فَخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا

[19:59]





This ayat was revealed in Makkah, when the da'wah first went public and the challenge to the Muslims was at its worst. [1] The passage follows a description of the prophets of Allah and their offspring whom Allah had guided as, Allah says,

"Those were the ones upon whom Allah bestowed favor from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah, and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping." [19:58]



They all had a quality in common, as Alla h says, " When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping." 19:58 ] [3] Thus Allah states in the following verse, that the prophets were succeeded by a people who were distant from Allah by " neglect[ing] their prayer and deny[ing] it as a duty incumbent on them. Instead, they follow[ed] only their lusts and indulge[d] in every loose activity." [3] Thus, the difference was made clear and the contrast complete. [3]





They all had a quality in common, as Alla

فَ

خَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ "there has succeeded them a posterity"

This means later generations (i.e. the people who came after the prophets). [2][5]





خَلْفٌ "[of] bad people" [1]

Meaning a type of people who were bad [1].



Now the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam [ peace be upon him], is seeing the line of amazing prophets, and seeing the bad people after them [1]. He, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, may have been wondering h ow do people go from being so good (i.e. the prophets) to so bad?[1] Allah gives the explanation in a two step process. [1][5]



Step 1:



أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ "who have lost as-Salah [the Prayer]" [1]

Ibn Kathir says that " losing their prayers is when they do not consider the prayers obligatory. Therefore they lose, because the prayer is the pillar and foundation of the religion. It is the best of the servants' deeds" [2] as related to us in the following hadith. Umm Farwah - and she was one of those who gave pledge of allegiance to the Prophet - narrated: "The Prophet was asked: 'Which deed is the best?' So he said: 'Salat in the beginning of its time.'" (Sahih) [ Jami` at-Tirmidhi ]



So me scholars said in explanation of this ayah that their loss is in being negligent in the timing of the prayer [1]. So





Al-Awza`i reported from Musa bin Sulayman, who reported from Al-Qasim bin Mukhaymirah that he said concerning Allah's statement, "Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah," that "This means that they will not keep up with the proper times of the prayer, because if it meant complete abandonment of the prayer, this would be disbelief.'' [2]





It is also reported that it was said to Ibn Mas`ud [that] Allah often mentions the prayer in the Qur'an. Allah says, " Those who neglect their Salah " (107:5), and He says, " Those who remain constant in their Salah " (70:23), and He says, " Who guard their Salah '' (23:9). Then, Ibn Mas`ud said, "This means at its designated times.'' The people said, "We thought that this was referring to the abandonment of the prayer.'' He replied, "That would be disbelief.'' [2]





Masruq said, "No one who guards the five daily prayers will be written among the heedless. In their neglect is destruction. Their neglect is delaying them past their fixed times.'' [2]





Al-Awza`i reported from Ibrahim bin Zayd that Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz recited the Ayah [verse], " Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah and have followed lusts. So they will meet Ghaiy," then he said, "Their loss was not their abandonment of the prayers, but it was by not offering them during their proper and prescribed times.'' [2]



While Imam Qurtubi has said that it means being negligent in th e concentration of their prayers (i.e. lacking Khushoo') and merely going through the motions of as-Salah. [1][4 ]



Hasan Al-Basri's understanding of this verse includes "leaving the mosques unattended and being over involved in business and enjoyments of life."[4]



Every deterioration has a beginning, and the beginning of their degeneration was abandonment of as-Salah [1], and after this there remains no connection between them and Allah.[5]

Abandonment of the Salah leads to immorality and wrongdoing as Allah says, " Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do. " [ Quran 29:45



Abandonment of the Salah leads to immorality and wrongdoing as Umar Ibn Al-Khattab wrote in a letter to all his governors, saying, "In my view the most important among your tasks is the prayer. So, whoever defaults in this, will default in discharging his other obligations all the more." [4]

Step 2:

وَاتَّبَعُوا "and have followed"



الشَّهَوَاتِ " desires"

This means the carnal, animal desires within a person [1].



