If one abandons prayer and fasting, does he make them up after repenting?
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Question:
What does our noble Shaykh say about one who does not pray or fast intentionally, and after Allah guided him and he turned back to Him, weeping over his extravagance with himself, he returned to praying and fasting and performing all acts of worship? Is he ordered to make up the prayer and fasting? Or is his turning back and repentance sufficient?
Answer:
One who abandons prayer and fasting, then repents to Allah with a sincere repentance, is not obligated to make up what he abandoned; because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that takes one out of the religion, even if the one who abandoned it did not deny its obligation, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :[Al-Anfal 8:38] the verse [Al-Anfal: 38].
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 710 The evidence in this matter is abundant; among it is the saying of the Exalted: [Ta-Ha:82], and His saying: [At-Tahrim 66:8] the verse [al-Tahrim:8].
Among it is His saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 4250Da’if (Darussalam), and it is prescribed for the repentant person to increase in righteous deeds after repentance, and to increase in asking Allah the Exalted for steadfastness upon the truth and a good ending. And success is from Allah.
What does our noble Shaykh say about one who does not pray or fast intentionally, and after Allah guided him and he turned back to Him, weeping over his extravagance with himself, he returned to praying and fasting and performing all acts of worship? Is he ordered to make up the prayer and fasting? Or is his turning back and repentance sufficient?
Answer:
One who abandons prayer and fasting, then repents to Allah with a sincere repentance, is not obligated to make up what he abandoned; because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah) that takes one out of the religion, even if the one who abandoned it did not deny its obligation, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: :
Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them
قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ يَنْتَهُوا يُغْفَرْ لَهُمْ مَا قَدْ سَلَفَAnd the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
(embracing) Islam wipes out all that has gone before it (previous misdeeds)
الإسلام يهدم ما كان قبله، والتوبة تجب ما كان قبلهاBut indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.
وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىO you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُAmong it is His saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
The one who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.
التائب من الذنب كمن لا ذنب له
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.