Why is abandoning the prayer considered disbelief, while abandoning fasting is not, even though both are among the pillars of Islam?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The one who abandons the prayer entirely does not become a disbeliever, because the one who abandons fasting says that he does not become a disbeliever. How do we respond to him? Islam is to bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Shaykh : Respond to him with a clear answer, O 'Adil. You responded to him, and what did you say?
The questioner : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) and he did not say fasting. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says: "Then [At-Tawbah 9:5]" and He did not say fasting. Fasting was not mentioned. If the Messenger had been able to mention fasting, he would have, because delaying the separation from its time is not permissible. So what did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say about fasting? And prayer, meaning the daily prayer, is not a one-time thing like fasting. No, is fasting among the pillars of Islam?
The Shaykh : And the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Shuqayq.
The questioner : And the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Ahmad: they did not consider this all to be a matter of exchange; they did not consider the interpretation of disbelief to be the ultimate in prayer.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But he is patient, saying: No, this is not it.
The Shaykh : If he says this and does not pray, then do to him what 'Umar did to Hisham. I say: If he says this and does not pray, then do to him what 'Umar did to Hisham.
The questioner : No, abandoning fasting, O Shaykh, meaning he says, for example: Is a person who prays but abandons fasting a disbeliever?
The Shaykh : He acknowledges that abandoning the prayer is disbelief, and he acknowledges that abandoning the prayer is disbelief.
The questioner : No, he wants to say no, but he wants to say if you wish.
The Shaykh : If he says no, tell him: Leave it, for I am behind you. Now, where is the car's movement? No, abandoning fasting is not the majority, yes. Peace.
The Shaykh : Respond to him with a clear answer, O 'Adil. You responded to him, and what did you say?
The questioner : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاةestablish prayer, and give zakah
وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَThe Shaykh : And the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Shuqayq.
The questioner : And the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Ahmad: they did not consider this all to be a matter of exchange; they did not consider the interpretation of disbelief to be the ultimate in prayer.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But he is patient, saying: No, this is not it.
The Shaykh : If he says this and does not pray, then do to him what 'Umar did to Hisham. I say: If he says this and does not pray, then do to him what 'Umar did to Hisham.
The questioner : No, abandoning fasting, O Shaykh, meaning he says, for example: Is a person who prays but abandons fasting a disbeliever?
The Shaykh : He acknowledges that abandoning the prayer is disbelief, and he acknowledges that abandoning the prayer is disbelief.
The questioner : No, he wants to say no, but he wants to say if you wish.
The Shaykh : If he says no, tell him: Leave it, for I am behind you. Now, where is the car's movement? No, abandoning fasting is not the majority, yes. Peace.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 3616 - 4600 لماذا ترك الصلاة كفر وترك الصيام ليس بكفر مع أنهما من أركان الإسلام؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.