The Ruling on the One Who Abandons Prayer and an Explanation of the Meaning of Shirk

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, is the one who does not pray considered a mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah)? And how does a person maintain the prayers, especially the Fajr prayer? The one who does not pray is a kafir (disbeliever) or a mushrik? A kafir.

Answer:
He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So the one who intentionally abandons the prayer is a kafir who has exited the religion of Islam, because the prayer is the pillar of Islam and it is the second pillar of the pillars of Islam after the two testimonies. So he is not considered a mushrik. The mushrik is the one who calls upon other than Allah, or slaughters for other than Allah, or worships other than Allah; that is the mushrik. As for abandoning the prayer, is it not all of it? Yes. And Allah the Exalted knows best, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his Companions.