Ruling on Deliberately Abandoning Prayer
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Question:
In his second question, he asks His Eminence the Shaykh: Is one who deliberately abandons prayer, while testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, considered a disbeliever who will remain in the Fire forever?
Answer:
Yes, one who deliberately abandons prayer is considered a disbeliever; this is the correct view. However, some scholars said: he commits a major sin if he does not deny its obligation. But the apparent meaning of the texts is that he becomes a disbeliever by abandoning it, even if he testifies that there is no god but Allah, even if he praises Allah, even if he fasts. If he abandons prayer, he becomes a disbeliever out of negligence and laziness. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): narrated by Muslim in the Sahih. And his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) And his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih al-Bukhari 594 And Allah says: [Al-An'am: 88] So He treats them as He treats a disbeliever.
As for one who denies its obligation, saying: "Prayer is not obligatory"; this makes him a disbeliever according to everyone, according to all Muslims... according to all scholars, even if he prays. If he says: "It is not obligatory," he is a disbeliever according to everyone; because he is lying about Allah and His Messenger. We ask Allah for safety. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
In his second question, he asks His Eminence the Shaykh: Is one who deliberately abandons prayer, while testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, considered a disbeliever who will remain in the Fire forever?
Answer:
Yes, one who deliberately abandons prayer is considered a disbeliever; this is the correct view. However, some scholars said: he commits a major sin if he does not deny its obligation. But the apparent meaning of the texts is that he becomes a disbeliever by abandoning it, even if he testifies that there is no god but Allah, even if he praises Allah, even if he fasts. If he abandons prayer, he becomes a disbeliever out of negligence and laziness. This is 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 كفرWhoever leaves the `Asr prayer will have all his (good) deeds annulled.
من ترك صلاة العصر؛ حبط عملهBut if they had associated others with Allah, then worthless for them would be whatever they were doing.
وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَAs for one who denies its obligation, saying: "Prayer is not obligatory"; this makes him a disbeliever according to everyone, according to all Muslims... according to all scholars, even if he prays. If he says: "It is not obligatory," he is a disbeliever according to everyone; because he is lying about Allah and His Messenger. We ask Allah for safety. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.