used to mix regularly to talk frivolity with the vain and we denied the Day of Judgment.”

Though there are three other sins mentioned but the neglect of daily prayers is the first and this shows how dangerous it is to neglect this duty. There is a hadith from the Holy messenger that enumerates all the four reasons that are enough to damn a personal eternally to Hell (not feeding the poor is like not doing one’s compulsory duties) (1)

The issue of the daily prayers is so important that it will be the first thing to be checked in the record of deeds and if it is there then the other deeds will be seen kindly or else they will not be taken into account altogether. This may be because daily prayers are the base of faith and the insurer of a person’s well being in the hereafter. Neglecting it would hollow the very foundation of his faith. One of the conditions for deeds being accepted is faith and nothing is acceptable without it.

1. Wasailus Shia on daily prayer chapters 6,7, and 8 page 22 hadith 1 and page 19 hadith 2.