What is the meaning of the hadith: “Between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer”?

Eid Abbasi: In another question related to the topic regarding the interpretation of the hadith: as well?

The Shaykh: Yes, this is a long discussion, but its summary is as follows.

The questioner: The hadith...

The Shaykh : Between.

Eid Abbasi : .

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : .
Disbelief is of two types: doctrinal disbelief and practical disbelief. If a Muslim; a Muslim whom we know to be a Muslim, who testifies that there is no god but Allah, and who may pray once, even if only in Ramadan, but does not pray on most days; if his abandonment of prayer is due to belief; meaning he abandons it believing that it is not obligatory and not a duty; then his disbelief is doctrinal disbelief; because a belief has settled in his heart that is not the belief of Muslims, but rather the belief of disbelievers who will regret on the Day of Resurrection and say: . But if his abandonment of prayer is due to laziness, while he believes in its obligation and duty and ... that from Allah - Mighty and Majestic - then his disbelief is practical disbelief, not doctrinal disbelief. The meaning of practical disbelief is that he performs the actions of disbelievers. Disbelievers do not pray, so any Muslim who does not pray has undoubtedly performed the actions of disbelievers. If this action is accompanied by their belief, then he is one hundred percent one of them, and his disbelief at that time is both doctrinal and practical disbelief. But if he differs from them in belief, for they do not believe in prayer or its legitimacy, whereas he believes in it and its legitimacy, but he leaves it off following his desires and being deluded by his pursuit of this worldly life and the like; then his disbelief is practical disbelief; meaning: he performs the actions of disbelievers.
So as long as his belief is contrary to the belief of disbelievers, it is clear and obvious injustice to declare him a disbeliever because he differs from disbelievers. Disbelievers do not believe in the legitimacy of prayer and do not worship Allah with it, whereas this person is a believer and a verifier. And in many cases, even between him and his Lord, he says: “My Lord, guide me, My Lord, forgive me.” So it is not permissible to say that the one who abandons prayer out of laziness is a disbeliever with doctrinal disbelief; because this contradicts what is in his heart, it contradicts his belief. He believes that prayer is prescribed, and a disbeliever does not believe that, so they differ in this respect; that is, in the respect of belief. A disbeliever denies and disbelieves in the legitimacy of prayer, while a Muslim believes in it, verifies it, and submits to it in submission. But this Muslim open sinner, when he abandons prayer, meets the disbeliever in the practical aspect; therefore , he has undoubtedly disbelieved, but this disbelief is sometimes interpreted as doctrinal disbelief; and that is when he shares with disbelievers in denying the legitimacy of prayer, as is the case with some of the deviant youth of today. And sometimes this disbelief is interpreted as practical disbelief, not doctrinal disbelief, and this is specific to those who share with all Muslims in believing and verifying the legitimacy of these prayers, but he differs from them in that he does not pray with them, either permanently - may Allah forbid - or at times. So if this person denies the legitimacy of prayer, his disbelief becomes doctrinal and practical disbelief, and at that time the hadith applies to him in its apparent sense
This is our answer in brief, and this discussion is something we have repeated often with some detail. I hope it is preserved so that a person does not fall into the trap of interpreting some hadiths in the manner of the Khawarij, both in the past and present. And this is a calamity that we have fallen into today in some Islamic lands. , this phrase must also be interpreted in the previous manner, otherwise the hadith will contradict the verse: . The point is that each of the two fighting groups, one of them is the aggressor, and our Lord - Mighty and Majestic - described both of them as believers. How are they believers when the hadith says: ? The previous detail applies: if he considers killing him permissible, then he is associated with disbelievers in belief and action. And if he admits that he is wrong in his fighting but is following his desire, then his disbelief is practical disbelief, not doctrinal disbelief.
And peace be upon you.