The Stronger of the Scholars' Views on the One Who Abandons Prayer
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Question:
The first message in this episode is from a listener, Muhammad Hamed Yusuf. Our brother says—and his question is somewhat long—he says: Please inform me about my question regarding the one who abandons prayer. We have heard that the one who abandons prayer does not inherit from his father's wealth, because the hadith we heard states that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Ibn Majah 1078Sahih (Darussalam) And we have heard that the one who abandons prayer is called a disobedient Muslim. So I hope you will inform me about these questions: Is the one who abandons prayer a disobedient Muslim? And does he inherit from his father's wealth or not? May Allah reward you with the best reward.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon whoever follows his guidance. As for what follows:
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have disagreed on the ruling for the one who abandons prayer, provided he does not deny its obligation. A group of them held that he does not become a disbeliever on account of this, because he is a monotheist who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and they relied on the general hadiths on this matter. Another group of scholars held that he becomes a disbeliever with major shirk (associating partners with Allah), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): which Muslim narrated in his Sahih, and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) which Imam Ahmad and the people of the Sunan narrated with a sound chain. And when he (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the rulers who do what is not approved of in their actions, the questioner said: Do we fight them? He said: Sahih Muslim 1855a And in the other wording: Sahih al-Bukhari 7055, 7056 This indicates that abandoning prayer is open disbelief.
As for if he denies its obligation and says: It is not obligatory; then he becomes a disbeliever according to everyone, a disbeliever by the consensus of the Muslims.
By this, the questioner knows that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever, absolutely, according to the correct view, even if he does not deny the obligation. But when he denies the obligation, he becomes a disbeliever according to everyone. As for if he does not deny the obligation, but he abandons prayer, then the correct of the two views of the scholars is that he becomes a disbeliever on account of this, due to the hadiths that came regarding this. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good. He asks about inheritance in that case, Your Eminence?
The Shaykh : And when he becomes a disbeliever, he does not inherit from his father, nor from any other Muslim. He does not inherit from anyone, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 2909Sahih (Al-Albani) His wealth becomes for the public treasury. When he dies, his wealth is for the public treasury. The Muslims do not inherit from him, and he does not inherit from the Muslims.
The presenter : Allah is the One to be sought for help. May Allah reward you with good. What if he prays some of the obligatory prayers and abandons some?
The Shaykh : His ruling is the ruling of the one who abandons it, until he prays them all. Yes.
The presenter : Allah is the One to be sought for help. May Allah reward you with good, and may He reward you.
The first message in this episode is from a listener, Muhammad Hamed Yusuf. Our brother says—and his question is somewhat long—he says: Please inform me about my question regarding the one who abandons prayer. We have heard that the one who abandons prayer does not inherit from his father's wealth, because the hadith we heard states that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Between a person and Kufr (disbelief) is abandoning the prayer.
بين العبد، وبين الكفر ترك الصلاةAnswer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon whoever follows his guidance. As for what follows:
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have disagreed on the ruling for the one who abandons prayer, provided he does not deny its obligation. A group of them held that he does not become a disbeliever on account of this, because he is a monotheist who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and they relied on the general hadiths on this matter. Another group of scholars held that he becomes a disbeliever with major shirk (associating partners with Allah), based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Between a man and disbelief and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the abandonment of prayer.
بين الرجل، وبين الكفر والشرك ترك الصلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة، فمن تركها؛ فقد كفرNo, as long as they establish prayer among you.
لا، ما أقاموا فيكم الصلاةunless we noticed him having open Kufr (disbelief) for which we would have a proof with us from Allah
حتى تروا كفرًا بواحًا، عندكم من الله فيه برهانAs for if he denies its obligation and says: It is not obligatory; then he becomes a disbeliever according to everyone, a disbeliever by the consensus of the Muslims.
By this, the questioner knows that the one who abandons prayer is a disbeliever, absolutely, according to the correct view, even if he does not deny the obligation. But when he denies the obligation, he becomes a disbeliever according to everyone. As for if he does not deny the obligation, but he abandons prayer, then the correct of the two views of the scholars is that he becomes a disbeliever on account of this, due to the hadiths that came regarding this. Yes.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good. He asks about inheritance in that case, Your Eminence?
The Shaykh : And when he becomes a disbeliever, he does not inherit from his father, nor from any other Muslim. He does not inherit from anyone, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
A Muslim may not inherit from an infidel nor an infidel from a Muslim.
لا يرث المسلم الكافر، ولا الكافر المسلمThe presenter : Allah is the One to be sought for help. May Allah reward you with good. What if he prays some of the obligatory prayers and abandons some?
The Shaykh : His ruling is the ruling of the one who abandons it, until he prays them all. Yes.
The presenter : Allah is the One to be sought for help. May Allah reward you with good, and may He reward you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.