What is the validity of declaring a person an open sinner for leaving the regular voluntary prayers, such as the witr?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you with the best reward. What is your opinion regarding one who declares a person an open sinner for leaving, for example, the regular voluntary prayers, and argues, for example, with some statements attributed to Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) that one who leaves the witr and the regular voluntary prayers is an open sinner whose testimony is not accepted? Is this correct or established from Imam Ahmad?
The Shaykh : What did you understand now? What is your question?
The questioner : Did you not hear, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, I heard, but I did not understand.
The questioner : I say: What is the ruling, meaning, what is the validity of this statement?
The Shaykh : Which statement?
The questioner : Declaring someone an open sinner.
The Shaykh : Declaring someone an open sinner? Because I understood you to say "interpretation."
The questioner : No, declaring someone an open sinner.
The Shaykh : Yes, we see that one who declares a person an open sinner for leaving the regular voluntary prayers is not on the right path, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked by a man when the five prayers were mentioned to him, and he said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 458Sahih (Darussalam) This indicates that a person is free from blame for leaving the regular voluntary prayers.
But those who said: "It is not permissible to accept his testimony," as Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said, they said: Because his leaving these easy regular voluntary prayers, while he is able to perform them, indicates his negligence of his religion. Yes, and they did not make that an act of open sinfulness. Yes, from the right side.
The Shaykh : What did you understand now? What is your question?
The questioner : Did you not hear, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : No, I heard, but I did not understand.
The questioner : I say: What is the ruling, meaning, what is the validity of this statement?
The Shaykh : Which statement?
The questioner : Declaring someone an open sinner.
The Shaykh : Declaring someone an open sinner? Because I understood you to say "interpretation."
The questioner : No, declaring someone an open sinner.
The Shaykh : Yes, we see that one who declares a person an open sinner for leaving the regular voluntary prayers is not on the right path, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked by a man when the five prayers were mentioned to him, and he said:
Do I have to do anything else?' He said: 'No, unless you do it voluntarily.'
هل علي غيرها ؟ قال : لا إلا أن تطوعBut those who said: "It is not permissible to accept his testimony," as Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said, they said: Because his leaving these easy regular voluntary prayers, while he is able to perform them, indicates his negligence of his religion. Yes, and they did not make that an act of open sinfulness. Yes, from the right side.