I married my wife, and we were both leaving off the prayer. Now, praise be to Allah, we have started praying. Is our marriage contract valid?

The questioner : Peace be upon you. The line cut out a moment ago, O honorable Shaykh.

The Shaykh : My brother, it did not cut out, it did not cut out. I told you: What do you want from me?

The questioner : I want you to tell me: Is my marriage contract truly valid or invalid?

The Shaykh : In our view, it is valid, because one who leaves off the prayer is not a disbeliever, unless the one who leaves it off denies the legitimacy of the prayer. Then I have given you the ruling.

The questioner : I am telling you, O honorable Shaykh, even my wife has started praying now.

The Shaykh : Yes?

The questioner : My wife has started praying too, meaning she prays and I pray, meaning when the marriage contract was made, we were not praying.

The Shaykh : My brother, I am speaking about the day you made the contract.

The questioner : Yes, we were not praying on the day we made the contract.

The Shaykh : Yes, were you denying the legitimacy of the prayer, or were you being negligent with it?

The questioner : We were being negligent.

The Shaykh : So the contract is valid in our view.

The questioner : Yes, I thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and please allow me, I mean, if I bothered you a little, the phone was ringing and I...

The Shaykh : May Allah forgive you, may Allah forgive you. Do you want anything else?

The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.

The Shaykh: Peace be upon you.

The questioner: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.