Abu Malik spoke about the hadith: ( . . . . never did any good ). And does this hadith refute those who declare the one who abandons prayer a disbeliever?

Abu Malik: And I think, and Allah knows best, that this is the well-known position among the Hanbalis, and Allah knows best. But I want to add a comment on the question of our brother Abdullah.

The Shaykh : Abu 'Abd al-Rahman.
Abu Malik: Abu Abd al-Rahman, I say that first, the punishment that touches those sinners who were not saved from the Fire—there, of course, the punishment varies in its degrees.

The Shaykh : Of course.

The questioner: And we do not know how long the last one to come out of the Fire will remain in the punishment. So, I mean, first, this punishment that touched those people might remain or extend for a very long time that is unknown.

The Shaykh: Ages?

The questioner: Ages, because Allah (Mighty and Majestic) did not specify for us the time, nor did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) specify for us the times in which those coming out of the Fire vary. So, do not those who tasted the touch of the punishment of the Fire, seeking refuge in Allah, and who are the last of the believers to come out of the Fire—does not that punishment suffice for them? First, we ask Allah for well-being. And do we say that the eternalization of these people in the Fire is what we hope for them, or do we hope for those who say "There is no god but Allah" what we hope for the one who pronounces the testimony? The testimony, as our Shaykh said, is sufficient, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said or This is one point. As for the second issue, our Shaykh referred to this issue, but I say, even in a different form or with different wording, that the one who never did any good, meaning he did not do a righteous deed other than "There is no god but Allah," "There is no god but Allah" is the deed that benefited him and the statement he made, because the tongue moves with it, so it is a deed, and the heart believes it, so it is also a deed. But the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) intended that he never did any good, meaning from among the deeds that the other believers used to do.

Another questioner: Its implications

The questioner: Its implications, as our Shaykh said. So this is a very important issue, in fact. And we Muslims, of course, should not be negligent, because every Muslim is exposed, may Allah grant us well-being, if his affair turns bad in the beginning of his life, in the middle, or at the end, so that nothing remains for him except what he says or this word he says, which is "There is no god but Allah." So how can we be satisfied with the one who says "There is no god but Allah" to equate him with the one who says something else, or the one who denies its right, or the one who denies it entirely?

The questioner: "Never did any good" means we excluded the word of faith, which is the testimony. Is it not sufficient on its own to return the ruling of disbelief for the one who abandons prayer?

The Shaykh: It is sufficient by the indication of generality.

The questioner : How, our Shaykh?

The Shaykh: "Never did any good." Now, according to what Professor Abu Malik explained, "never did any good," we excluded it.

The questioner: We can also exclude it.

The Shaykh: As for the hadith of intercession, it is specific, a text on the subject.

The questioner: In general terms.

Another questioner: Perhaps there is an addition in Musnad Ahmad in the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud.

The Shaykh : Ah

Another questioner :

The Shaykh: And this is it.

Another questioner: With this text, it came.

The Shaykh : Ah
Al-Halabi: Shaykh, here, this phrase that our brother Abu Abd al-Rahman referred to, "they never did any good," is one of the many principles by which the people of the Sunnah argued for a general rule that answers the difficulty from its root: that the deeds of the limbs are not a condition for the validity of the foundation of faith, but they are a condition for its perfection.

The Shaykh: Perfection of faith, yes.
Al-Halabi: A condition for perfection in faith, and this is one of the proofs for that.

The Shaykh : Correct.

The questioner: This is the first point. Then, a second point, Shaykh, you graciously and generously indicated the distinction between those who do not distinguish between the one who has faith in prayer and, consequently, in tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and the one who has denial and rejection of uluhiyyah (oneness of worship). And I say, Shaykh, this point, and this is a juristic observation, I hope you will correct me in it.

The Shaykh : Please.
Al-Halabi: That these people are feared to have their statement of not distinguishing as a cause for making prayer more important than the word of tawhid, because the word of tawhid is the foundation under which prayer is accepted, and not the other way around.

The Shaykh : Perfect.
Al-Halabi : Only.

The Shaykh: Perfect, may Allah reward you.
Al-Halabi : May Allah bless you.

The Shaykh: Praise be to Allah who guided us to it, and we would not have been guided had Allah not guided us.