Is it permissible to eat and drink with a brother who does not pray?
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The questioner : I have a brother who does not pray. Is it permissible for me to eat and drink with him?
The Shaykh : Is he older than you or younger?
The questioner : He is older than me.
The Shaykh : And has he reached the age of accountability?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, so if you do not eat with him and do not drink with him, where do you eat and drink?
The questioner : From the food that he eats.
The Shaykh : If we assume and tell you not to eat with him and not to drink with him, where do you eat and drink as long as he is older than you?
The questioner : I eat alone.
The Shaykh : Meaning, by yourself, where? Outside the house, inside the house?
The questioner : Inside the house.
The Shaykh : You have a father, you have a mother.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, they pray, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, do you not eat with them?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, and this brother of yours who does not pray, does he not eat with them?
The questioner : Yes, he eats with us.
The Shaykh : So, if you leave your brother, that means you have left your father and your mother. In this situation, it is not permissible for you to say, "I am leaving my brother," because if you leave your brother, you leave your father and your mother. But you, if you have some knowledge and some advice, and you are good at directing it to your brother, especially since he is older than you, then do so in the best manner, not with harshness and severity. Please.
The Shaykh : Is he older than you or younger?
The questioner : He is older than me.
The Shaykh : And has he reached the age of accountability?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, so if you do not eat with him and do not drink with him, where do you eat and drink?
The questioner : From the food that he eats.
The Shaykh : If we assume and tell you not to eat with him and not to drink with him, where do you eat and drink as long as he is older than you?
The questioner : I eat alone.
The Shaykh : Meaning, by yourself, where? Outside the house, inside the house?
The questioner : Inside the house.
The Shaykh : You have a father, you have a mother.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, they pray, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, do you not eat with them?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, and this brother of yours who does not pray, does he not eat with them?
The questioner : Yes, he eats with us.
The Shaykh : So, if you leave your brother, that means you have left your father and your mother. In this situation, it is not permissible for you to say, "I am leaving my brother," because if you leave your brother, you leave your father and your mother. But you, if you have some knowledge and some advice, and you are good at directing it to your brother, especially since he is older than you, then do so in the best manner, not with harshness and severity. Please.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.