Disbelief of the one who abandons prayer
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Question: Does the abandonment of prayer by a Muslim take him out of the religion?
Answer: If a Muslim abandons it intentionally, and he denies its obligation, then this takes him out of the religion by the consensus of the Muslims; because he is denying Allah the Exalted and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the consensus of the Muslims, and he is denying a necessary matter of the necessary matters of the Islamic religion.
As for if he acknowledges its obligation, but abandons it out of laziness, then there is a difference of opinion among the scholars, and the correct view is that he is also a disbeliever; for many pieces of evidence, among which is the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): ,And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) ،And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah: 5] ,And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah: 11] .
This indicates that if they do not establish prayer, their way is not to be left open, and they are not our brothers in religion; this means disbelief.
Likewise, Allah the Exalted said about the disbelievers that the people of Paradise will ask them on the Day of Resurrection: [Al-Muddaththir: 42-44] , to the end of the verses, so it indicates that what caused them to enter the Fire were characteristics they possessed, the foremost and first of which was abandoning prayer.
[Disbelief of the one who abandons prayer]
Question: I am thirty-six years old, but most of my actions during this age have not been pleasing. I have committed many violations, and I did not fast Ramadan except for only two years, and likewise the prayers. So what is obligatory upon me regarding prayer and fasting, for I have resolved to make a sincere repentance to Allah? Also, I have sworn many oaths, and I have broken many of them, but I do not know their number. Do I have to pay an expiation, and how is it performed when I do not know the number of oaths I broke?
Answer: As for the first issue, which is your abandoning of the prayers for years and your abandoning of fasting, then during that period when you were in that state, you were not upon Islam; because whoever abandons prayer intentionally is a disbeliever, whether he denies its obligation or acknowledges its obligation and abandons it out of laziness, according to the correct view.
So for all that period, you were not upon the religion, but when Allah granted you repentance and you repented to Allah, and you maintained fasting and prayer, then repentance wipes out what came before it, and you are not required to make up what was missed before the repentance.
And as for the oaths you swore and violated, and you do not know how many they are, then you must strive to estimate them and pay expiation for them and be cautious. If you estimate them, for example, as ten oaths, you should be cautious and add one oath to them. You must be cautious; estimate and be cautious, and leave off the abundance of oaths in the future,And Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Qalam: 10] .
Abundant swearing and rushing to swear involves embarrassment and negligence regarding the oath. So you must guard against the oath in the future, and be cautious and estimate the expiation for what has passed. May Allah guide everyone.
Question: I inform you that my age is now forty-five years, and four years have passed of my age without me praying, and without me fasting Ramadan. But last year I performed the obligatory Hajj. Will it expiate for me what I missed of fasting and prayer? And if it does not expiate it, what should I do now? Guide us, and may Allah guide you.
Answer: Abandoning prayer intentionally is very serious; because prayer is the second pillar of the pillars of Islam, and if a Muslim abandons it intentionally, then that is disbelief,As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1078Sahih (Darussalam) ،And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:: Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) ،And Allah the Exalted says about the disbelievers: [At-Tawbah: 5] ,
And He says about the people of the Fire: [Al-Muddaththir: 42-44] , and other than that of the texts that indicate the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer, even if he does not deny its obligation, and this is the correct of the opinions of the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them.
So what you mentioned of you abandoning it intentionally for three years, this necessitates disbelief, but if you repent to Allah the Mighty and Sublime with a correct repentance, and you maintain prayer in the future of your life, then Allah wipes out what was before, and sincere repentance wipes out what came before it.
As for Hajj, it does not expiate abandoning prayer, and it does not expiate abandoning fasting; because these are major sins that do not get expiated by Hajj.
And likewise, if you performed Hajj while you were not praying, then it is not valid; because the one who does not pray has no religion, and he has no Islam,And no deed of his is valid: until he repents to Allah the Sublime and Exalted. So if you repent to Allah with a correct repentance and maintain prayer, then this expiates what came before, but you must be truthful, and continue in repentance, and pay attention to prayer.
And if you performed Hajj in the state of your abandoning prayer, then you must repeat it. But if you performed it after you repented, then it is a valid Hajj, if Allah wills. And what has passed of disobedience and abandoning prayer and fasting, sincere repentance expiates it.
