A man who does not pray but performs good deeds: what is the ruling? And what is the ruling for a man who only prays in the month of Ramadan and leaves off prayer when Ramadan ends?
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The questioner : This question is similar to the previous one, and it may consist of two parts:
The first part: The questioner says, a man does not pray, but he performs good deeds. What is the ruling?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : And what is the ruling for a man who only prays in the month of Ramadan and leaves off prayer when Ramadan ends? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : As for the second part, we have already answered it.
As for the first part: the man who does not pray but is a person of good, who is kind to people, gives much charity, maintains his family ties, has good character, a pleasant face and openness, a broad chest and attention to the speaker, and gentle speech, one of the best people in companionship?
The answer is: all these deeds do not benefit him. His charity, fasting, Hajj, or excellence is not accepted from him, nor is his pleasant face. None of this benefits him with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Furqan 25:23] And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah 9:54]. The benefit of their expenditures is widespread, and yet it was not accepted from them because they disbelieved in Allah. Every disbeliever, no matter how much good he does, it will not benefit him with Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
Then it is obligatory, O brothers, it is obligatory that we know the difference between the apostate and the original disbeliever. The original disbeliever can be accepted on his religion, and we do not say anything to him.
But the apostate, we demand that he return to Islam. If he refuses, it is obligatory to kill him, and it is not permissible for him to remain on the face of the earth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 2535Sahih (Darussalam).
The original disbeliever may have rulings such as the permissibility of his slaughtered meat. Who is it among the disbelievers whose slaughtered meat is permissible?
The Jews and the Christians: their slaughtered meat is permissible. The one who leaves off prayer: his slaughtered meat is not permissible. If he slaughters and says: In the name of Allah, and lets the blood flow, his slaughtered meat is foul and not lawful. It must be pulled out for the dogs, because he is not a Muslim.
So, likewise, it is necessary for us to know that no apostate can have a valid marriage contract. In other words, if it is the wife who does not pray, and this may happen, the most common in reality is that leaving off prayer occurs from men, but sometimes it occurs from women. The wife who prays: it is not permissible to contract a marriage with her at all, because she is an apostate disbeliever. So it is not permissible for a Muslim to marry her. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Mumtahanah 60:10].
So the disbelieving woman is not lawful for the Muslim, and likewise the Muslim woman is not lawful for the disbeliever. Except for the women of the People of the Book, as you know, it is permissible for a Muslim to marry a Jewish or Christian woman.
The first part: The questioner says, a man does not pray, but he performs good deeds. What is the ruling?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : And what is the ruling for a man who only prays in the month of Ramadan and leaves off prayer when Ramadan ends? Please inform us. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : As for the second part, we have already answered it.
As for the first part: the man who does not pray but is a person of good, who is kind to people, gives much charity, maintains his family ties, has good character, a pleasant face and openness, a broad chest and attention to the speaker, and gentle speech, one of the best people in companionship?
The answer is: all these deeds do not benefit him. His charity, fasting, Hajj, or excellence is not accepted from him, nor is his pleasant face. None of this benefits him with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah the Exalted said:
And We will regard what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed.
وقدمنا إلى ما عملوا من عمل فجعلناه هباء منثوراAnd what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger
وما منعهم أن تقبل منهم نفقاتهم إلا أنهم كفروا بالله وبرسولهThen it is obligatory, O brothers, it is obligatory that we know the difference between the apostate and the original disbeliever. The original disbeliever can be accepted on his religion, and we do not say anything to him.
But the apostate, we demand that he return to Islam. If he refuses, it is obligatory to kill him, and it is not permissible for him to remain on the face of the earth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever changes his religion, execute him.
من بدل دينه فاقتلوهThe original disbeliever may have rulings such as the permissibility of his slaughtered meat. Who is it among the disbelievers whose slaughtered meat is permissible?
The Jews and the Christians: their slaughtered meat is permissible. The one who leaves off prayer: his slaughtered meat is not permissible. If he slaughters and says: In the name of Allah, and lets the blood flow, his slaughtered meat is foul and not lawful. It must be pulled out for the dogs, because he is not a Muslim.
So, likewise, it is necessary for us to know that no apostate can have a valid marriage contract. In other words, if it is the wife who does not pray, and this may happen, the most common in reality is that leaving off prayer occurs from men, but sometimes it occurs from women. The wife who prays: it is not permissible to contract a marriage with her at all, because she is an apostate disbeliever. So it is not permissible for a Muslim to marry her. Allah the Exalted said:
And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them
فإن علمتموهن مؤمنات فلا ترجعوهن إلى الكفار لا هن حل لهم ولا هم يحلون لهنSo the disbelieving woman is not lawful for the Muslim, and likewise the Muslim woman is not lawful for the disbeliever. Except for the women of the People of the Book, as you know, it is permissible for a Muslim to marry a Jewish or Christian woman.