As Salaam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu
I am really sorry to hear about your story.
So you could tell to your father as follow as my advise ok?
The position of prayer is very important and unequalled by any act of other worship. It is the basic feature of the faith and the pillar upholding it. Like the pole of a tent without which it cannot stand straight, Islam cannot stand without prayers.
Prayer is the first duty imposed by Allah upon mankind after that of belief in the oneness of Allah. Prayers are also an act to be accounted for on the Day of Judgement among other deeds carried out by servants of Allah.
The Prophet (PBUH) said:
“The first thing of the slave to be reckoned on the Day of Judgement will be his Prayer. If it is good, the rest of his deeds will be (accounted as) good. And if it is rotten, the rest of his deeds will be rotten”. (Tabarani) Which is taken from my Hadith book.
Prayer constitutes one pillar of Islam and is considered the foundation of religion. Any Muslim who fails to do his prayers and has no reasonable excuse is committing a
grave offense and a heinous sin. This offense is so grave because it is not only against Allah, which is bad enough, but also against the very nature of man. It is an instinct of man to adore the great beings, and to aspire to lofty goals. The best way for man to cultivate a sound personality and to actualize his aspirations through a mature course of development is through Islamic prayer. To neglect prayer is to oppress the good qualities in human nature and unjustifiably deny it the right to adore and love, the right to aspire and ascend, the right to excel in goodness and achieve noble aims. Such oppression and denial constitute a
very serious and destructive offense. Herein lies the significance and vitality of prayer in the life of man.
It should always be borne in mind that Allah does not need man’s prayer, because He is free of all needs. He is only interested in our prosperity and well-being in every sense. When He emphasizes the necessity of prayer and charges us with a duty, He means to help us, because whatever good we do is for our own benefit, and whatever offence we commit is against our own souls. Here, too, man is the center of gravity, and his common interest is the main concern. The benefits that man can derive from the Islamic prayer are immeasurable, and the blessings beyond imagination. This is not just a theory or conventional assumption; it is a fascinating fact and a spiritual experience.
I will tell you the effectiveness of prayer:
- It strengthens the belief in the existence and goodness of Allah and transmits this belief into the innermost recesses of man’s heart.
- It enlivens this belief and makes it constructive in the practical course of life.
- It helps man to realize his natural and instinctive aspiration to greatness and high morality, to excellence and virtuous growth.
- It purifies the heart and develops the mind, cultivates the conscience and comforts the soul.
- It fosters the good and decent elements in man, and suppresses the evil and indecent inclinations.
You can tell to your father about the effectiveness of prayer. He might change of his way, Insha'Allah!
Insha'Allah, my advices will be helpful. Please let me know if any of my advices are incorrect.