The Ruling on Abandoning Voluntary Prayers
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Some scholars said: Whoever abandons the voluntary prayers out of disdain for them and indifference to them is an open sinner.And they cited as evidence the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not one of me)?
This is not correct. The correct view is that abandoning voluntary prayers is something Allah the Exalted has permitted, because performing the obligatory acts is what is obligatory, and it is the one who abandons them who may be an open sinner, but not the one who abandons the voluntary acts.And as for the statement of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him): "Whoever abandons the witr prayer is a bad man, and his testimony should not be accepted". This suggests that Imam Ahmad may have held that it is obligatory.Because some scholars said: If the witr prayer is obligatory, it is possible that he said this because the witr prayer is a small matter, and scholars differ on its obligation. So, his negligence regarding this small matter, despite the scholars' disagreement on its obligation, is evidence that he is a bad man, and his testimony should not be accepted.
This is not correct. The correct view is that abandoning voluntary prayers is something Allah the Exalted has permitted, because performing the obligatory acts is what is obligatory, and it is the one who abandons them who may be an open sinner, but not the one who abandons the voluntary acts.And as for the statement of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him): "Whoever abandons the witr prayer is a bad man, and his testimony should not be accepted". This suggests that Imam Ahmad may have held that it is obligatory.Because some scholars said: If the witr prayer is obligatory, it is possible that he said this because the witr prayer is a small matter, and scholars differ on its obligation. So, his negligence regarding this small matter, despite the scholars' disagreement on its obligation, is evidence that he is a bad man, and his testimony should not be accepted.