Is the one who abandons prayer without denying its obligation and dies in that state a disbeliever?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner asks: Is the one who abandons prayer without denying its obligation destined for the Fire forever if he dies in this state, given that he is a monotheist and not one who associates partners with Allah? This is abandoning it.

Answer:
And without denial, out of laziness. This is a point of disagreement among the scholars. The correct view is that he is a disbeliever, even if he acknowledges its obligation, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) attached the warning to abandoning it. The covenant between us and them is prayer, so whoever abandons it... and it is not said intentionally. This is general, general for the one who acknowledges its obligation and the one who does not acknowledge its obligation.
The hadith is general; it declares disbelief whether the person acknowledges the obligation of prayer or does not. From where do we derive the distinction? We say: No. If he abandons it out of laziness, he does not become a disbeliever. If he abandons it while denying its obligation, he becomes a disbeliever. And if he abandons it while acknowledging its obligation but does so out of laziness, he does not become a disbeliever. The hadith is general. They said, "We were not among those who prayed." This was in the end of their answer. "We were not among those who prayed" is general, applying to one who abandons it out of laziness or one who abandons it while denying its obligation. The evidence does not differentiate, and this is the stronger position in the two views of the scholars. Yes.