A woman whose husband was neglecting prayer, then he repented to Allah; is she sinful for remaining with him before his repentance because he was a disbeliever, and what is obligatory for her to do?
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The questioner : She says: I am a believing woman, and I try my utmost to carry out Allah’s command in everything and seek His pleasure. But a few years ago, my husband was drinking intoxicants and not praying; in fact, he used to deny the validity of my prayer and fasting. I tried to guide him to the right path but could not, except by supplicating to Allah and seeking nearness to Him to keep him away from intoxicants. So Allah the Exalted answered her supplication, and he left intoxicants. I have heard on this program that Allah has forbidden believing women to disbelievers. Since my husband was not praying, I placed him between two options: either separation, despite having sons and daughters, some married and some not, and children; or that he repent to Allah the Exalted, pray to Him, and believe in Him. He obeyed Allah’s command regarding prayer, and praise be to Allah. But she is in confusion and constant thought: is there a sin on her for continuing to live with her husband when he was a disbeliever? And what must she do to expiate for her sin if that is the case?
The Shaykh : This issue is among the most dangerous and important issues in our time, and it is most deserving of care.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It has been mentioned to us in more than one episode of this program that one who neglects prayer becomes a disbeliever, a disbelief that takes him out of the religion, by the indication of the Book, the Sunnah, and the reports narrated from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). We clarified that the evidence of those who say he is not a disbeliever does not contain, or does not have, or does not contain what they cited as evidence for their position, because it is either general texts that were specified by the hadiths indicating the disbelief of one who neglects prayer, or it is hadiths restricted by a description that does not allow a person to leave prayer, or it is hadiths that were in a state where a person is excused for leaving prayer, or there is no indication in them at all of what they mentioned.
In any case, what I see in this issue that the woman asked about is that it is necessary to renew the marriage contract, as long as at the time of the marriage contract she was in the state she described, and he was in the state she described, not praying, but rather denying the prayer. It is necessary that the contract be renewed once again, and with this the problem is resolved.
And in my opinion, renewing the contract is an easy matter for the husband and the wife as well, because it involves nothing more than bringing the guardian, who is her father if he is present, or one of her sons if he is an adult of sound mind and her father is not present, and the contract is completed with witnesses and a bridal gift that they agree upon, and Allah knows best.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The next question is from the listener Muhammad Madani Ahmad from Jeddah.
The Shaykh : This issue is among the most dangerous and important issues in our time, and it is most deserving of care.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It has been mentioned to us in more than one episode of this program that one who neglects prayer becomes a disbeliever, a disbelief that takes him out of the religion, by the indication of the Book, the Sunnah, and the reports narrated from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). We clarified that the evidence of those who say he is not a disbeliever does not contain, or does not have, or does not contain what they cited as evidence for their position, because it is either general texts that were specified by the hadiths indicating the disbelief of one who neglects prayer, or it is hadiths restricted by a description that does not allow a person to leave prayer, or it is hadiths that were in a state where a person is excused for leaving prayer, or there is no indication in them at all of what they mentioned.
In any case, what I see in this issue that the woman asked about is that it is necessary to renew the marriage contract, as long as at the time of the marriage contract she was in the state she described, and he was in the state she described, not praying, but rather denying the prayer. It is necessary that the contract be renewed once again, and with this the problem is resolved.
And in my opinion, renewing the contract is an easy matter for the husband and the wife as well, because it involves nothing more than bringing the guardian, who is her father if he is present, or one of her sons if he is an adult of sound mind and her father is not present, and the contract is completed with witnesses and a bridal gift that they agree upon, and Allah knows best.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The next question is from the listener Muhammad Madani Ahmad from Jeddah.