The Ruling on Fasting Ramadan While Abandoning Prayer

It is observed, with regret, Your Eminence the Shaykh, that some Muslims fast but they do not pray. What do you say?
Answer: This is a great issue in which the scholars have differed regarding the one who abandons prayer out of laziness and heaviness, not out of denying its obligation. A group said: He does not become a disbeliever by it, but he has committed a great evil, greater than zina, greater than riba, and greater than all other sins. They said: But he does not become a disbeliever by major kufr; rather, there is kufr in it and shirk, but it is not major kufr. This is the well-known position of the madhhab of Malik, al-Shafi'i, Abu Hanifah, and a group of scholars. Others among the scholars said: He becomes a disbeliever by it if he abandons prayer intentionally, even if he does not deny its obligation. This is the well-known position of the Companions and what is transmitted from the followers of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The noble Tabi'i Abdullah ibn Shaqiq al-Aqili said: (The followers of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not consider any act of worship whose abandonment is kufr except prayer). This means major kufr; because there are acts in which there is kufr, but it is minor, such as swearing by other than Allah, and such as disavowing kinship, and the like. But his intent (may Allah be pleased with him) is that they consider it major kufr. This is the apparent meaning from the context of the speech of Abdullah ibn Shaqiq al-Aqili. Greater than this is what is established in Sahih Muslim from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: . This is explicit, and kufr is defined with the definite article (al-). When kufr and shirk are defined with the definite article, the intent is major kufr and major shirk. It is also established in the Musnad and the four Sunan with a sound chain from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: . And in the Musnad and Sunan al-Tirmidhi from Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: . If the pillar of a house falls, does it remain? The house does not remain if its pillar falls. It is also established in the two Sahihs that it was said to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) when the rulers who delay prayer from its times were mentioned: . And in another wording: . So he made abandoning prayer an obvious kufr with proof from Allah. This is the stronger opinion: that whenever he abandons it intentionally out of laziness, he becomes a disbeliever by major kufr, and his fasting and other acts of worship are not valid. So whoever fasts and does not pray, he has no fasting. We ask Allah for safety. As for if he denies its obligation and denies it, saying: We have no prayer, or if he mocks it, mocking the prayer and mocking the worshippers, then this is major kufr according to all scholars. If he mocks it, even if he prays, or if he denies its obligation, he is a disbeliever by consensus of all scholars; because he is a denier of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.