A young man contracted a marriage with a girl while neither of them was praying, and then they repented and began to pray; is it obligatory for them to renew the contract?

The questioner : A young man contracted a marriage with a girl, and they were not praying, but then they repented, meaning both of them started praying; so when they build their home, does the contract remain valid, or what should they do?

The Shaykh : Does the contract remain?

The questioner : They renew the contract.

The Shaykh : Renew it?! No, the contract is valid, except according to the school of those who say that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever; in that case, the contract is invalid. But we do not declare the one who abandons prayer a disbeliever unless they deny the legitimacy of prayer and its obligation, and I think that is not the case here?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh: Huh?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : So they do not need to renew the contract; rather, they need sincere repentance to Allah: that they regret what they did of abandoning prayer, that they resolve not to return to it, and that they increase in righteous deeds. As for the contract, it is valid; is that clear?

The questioner : Clear, Shaykh.

Another questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, the narration of Tha'labah ibn Hatib and similar ones, which...?

The Shaykh : It is not authentic, no.