Does abandoning prayer affect other deeds, such as Hajj, fasting, and zakah?
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Question:
It is observed, Honorable Shaykh, that some people who have been afflicted with negligence in prayer or abandoning it entirely are keen to perform Hajj, fasting, 'Umrah, and zakah. So, do you think that abandoning prayer does not affect these deeds of theirs?
Answer:
This depends on the distinction mentioned earlier. If they deny the obligation of prayer, then their deeds benefit them in no way, by the consensus of the Muslims. However, if they acknowledge its obligation but abandoned it out of laziness, then those who hold that they do not become disbelievers say that their deeds are valid, but they are held accountable for abandoning the prayer. Those who hold that they commit major disbelief say that their deeds are invalid and do not benefit them in any way, and this is the correct view. Allah the Exalted says:[At-Tawbah 9:5] And in the other verse, [At-Tawbah 9:11] it indicates that brotherhood in religion is not established, and they are not spared from being killed unless they repent, establish the prayer, and pay the zakah. Yes. May Allah reward you with good.
It is observed, Honorable Shaykh, that some people who have been afflicted with negligence in prayer or abandoning it entirely are keen to perform Hajj, fasting, 'Umrah, and zakah. So, do you think that abandoning prayer does not affect these deeds of theirs?
Answer:
This depends on the distinction mentioned earlier. If they deny the obligation of prayer, then their deeds benefit them in no way, by the consensus of the Muslims. However, if they acknowledge its obligation but abandoned it out of laziness, then those who hold that they do not become disbelievers say that their deeds are valid, but they are held accountable for abandoning the prayer. Those who hold that they commit major disbelief say that their deeds are invalid and do not benefit them in any way, and this is the correct view. Allah the Exalted says:
But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way
فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْBut if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion
فَإِن تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، هل ترك الصلاة يؤثر على الأعمال الأخرى مثل الحج والصيام والزكاة؟ الشيخ صالح بن فوزان الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.