Is it permissible for a woman to remain with a husband who does not pray?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
A message from one of the listening brothers, containing two questions. In his first question, he says: My sister’s husband does not pray at all, not even on Fridays. I do not think he denies the obligation of prayer; rather, he claims that he is an uneducated person who cannot read or write. Is there any issue with my sister remaining with him? And when I hear about the punishment for one who abandons prayer, my heart feels compassion for him and softens. I also sometimes embrace him, as on festivals and other occasions. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Abandoning prayer is disbelief, by the explicit text of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The correct opinion among the scholars is that it is major shirk, which takes one out of the religion, even if he does not deny its obligation. However, if he denies its obligation, it is disbelief according to all scholars.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: He also said (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) It is not permissible for your sister to remain with him; rather, it is obligatory to separate them unless he repents.
It is obligatory for you to boycott him, not embrace him, and not keep his company until he repents to Allah . Boycoting one like him is among the most important matters. At the very least, it is a confirmed sunnah, and the opinion that it is obligatory is a strong one. The opinion that it is obligatory to boycott one who displays sin and disbelief is a strong opinion.
So, my brother, you must advise him for the sake of Allah, warn him of Allah, and strive for his repentance, so that perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts. If he persists in falsehood and refuses to accept from you, then boycott him. This is what is prescribed.
And if you see fit to continue advising him from time to time, that is better, in the context of advising for the sake of Allah and His servants, without making him a companion, a friend, or a relative. No, but from time to time, visit him and advise him, saying: Fear Allah... Watch out for Allah, O servant of Allah! Prayer is the pillar of Islam; whoever abandons it is a disbeliever. Perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts.
And if it is possible for you to tell his brothers, or his father, or his friends to advise him as well, so that they help you, this is a required matter. Muslims are brothers who advise one another. This is a person who has engaged in what takes him out of Islam. It is obligatory to advise him, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and take his hand toward the truth, so that perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts.
And Allah said in His great Book: [Al-Ma'idah: 2] And He, the Exalted, said in His great Book: [Al-Asr: 1-3] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: It was asked: For whom, O Messenger of Allah? He said: Sahih Muslim 55a.
We ask Allah for guidance for everyone. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. His argument is that he cannot read or write. What is your guidance regarding this?
The Shaykh: This is not an argument. He must pray, even if he is uneducated. It is not a condition of prayer that one must read and write. He must pray, learn, and understand his religion, and not abandon prayer. He must pray, and he must pay zakah, and he must fast Ramadan, and he must perform Hajj to the House if he is able, even if he is not knowledgeable, even if he is uneducated. But he is required to understand his religion and ask about what is difficult for him, because he was created to worship Allah. It is obligatory for him to learn this worship and gain insight into it. Allah, the Exalted, says: [Adh-Dhariyat: 56] And He, the Exalted, says: [Al-Baqarah: 21].
This worship, for which we were created and commanded, must be understood, known, and asked about from the scholars, so that we are upon clear insight in it, and so that we perform it with knowledge. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1037a So, the one who turns away and does not understand this is a sign that Allah did not intend good for him. We ask Allah for safety. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. You mentioned that asking is one of the means of learning. Would you please mention other means?
The Shaykh: Yes. Asking the scholars is one of the means of understanding the religion. Reflecting on the Noble Qur'an is one of those means, and it is the greatest book, the most noble book, and the most beneficial book. Reflecting on it and reading it frequently is among the greatest causes of understanding the religion and gaining insight. Likewise, attending circles of knowledge... listening to Friday sermons with attention and presence of heart... and listening to advice from those who advise; all of this is among the causes of acquiring knowledge.
