The Status of Deeds in Faith

Question:
The questioner says: Your Eminence the Shaykh! Some people say that deeds are not a pillar of faith, but rather are among its complements. How valid is this statement?

Answer:
There is a distinction regarding deeds. Some are fundamental to faith, and some are complements. Faith is speech and action, and it increases and decreases. Faith, according to the people of the Sunnah and the community, is speech and action; it increases with obedience and decreases with sins. Thus, prayer is faith, zakah is faith, fasting is faith, Hajj is faith, enjoining good and forbidding evil is faith, and so on. However, if one abandons some of these, he becomes a sinner. For example, one who does not pay zakah becomes a sinner, not a disbeliever. Or one who breaks his fast in Ramadan without an excuse becomes a sinner, not a disbeliever, according to the correct view. Or one who delays Hajj while being able to perform it becomes a sinner, not a disbeliever. As for one who abandons prayer, he is a disbeliever according to the correct view. Or one who prostrates to other than Allah is a disbeliever. Or one who insults Allah or insults the Messenger is a disbeliever. Or one who slaughters for other than Allah is a disbeliever. We ask Allah for safety.