Imam Qurtubi says that this refers to "all such worldy pleasures which make people negligent of their duty to Allah, making them lose interest in Prayers." [4]



`Ali ibn Abi-Talib said, "palatial houses and luxurious carriages which attract people's eye, and wearing dresses which distinguish a person from the common man, all fall within the category of worldly pleasures."[4]



Ibn Kathir states that after the abandonement of as-Salah, "these people will occupy themselves with worldly desires and delights, and they will be pleased with the life of this world. They will be tranquil and at ease in the worldly appetites." [2]



This is the consequence of the loss of co nnection with Allah. [5] As the people became more neglectful of their salah, their desires take control of them. [5] I Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire?" ( nitially a person just listens to their desires, but eventually, after repeated compliance, they start worshipping [obeying] their desires, as Allah says "" ( Quran 25:43 ) [1



فَسَوْفَ "So then soon (in the future)" [1]



يَلْقَوْنَ "they will meet"[1]



غَيًّا "Ghaiy[yan]" This means the carnal, animal desires within a person [1].Imam Qurtubi says that this refers to "all such worldy pleasures which make people negligent of their duty to Allah, making them lose interest in Prayers." [4]`Ali ibn Abi-Talib said, "palatial houses and luxurious carriages which attract people's eye, and wearing dresses which distinguish a person from the common man, all fall within the category of worldly pleasures."[4]This is the consequence of the loss of co[1][1]

Ibn Kathir says "[this] means loss on the Day of Resurrection."[2]



`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn 'Abbas that he said, "This means loss.'' [2]





Qatadah said, "This means evil.'' [2]





Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Shu`bah and Muhammad bin Ishaq all reported from Abu Ishaq As-Sabi`i, who reported from Abu `Ubaydah, who reported from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud that he said, "This is a valley in the Hellfire which is very deep and its food is filthy.'' [2]









Abdullah ibn Mas`ud said that this is a cave in Hell where the severest punishments occur. [1][4]



Abdullah ibn `Abbas added that even Hell seeks refuge in Allah from that place. [1][4]



Imam Qurtubi states that "Allah [Exalted be He] has prepared it for habitual adulterers who persist in adultery, and for the drunkards who do no give up drinking, and for the usurers who do not stop taking interest, and for those who disobey their parents, and those who give false witness and for the woman who declares someone else's child as her husband's." [4]



Abdul Nasir Jangda says this means that soon they will come face to face with being completely lost or come face to face with the most horrible place in Hell. [1]



May Allah protect us all from such a place.



But, all is not lost.



In the following verse Allah says, "Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all." Quran 19:60 ] Allah makes it clear "that the door remains wide open for all who wish to repent and mend their ways." [3] This is from the mercy of Allah that He tells us what the consequences of disobedience are and opens for us the doors of His mercy. [1]









Sources:

Abdul Nasir Jangda, What Leads to Hellfire? , lecture on Youtube.com published 31 Mar. 2012 by QuranWeekly. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJXHV3VjA1I&feature=g-all-u> Tafsir Ibn Kathir found at <ttp://www.qtafsir.com/> Sayyid Qutb, In the shade of the Quran, Vol 11, p285-286 Maulana Mufti Mohammad Shafi, Maarif ul Quran, translation by Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim, vol. 6, p57-60. <http://www.islamicstudies.info/maarif.php?sura=19&verse=59> Prof. Muhammad Hasan Askari & Prof. Muhammad Shamim, vol. 6, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, Tafheem ul Quran , translation by Zafar Ishaque Ansari and Muhammad Akbar. <http://www.tafheem.net/tafheem.html> May Allah make us of those who repent, believe, and do righteousness. Ameen. Al-A`mash reported from Ziyad, who reported from Abu `Iyad, who said, "This is a valley in Hell made of puss and blood.'' [2]Abdullah ibn Mas`ud said that this is a cave in Hell where the severest punishments occur. [1][4]Abdullah ibn `Abbas added that even Hell seeks refuge in Allah from that place. [1][4]Imam Qurtubi states that "Allah [Exalted be He] has prepared it for habitual adulterers who persist in adultery, and for the drunkards who do no give up drinking, and for the usurers who do not stop taking interest, and for those who disobey their parents, and those who give false witness and for the woman who declares someone else's child as her husband's." [4]Abdul Nasir Jangda says this means that soon they will come face to face with beingMay Allah protect us all from such a place.In the following verse Allah says,

"After Allah mentioned the party of blessed ones -- the Prophets and those who followed them by maintaining the limits set by Allah and His commandments, fulfilling what Allah ordered and avoiding His prohibitions..." [2]