I have a brother who prays only a little, and he is undutiful to his parents, and he also smokes, and he is foul-mouthed, in addition to other deeds he commits, so what
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The questioner : I have a brother who prays only a little, and he is undutiful to his parents, and he also smokes, and he is foul-mouthed, in addition to other deeds he commits, so what is the ruling regarding this person? Are we permitted to sit with him in the gathering where he is present, and do we eat with him from the same dish, or does he take the ruling of one who abandons prayer?
The Shaykh : He does not take the ruling of one who abandons prayer, because there is a difference between him and one who abandons prayer. One who abandons prayer is a disbeliever and an apostate, not one of the Muslims, whereas this man is a Muslim, but his faith is deficient.
So I advise you to look at the public benefit: if your sharing food and drink and sitting with him leads to the softening of his heart and his inclination toward you, then do so. And although this may not happen the first or second time, but since we know that this man has a type of inclination and uprightness, let us sit with him, talk to him, and be open with him.
However, if you know that the man is stubborn and arrogant, and that boycotting him in these circumstances leads to the lightening of his arrogance and his return to the truth, then do so, meaning, avoid him in eating, drinking, sitting, and talking.
The Shaykh : He does not take the ruling of one who abandons prayer, because there is a difference between him and one who abandons prayer. One who abandons prayer is a disbeliever and an apostate, not one of the Muslims, whereas this man is a Muslim, but his faith is deficient.
So I advise you to look at the public benefit: if your sharing food and drink and sitting with him leads to the softening of his heart and his inclination toward you, then do so. And although this may not happen the first or second time, but since we know that this man has a type of inclination and uprightness, let us sit with him, talk to him, and be open with him.
However, if you know that the man is stubborn and arrogant, and that boycotting him in these circumstances leads to the lightening of his arrogance and his return to the truth, then do so, meaning, avoid him in eating, drinking, sitting, and talking.