Is leaving an obligatory act more severe than committing a prohibited act?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. Leaving an obligatory act, O Shaykh, is it more severe than doing a prohibited act?
The Shaykh : No, it is not different in that regard. From the perspective of the structure of worship, there is no doubt that leaving an obligatory act disrupts the structure and the essence of the worship, unlike committing a prohibited act. However, committing a prohibited act may be more severe. For example, if a person has sexual intercourse during Hajj before the first tahallul, he incurs sin, the invalidity of his ritual, the obligation of a fidyah (ransom payment), and the obligation to make up the missed acts and continue with the rest. But if he leaves an obligatory act, we say, "You must offer a sacrificial animal, and that is all."
The Shaykh : No, it is not different in that regard. From the perspective of the structure of worship, there is no doubt that leaving an obligatory act disrupts the structure and the essence of the worship, unlike committing a prohibited act. However, committing a prohibited act may be more severe. For example, if a person has sexual intercourse during Hajj before the first tahallul, he incurs sin, the invalidity of his ritual, the obligation of a fidyah (ransom payment), and the obligation to make up the missed acts and continue with the rest. But if he leaves an obligatory act, we say, "You must offer a sacrificial animal, and that is all."