Advice for a husband who frequently mocks the religious

The questioner : A woman says: My husband prays all the prescribed times, but not in the mosque; he prays them at home. He also fasts, but he talks a lot about religion and the religious, and he mocks them. I seek refuge in Allah, to a certain extent. I advise him about this as much as I can. What is your advice and what is your opinion, Honorable Shaykh?

The Shaykh : Yes, my opinion is that you should continue advising him. I am addressing the woman asking the question: continue advising your husband, and perhaps Allah will guide him. But do not continue advising him in a way that annoys him. Rather, wait for the right moment: when he is calm, kind-hearted, at peace, and content, speak to him. As for annoying him every time he comes in by saying, "Pray with the congregation," every time he comes in, "Pray with the congregation," if he sits to eat lunch, "Pray with the congregation," if he eats dinner, "Pray with the congregation," if he drinks coffee, "Pray with the congregation"—this annoys him. He may become angry and say something that takes him out of the religion, and he will not realize it. As for his mocking the religious, this is an important point that must be addressed. If he mocks the religious because of the religion they uphold, meaning he hates the religion of Allah, then this is disbelief that takes one out of the religion, even if he prays and fasts. For Allah the Exalted says: Allah disbelieved them after their faith because of their mocking of Allah, His verses, and His Messenger.
But if he hates them not because of the religion they uphold, then this does not make him a disbeliever, but he has committed a great error. For it is obligatory upon us to love those whom Allah and His Messenger love. But someone might say to me: How do we distinguish between one who mocks those who hold fast to the religion on a personal basis, and one who mocks them because they hold fast to the religion? That is, a person might say, "I do not know the difference; what is the difference?" He says: It is possible that if one of the people this man respects did what these committed individuals did, this man would not hate it.
So we know that he did not hate the religion, but rather he hated these individuals. But if someone else whom he respects and honors did it, he would not hate it. This is something that happens often. I do not want to name a specific person to use as an example, but if one of our recognized scholars, who are the subject of praise among people, did what these committed brothers did, you would not find this man seeking forgiveness from him or mocking him. But if these people did it, he mocks them. So is the contempt here for what they uphold of the religion, or for them as individuals? It is clear that it is for them as individuals, as evidenced by the fact that if another person whom he respected did it, he would not target him. This is the difference. In any case, my advice to this man is to do what Allah has made obligatory upon him, which is praying with the congregation. Let him know that his abandoning the congregation is a deficiency in his fasting and in his religion as well, for faith increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience. And abandoning the congregation in the mosques is undoubtedly a sin.