What is the ruling on one who fasts Ramadan while not praying? And is fasting the first day of the month of Muharram a recommended practice?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on one who fasts the month of Ramadan while not praying? Also, I have heard from people that fasting the first day of the month of Muharram is a recommended practice. Is this correct?
AThe Shaykh : The fasting of Ramadan for one who does not pray is rejected from him. This is because the one who does not pray is a disbeliever, an apostate, and outside of Islam. And one of the conditions for the validity of worship is that the doer be a Muslim. So whatever the one who abandons prayer does of fasting, charity, or other acts of worship, it is invalid and rejected from him.
But if Allah grants him Islam and he returns and prays, then Allah will reward him for whatever good he did during his state of disbelief. This is because Allah made the condition for the nullification of deeds by apostasy that a person dies upon it. So the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:217] And by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 123a.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
AThe Shaykh : The fasting of Ramadan for one who does not pray is rejected from him. This is because the one who does not pray is a disbeliever, an apostate, and outside of Islam. And one of the conditions for the validity of worship is that the doer be a Muslim. So whatever the one who abandons prayer does of fasting, charity, or other acts of worship, it is invalid and rejected from him.
But if Allah grants him Islam and he returns and prays, then Allah will reward him for whatever good he did during his state of disbelief. This is because Allah made the condition for the nullification of deeds by apostasy that a person dies upon it. So the Exalted said:
And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter
وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُوْلَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِYou accepted Islam with all the previous virtues that you practised.
أسلمت على ما أسلفت من خيرThe questioner : May Allah bless you.