Therefore, never turn away from religious gatherings. The meaning of ‘turning away’ is deliberately turning one’s heart away from something.^[1]

Sometimes, it may happen that a religious gathering is taking place where the words of Allah Almighty and His Messenger are being discussed, and religious knowledge is being shared. Your heart might desire to participate, but there could be some unavoidable circumstance or valid excuse preventing you from attending. This is a different matter.

However, turning your heart away from religious gatherings without any valid reason, and without any Shariah-approved excuse, is dangerous. Although it may not be classified as sinful or forbidden, it certainly leads to much deprivation.

The misfortune of turning away from the remembrance of Allah Almighty

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an:

وَ مَنۡ اَعۡرَضَ عَنۡ ذِکۡرِیۡ فَاِنَّ لَہٗ مَعِیۡشَۃً ضَنۡکًا

And whosoever turned away from My remembrance, then indeed there is a deprived life for him,^[2]

One interpretation of this verse is that "My remembrance" refers to the caller of good, meaning the one who invites others towards good deeds and calls them towards the worship of Allah Almighty.^[3] Therefore, the meaning would be that whoever turns away from the invitation towards good will suffer a life of deprivation.