I am a young man who has been guided by Allah, The Almighty, to performing prayers regularly after having abandoned the mosque for years. However, some of my family members do not pray on time, while others do not pray at all. What should I do? Should I repeatedly encourage them to pray, or is once enough?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

One of the greatest blessings that Allah Grants to anyone is the guidance to obey Him and follow the way of righteousness. Anyone who receives this blessing should have mercy, sympathy and well-wishing for those whose present are like his past before guidance. Allah says (what means): {You [yourselves] were like that before; then Allah conferred His favor upon you.} [Quran 4:94]

It was narrated on the authority of Tameem Ad-Daari that the Prophet stressed that sincere counseling and good advice for the sake of Allah, The Almighty, His Messenger and to Muslim rulers, as well as to common people, is the essence of Islam. [Muslim]

Needless to say, your family, relatives and neighbors are the ones who are most worthy of your advice. Explain to them the importance of prayer in Islam, and tell them that Allah, The Exalted, has made it compulsory at specified times. Allah says (what means): {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times} [Quran 4:103]

Moreover, it is sinful for men to miss the prayers in the mosque as long as they meet the requirements for that obligation, except those who have a legitimate excuse.

Never despair of giving advice and encouraging others to obey Allah, The Almighty. You should do so whenever you find others doing something that displeases Allah, hoping that one day they will respond to your advice. The prophets gave us the greatest example in this regard.

In addition, you should take into consideration that Allah, The Almighty, will reward you whenever you invite them to Him, regardless of whether or not they respond. It will encourage you further to know that one of the greatest acts that bring a Muslim closer to Allah, The Exalted, is to be a reason for the guidance of ones relatives who disobey Allah, The Almighty.

Allah Knows best.