The Ruling on a Husband Who Neglects Prayer and Drinks Intoxicants
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Question:
With Allah’s blessing, we begin with a letter from Umm 'Ammar from al-Jubayl. She wrote this letter in her own style and mentions, O Shaykh, that she is a married woman with a young son. She is committed to the commands of Allah, praises Him, and thanks Him for that. She mentions that her husband is negligent in prayer and drinks intoxicants. She has advised him several times; sometimes he responds, and sometimes he is stubborn and arrogant. She says: “It has now been two years since our marriage, and I have been patient, hoping that Allah will guide him. The question remains, O Shaykh! Should I inform my family and separate from him, or what should I do?”
I am patient out of acceptance of divine decree and destiny, hoping that Allah will guide him. I fear that if I separate from him, he will take my children or my son from me? So I ask you to guide me, O Shaykh, to what is best for my religion and my worldly life.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This husband’s situation requires a detailed ruling. If he does not pray at times, it is obligatory for you to leave him, go to your family, and not remain with him; because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):, and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam). However, if he prays, but sometimes prays at home instead of in congregation, then you should be patient with him while advising him.
Likewise, his drinking of intoxicants is a great evil, so you should be patient, hoping that Allah will guide him, because he is a Muslim. Drinking intoxicants does not take him out of Islam; he is a sinner who has committed a great major sin. If you seek separation from him, you have an excuse, because his negligence in congregational prayer and his consumption of intoxicants is a major defect. You may go to your family and seek separation through the court.
However, if he abandons prayer, abandoning it is disbelief. It is not permissible for you to remain with him; rather, you must separate from him, go to your family, and seek separation through the court. We ask Allah for guidance for us and for him.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
With Allah’s blessing, we begin with a letter from Umm 'Ammar from al-Jubayl. She wrote this letter in her own style and mentions, O Shaykh, that she is a married woman with a young son. She is committed to the commands of Allah, praises Him, and thanks Him for that. She mentions that her husband is negligent in prayer and drinks intoxicants. She has advised him several times; sometimes he responds, and sometimes he is stubborn and arrogant. She says: “It has now been two years since our marriage, and I have been patient, hoping that Allah will guide him. The question remains, O Shaykh! Should I inform my family and separate from him, or what should I do?”
I am patient out of acceptance of divine decree and destiny, hoping that Allah will guide him. I fear that if I separate from him, he will take my children or my son from me? So I ask you to guide me, O Shaykh, to what is best for my religion and my worldly life.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This husband’s situation requires a detailed ruling. If he does not pray at times, it is obligatory for you to leave him, go to your family, and not remain with him; because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), due to 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 كفرLikewise, his drinking of intoxicants is a great evil, so you should be patient, hoping that Allah will guide him, because he is a Muslim. Drinking intoxicants does not take him out of Islam; he is a sinner who has committed a great major sin. If you seek separation from him, you have an excuse, because his negligence in congregational prayer and his consumption of intoxicants is a major defect. You may go to your family and seek separation through the court.
However, if he abandons prayer, abandoning it is disbelief. It is not permissible for you to remain with him; rather, you must separate from him, go to your family, and seek separation through the court. We ask Allah for guidance for us and for him.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.