Answer: If a Muslim abandons it intentionally, and he denies its obligation, then this takes him out of the religion by the consensus of the Muslims; because he is denying Allah the Exalted and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the consensus of the Muslims, and he is denying a necessary matter of the necessary matters of the Islamic religion.
As for if he acknowledges its obligation, but abandons it out of laziness, then there is a difference of opinion among the scholars, and the correct view is that he is also a disbeliever; for many pieces of evidence, among which is the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):
Between the servant and disbelief or shirk (associating partners with Allah) is abandoning prayer
بين العبد وبين الكفر أو الشرك ترك الصلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرBut if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way
فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْBut if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion
فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِThis indicates that if they do not establish prayer, their way is not to be left open, and they are not our brothers in religion; this means disbelief.
Likewise, Allah the Exalted said about the disbelievers that the people of Paradise will ask them on the Day of Resurrection:
(42) [And asking them], "What put you into Saqar?" (43) They will say, "We were not of those who prayed, (44) Nor did we used to feed the poor.
مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَ[Disbelief of the one who abandons prayer]
Question: I am thirty-six years old, but most of my actions during this age have not been pleasing. I have committed many violations, and I did not fast Ramadan except for only two years, and likewise the prayers. So what is obligatory upon me regarding prayer and fasting, for I have resolved to make a sincere repentance to Allah? Also, I have sworn many oaths, and I have broken many of them, but I do not know their number. Do I have to pay an expiation, and how is it performed when I do not know the number of oaths I broke?
Answer: As for the first issue, which is your abandoning of the prayers for years and your abandoning of fasting, then during that period when you were in that state, you were not upon Islam; because whoever abandons prayer intentionally is a disbeliever, whether he denies its obligation or acknowledges its obligation and abandons it out of laziness, according to the correct view.
So for all that period, you were not upon the religion, but when Allah granted you repentance and you repented to Allah, and you maintained fasting and prayer, then repentance wipes out what came before it, and you are not required to make up what was missed before the repentance.
And as for the oaths you swore and violated, and you do not know how many they are, then you must strive to estimate them and pay expiation for them and be cautious. If you estimate them, for example, as ten oaths, you should be cautious and add one oath to them. You must be cautious; estimate and be cautious, and leave off the abundance of oaths in the future,And Allah the Exalted says:
And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَهِينٍAbundant swearing and rushing to swear involves embarrassment and negligence regarding the oath. So you must guard against the oath in the future, and be cautious and estimate the expiation for what has passed. May Allah guide everyone.
Question: I inform you that my age is now forty-five years, and four years have passed of my age without me praying, and without me fasting Ramadan. But last year I performed the obligatory Hajj. Will it expiate for me what I missed of fasting and prayer? And if it does not expiate it, what should I do now? Guide us, and may Allah guide you.
Answer: Abandoning prayer intentionally is very serious; because prayer is the second pillar of the pillars of Islam, and if a Muslim abandons it intentionally, then that is disbelief,As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Between a person and Kufr (disbelief) is abandoning the prayer.
بين العبد وبين الكفر ترك الصلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرBut if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way
فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْAnd He says about the people of the Fire:
(42) [And asking them], "What put you into Saqar?" (43) They will say, "We were not of those who prayed, (44) Nor did we used to feed the poor.
مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَSo what you mentioned of you abandoning it intentionally for three years, this necessitates disbelief, but if you repent to Allah the Mighty and Sublime with a correct repentance, and you maintain prayer in the future of your life, then Allah wipes out what was before, and sincere repentance wipes out what came before it.
As for Hajj, it does not expiate abandoning prayer, and it does not expiate abandoning fasting; because these are major sins that do not get expiated by Hajj.
And likewise, if you performed Hajj while you were not praying, then it is not valid; because the one who does not pray has no religion, and he has no Islam,And no deed of his is valid: until he repents to Allah the Sublime and Exalted. So if you repent to Allah with a correct repentance and maintain prayer, then this expiates what came before, but you must be truthful, and continue in repentance, and pay attention to prayer.
And if you performed Hajj in the state of your abandoning prayer, then you must repeat it. But if you performed it after you repented, then it is a valid Hajj, if Allah wills. And what has passed of disobedience and abandoning prayer and fasting, sincere repentance expiates it.