What is the ruling on abandoning prayer out of laziness?

This is also a letter inquiring about negligence in prayer, sent by the listener Muhammad ibn Hizam ibn Musa al-Shahri from Najran. He says: What is the ruling on one who abandons prayer out of laziness until its time passes? Does he commit a sin in doing so, and do the characteristics of the hypocrites apply to him? Please give us a ruling, and may you be rewarded.
Answer: Delaying the prayer is a great crime and a great evil. A group of scholars have held that one who intentionally abandons prayer until its time passes commits major shirk (associating partners with Allah) and apostasy from Islam—may Allah protect us—and they cite as evidence for this what is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: narrated by Muslim in the Sahih. The apparent meaning of this is that he becomes a disbeliever if he delays it until its time passes. He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: and he said: So delaying it is a great crime and a great evil. Thus, the one who, for example, delays the Fajr prayer until he prays it as the Duha prayer, this is a great evil. He must pray it before the sun rises, and he must pay attention to this. And while he has committed a crime that resembles the hypocrites, and a group of scholars have declared him a disbeliever for this.
It is obligatory for the Muslim to take care of the prayer and perform it in its time with the Muslims in congregation in the mosques, and he must never delay it, neither with the Muslims nor at home. Rather, he must hasten to perform it in its time with the Muslims in the mosques of Allah. The woman is likewise; she must hasten to pray in its time in her home, and it is not permissible for her to delay it. Some students delay the prayer until they get up after the sun has risen to go to school, and then they pray. This is not permissible; this is a great abomination. Likewise, some teachers delay the Fajr prayer until the sun rises, and then they get up to teach and to pray. This is a great abomination. The prayer must be performed in its time before the sun rises. If sleep overcomes her, she must take what helps her to stay awake, such as an alarm clock set for the time of prayer, or she should seek the help of the household to wake her up so that she prays at its time. Likewise, 'Isha' must not be delayed until after the middle of the night; the time for 'Isha' ends at the middle of the night, which is its optional time. And Maghrib must not be delayed until the twilight disappears; it is to be prayed before the twilight. The twilight is the redness in the west. One must pray Maghrib before that, before the twilight disappears. Likewise, at Dhuhr, one must not delay until the shadow of every object becomes equal to its length, which is after the shadow of the midday sun; rather, it is to be prayed at the beginning of the time after the sun passes its zenith. And 'Asr must not be delayed until the sun turns yellow; rather, it is to be performed in its time. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform it in its time. When he was asked about that, , and Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Nisa: 103], meaning it is obligatory in the times. So Allah informs that it is obligatory in the times. Therefore, it is not permissible for the people of Islam to delay it from its times; rather, it must be performed in its time. It is narrated from 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) what indicates strictness in this matter, and it is as he said (may Allah be pleased with him) and what pleased him. It is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As that he said (peace and blessings be upon him): —We ask Allah for safety—these are the great disbelievers and their leaders—we seek refuge in Allah.
Some scholars said: He who neglects the prayer will be gathered with these people on the Day of Resurrection. Because if he neglects it for the sake of leadership, he will be gathered with Pharaoh. If he neglects it for the sake of ministerial position or the like, he will be gathered with Haman, the minister of Pharaoh. If he neglects it for the sake of desires, blessings, and wealth, he will be gathered with Qarun, to whom Allah gave wealth, so he became arrogant and proud and disobeyed the Prophet of Allah, Musa (peace be upon him), so Allah caused the earth to swallow him and his home—may Allah protect us—as an immediate punishment along with the Fire. And if he abandons the prayer and neglects it because of trade, buying, and selling, he will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection with Abu ibn Khalf, the merchant of the people of Makkah.
It is obligatory for the people of Islam to be extremely cautious of being lax in prayer. It is obligatory that it be performed in its times. The woman performs it in its time, and the man performs it in congregation in the mosques. It is not permissible to imitate the hypocrites in being lax in prayer. I have learned that some scholars say: He who abandons it out of negligence until the time passes becomes a disbeliever for that. And this opinion is a correct opinion. Abandoning the prayer out of negligence and laxity is major shirk (associating partners with Allah)—may Allah protect us. The Sunnah supports this. The Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) supports this opinion, as there are authentic hadiths in this chapter as mentioned earlier. So the Muslim must be cautious of this serious matter, and he must preserve the prayer in its time, and he must seek help for that with everything he can, such as a clock and the like, so that he performs the prayer in its time with his Muslim brothers. And so the woman performs her prayer in its time in her home before the time passes. It is the pillar of Islam and it is the most important of the obligatory acts after the two testimonies. We ask Allah for guidance and success for everyone. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.