What is the ruling on the one who abandons prayer?
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The questioner : Many people ask about this, which is abandoning prayer intentionally or out of negligence. Does he become a disbeliever or not?
The Shaykh : The stronger of the opinions of the scholars is that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever, even if it is out of laziness or negligence. We have a treatise in which we clarified the evidence from the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the statements of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). As for the one who denies its obligation, and he has lived among the Muslims, he is a disbeliever, even if he prays. The fact that some scholars, may Allah forgive them, interpret the hadiths regarding abandoning prayer as applying only to the one who denies its obligation is an error, because they nullified the description for which the Shari'ah established disbelief and affirmed another description that the hadith does not indicate. This is, in reality, an error in the application of the texts in this manner. We say that if these people deny the prayer, what is it? It is disbelief, whether he abandons it or not. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abandoning [it]..." So the stronger opinion is that he is a disbeliever with a disbelief that takes him out of the religion, and it is not permissible to marry him until he returns to his religion. And if he abandons prayer after marriage, his marriage is annulled and he is separated from his wife. And if he dies while abandoning prayer, he is not washed, not shrouded, no prayer is performed over him, he is not asked for mercy, and he is not buried with the Muslims. He will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with Pharaoh, Haman, Qarun, and Abu Jahl. This is what we see in this serious and great issue. And the statement of the one who said that Imam Ahmad was unique in this opinion—Glory be to Allah—that the one who says this, while it is narrated from a dozen or so Companions? Indeed, some scholars, such as Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, reported the consensus of the Companions on the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer. Yes.
The Shaykh : The stronger of the opinions of the scholars is that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever, even if it is out of laziness or negligence. We have a treatise in which we clarified the evidence from the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the statements of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). As for the one who denies its obligation, and he has lived among the Muslims, he is a disbeliever, even if he prays. The fact that some scholars, may Allah forgive them, interpret the hadiths regarding abandoning prayer as applying only to the one who denies its obligation is an error, because they nullified the description for which the Shari'ah established disbelief and affirmed another description that the hadith does not indicate. This is, in reality, an error in the application of the texts in this manner. We say that if these people deny the prayer, what is it? It is disbelief, whether he abandons it or not. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abandoning [it]..." So the stronger opinion is that he is a disbeliever with a disbelief that takes him out of the religion, and it is not permissible to marry him until he returns to his religion. And if he abandons prayer after marriage, his marriage is annulled and he is separated from his wife. And if he dies while abandoning prayer, he is not washed, not shrouded, no prayer is performed over him, he is not asked for mercy, and he is not buried with the Muslims. He will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with Pharaoh, Haman, Qarun, and Abu Jahl. This is what we see in this serious and great issue. And the statement of the one who said that Imam Ahmad was unique in this opinion—Glory be to Allah—that the one who says this, while it is narrated from a dozen or so Companions? Indeed, some scholars, such as Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, reported the consensus of the Companions on the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer. Yes.