So, it is obligatory for the uneducated person to strive to attend circles of knowledge, to listen to Friday sermons, and to ask the scholars about what is difficult for him. If he reads the Qur'an, he should strive to reflect on it and benefit from it. If he does not read, he should strive to listen to tapes containing the interpretation of the Noble Qur'an, and to listen to the Qur'an from the Qur'an radio. All of this benefits him greatly and is very useful for him. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
A message from one of the listening brothers, containing two questions. In his first question, he says: My sister’s husband does not pray at all, not even on Fridays. I do not think he denies the obligation of prayer; rather, he claims that he is an uneducated person who cannot read or write. Is there any issue with my sister remaining with him? And when I hear about the punishment for one who abandons prayer, my heart feels compassion for him and softens. I also sometimes embrace him, as on festivals and other occasions. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Abandoning prayer is disbelief, by the explicit text of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The correct opinion among the scholars is that it is major shirk, which takes one out of the religion, even if he does not deny its obligation. However, if he denies its obligation, it is disbelief according to all scholars.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:
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 كفرIt is obligatory for you to boycott him, not embrace him, and not keep his company until he repents to Allah . Boycoting one like him is among the most important matters. At the very least, it is a confirmed sunnah, and the opinion that it is obligatory is a strong one. The opinion that it is obligatory to boycott one who displays sin and disbelief is a strong opinion.
So, my brother, you must advise him for the sake of Allah, warn him of Allah, and strive for his repentance, so that perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts. If he persists in falsehood and refuses to accept from you, then boycott him. This is what is prescribed.
And if you see fit to continue advising him from time to time, that is better, in the context of advising for the sake of Allah and His servants, without making him a companion, a friend, or a relative. No, but from time to time, visit him and advise him, saying: Fear Allah... Watch out for Allah, O servant of Allah! Prayer is the pillar of Islam; whoever abandons it is a disbeliever. Perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts.
And if it is possible for you to tell his brothers, or his father, or his friends to advise him as well, so that they help you, this is a required matter. Muslims are brothers who advise one another. This is a person who has engaged in what takes him out of Islam. It is obligatory to advise him, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and take his hand toward the truth, so that perhaps Allah will guide him through your efforts.
And Allah said in His great Book:
cooperate in righteousness and piety
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى(1) By time, (2) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (3) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِThe religion is sincere advice
الدين النصيحةTo Allah, to His Book, To His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their masses.
لله ولكتابه ولرسوله ولأئمة المسلمين وعامتهمWe ask Allah for guidance for everyone. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. His argument is that he cannot read or write. What is your guidance regarding this?
The Shaykh: This is not an argument. He must pray, even if he is uneducated. It is not a condition of prayer that one must read and write. He must pray, learn, and understand his religion, and not abandon prayer. He must pray, and he must pay zakah, and he must fast Ramadan, and he must perform Hajj to the House if he is able, even if he is not knowledgeable, even if he is uneducated. But he is required to understand his religion and ask about what is difficult for him, because he was created to worship Allah. It is obligatory for him to learn this worship and gain insight into it. Allah, the Exalted, says:
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِO mankind, worship your Lord
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمُThis worship, for which we were created and commanded, must be understood, known, and asked about from the scholars, so that we are upon clear insight in it, and so that we perform it with knowledge. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He upon whom Allah intends to bestow goodness, He confers upon him an insight in religion
من يرد الله به خيرًا؛ يفقهه في الدينThe presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. You mentioned that asking is one of the means of learning. Would you please mention other means?
The Shaykh: Yes. Asking the scholars is one of the means of understanding the religion. Reflecting on the Noble Qur'an is one of those means, and it is the greatest book, the most noble book, and the most beneficial book. Reflecting on it and reading it frequently is among the greatest causes of understanding the religion and gaining insight. Likewise, attending circles of knowledge... listening to Friday sermons with attention and presence of heart... and listening to advice from those who advise; all of this is among the causes of acquiring knowledge.
So, it is obligatory for the uneducated person to strive to attend circles of knowledge, to listen to Friday sermons, and to ask the scholars about what is difficult for him. If he reads the Qur'an, he should strive to reflect on it and benefit from it. If he does not read, he should strive to listen to tapes containing the interpretation of the Noble Qur'an, and to listen to the Qur'an from the Qur'an radio. All of this benefits him greatly and is very useful for him. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.