What is the evidence that one who leaves a pillar of Islam, other than the two testimonies and prayer, out of negligence or laziness does not become a disbeliever?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is the evidence that one who leaves the pillars of Islam, other than the two testimonies and prayer, out of negligence or laziness does not become a disbeliever, such as leaving zakah, fasting, and Hajj? We ask you to mention the evidence, and to respond to the evidence of the opponents if there is any opposition, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The pillars of Islam are five, as is well known: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, which is one; establishing the prayer; giving zakah; fasting Ramadan; and Hajj to the House. Whoever leaves the first pillar is a disbeliever by consensus, meaning: whoever denies the testimony that there is no god but Allah or denies that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah is a disbeliever, and there is no disagreement among Muslims regarding this.
And whoever denies anything other than this, if he denies its obligation, meaning he says it is not obligatory, and he has lived among Muslims and knows it, then he is also a disbeliever. And whoever affirms its obligation but leaves it out of negligence, this is a point of disagreement among scholars.
Some of them said: If a person leaves any of the four pillars, he becomes a disbeliever, if he leaves them out of negligence. This is a narration from Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him).
And some of them said: He does not become a disbeliever by leaving any one of them, meaning: any of the four, even prayer.
And some of them said: If he leaves prayer out of negligence, he becomes a disbeliever, but as for the others, he does not become a disbeliever. This opinion is the middle position, and it is the one supported by the evidence.
The evidence for this is that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) paired zakah with prayer in many places in the Qur'an, and it is the third pillar of the pillars of Islam, and it is the most emphasized of the pillars of Islam after the two testimonies and prayer. And the evidence has indicated that one who leaves it does not become a disbeliever, as in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:Sahih Muslim 987a , and this indicates that one who leaves zakah, being stingy with it, does not become a disbeliever. What is the aspect of the indication?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : And what is it?
The questioner :Sunan Abi Dawud 1658Sahih (Al-Albani).
The Shaykh :Sunan Abi Dawud 1658Sahih (Al-Albani), and if he were to become a disbeliever, he would have no way to Paradise. So if he does not become a disbeliever by leaving zakah, then what is less than it is even more so.
And Abdullah ibn Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him), who is one of the famous Tabi'un, said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not consider any of the deeds to be disbelief if left, except prayer".
The questioner : What about Hajj, O Shaykh?[Ali 'Imran 3:97].
The Shaykh : Yes, it is disbelief in the sense of leaving Hajj, and the term "disbelief" is sometimes used for other than major shirk, such as his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 67.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is the evidence that one who leaves the pillars of Islam, other than the two testimonies and prayer, out of negligence or laziness does not become a disbeliever, such as leaving zakah, fasting, and Hajj? We ask you to mention the evidence, and to respond to the evidence of the opponents if there is any opposition, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The pillars of Islam are five, as is well known: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, which is one; establishing the prayer; giving zakah; fasting Ramadan; and Hajj to the House. Whoever leaves the first pillar is a disbeliever by consensus, meaning: whoever denies the testimony that there is no god but Allah or denies that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah is a disbeliever, and there is no disagreement among Muslims regarding this.
And whoever denies anything other than this, if he denies its obligation, meaning he says it is not obligatory, and he has lived among Muslims and knows it, then he is also a disbeliever. And whoever affirms its obligation but leaves it out of negligence, this is a point of disagreement among scholars.
Some of them said: If a person leaves any of the four pillars, he becomes a disbeliever, if he leaves them out of negligence. This is a narration from Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him).
And some of them said: He does not become a disbeliever by leaving any one of them, meaning: any of the four, even prayer.
And some of them said: If he leaves prayer out of negligence, he becomes a disbeliever, but as for the others, he does not become a disbeliever. This opinion is the middle position, and it is the one supported by the evidence.
The evidence for this is that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) paired zakah with prayer in many places in the Qur'an, and it is the third pillar of the pillars of Islam, and it is the most emphasized of the pillars of Islam after the two testimonies and prayer. And the evidence has indicated that one who leaves it does not become a disbeliever, as in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
If any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on him, when the Day of Resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him; these would then be heated in the fire of Hell and his sides, his forehead and his back would be cauterized with them. Whenever these cool down, (the process is) repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among servants, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell.
ما من صاحب ذهب ولا فضة لا يؤدي منها حقها إلا إذا كان يوم القيامة صفِّحت له صفائح من نار، وأحمي عليها في نار جهنم فيكوى بها جنبه وجبينه وظهره، كلما بردت أعيدت في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف سنة حتى يقضى بين العباد، ثم يرى سبيله إما إلى الجنة وإما إلى النارThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : And what is it?
The questioner :
to Paradise or to Hell
إما إلى الجنة وإما إلى النارThe Shaykh :
he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell
يرى سبيله إما إلى الجنة وإما إلى النارAnd Abdullah ibn Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him), who is one of the famous Tabi'un, said: "The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not consider any of the deeds to be disbelief if left, except prayer".
The questioner : What about Hajj, O Shaykh?
But whoever disbelieves - then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.
فمن كفر فإن الله غني عن العالمينThe Shaykh : Yes, it is disbelief in the sense of leaving Hajj, and the term "disbelief" is sometimes used for other than major shirk, such as his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):