What is the ruling on a wife remaining with a husband who does not pray?

The questioner : A man is married, and he does not pray, while his wife prays. The duration of the marriage is three years. I mean, he is heedless of the remembrance of Allah. What should she do?

The Shaykh : Are you firm in your statement that he does not pray, or do you mean that he is heedless of the remembrance of Allah? Because, pay attention, may Allah reward you. Being heedless of the remembrance of Allah is a comprehensive, elastic term. Perhaps a person prays the obligatory prayers but does not remember Allah except a little, only in this prayer. This person is heedless of the remembrance of Allah, but he is not heedless of the prayer.

The questioner : He is also heedless of the prayer.

The Shaykh : If you are content with your statement that he is abandoning the prayer, because you have understood the importance of the prayer as mentioned earlier, then if the husband is abandoning the prayer and continuing in that state as you mentioned, the woman may request to separate from him through the judicial authority. He will first compel him, by virtue of his authority and guardianship over him, to maintain the prayer. If he continues to abandon it, he will separate him from her, despite his objection. Please, the last one.