The Error of Declaring One Who Leaves the Rawatib Prayers an Open Sinner
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What is your opinion regarding those who declare as an open sinner (fasiq) one who leaves, for example, the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib), and who cite, for example, some statements attributed to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) that one who leaves the Witr prayer and the regular voluntary prayers is an open sinner whose testimony is not accepted? Is this correct or established from Imam Ahmad? What is the validity of the statement regarding declaring him an open sinner?
We see that one who declares as an open sinner the person who leaves the rawatib is not on the right path, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when a man mentioned to him the five daily prayers, asked: "Is there anything else required of me?"He said: "No, except what is voluntary." This indicates that a person is free from the obligation of performing the rawatib,But those who said: and it is not permissible to reject his testimony as Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said. They said: Because his leaving these easy rawatib prayers, while he is able to perform them, indicates his negligence of his religion, and they did not consider that to be open sinfulness.
We see that one who declares as an open sinner the person who leaves the rawatib is not on the right path, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when a man mentioned to him the five daily prayers, asked: "Is there anything else required of me?"He said: "No, except what is voluntary." This indicates that a person is free from the obligation of performing the rawatib,But those who said: and it is not permissible to reject his testimony as Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said. They said: Because his leaving these easy rawatib prayers, while he is able to perform them, indicates his negligence of his religion, and they did not consider that to be open sinfulness.