The saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): ( . .

The Shaykh : However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) conditioned this with a condition, saying: In this hadith, there is evidence that abandoning prayer is disbelief. This is because it is not permissible to fight the rulers unless we see clear disbelief regarding which we have proof from Allah. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted us to fight them if they do not establish prayer, this indicates that abandoning prayer is clear disbelief regarding which we have proof from Allah. This is the correct position: that the one who abandons prayer absolutely, not praying with the congregation or in his house, is a disbeliever whose disbelief takes him out of the religion. It has not been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that the one who abandons prayer is in Paradise, or that he is a believer, or that he is saved from the Fire, or anything similar. Therefore, it is obligatory to keep the texts in their generality regarding the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer. No one has brought a proof indicating that he is not a disbeliever, except for arguments that do not benefit them, because they fall into five categories: either there is no evidence in them at all, or they are restricted by a description under which abandoning prayer is not possible, or they are restricted by a state in which the one who abandons prayer is excused, or they are general and have been specified by hadiths with explicit texts regarding the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer.