The Stronger Position on the Ruling for the One Who Abandons Prayer

Shaykh Abdul Aziz, three letters have come to me in this session from people asking about the one who abandons prayer. Our brother Ahmad Abdullah Ahmad Ali from the Arab Republic of Egypt, who resides in Ta'if at the time of writing his letter, says: I heard in the program "Light on the Path" broadcast on (25/Safar/1407 AH) from one of the shaykhs that if a Muslim contracts a marriage with a Muslim girl who does not pray, the contract is invalid, even if she prays after the marriage. In the villages of Egypt, 50% do not pray before marriage, especially the girls. I ask your Eminence for a complete clarification of this question. May Allah reward you with good. As for our brother (M. L.) from Bangladesh, he also asks the same question about those who do not pray, especially if they are his relatives.
Then there is a listener, the correspondent (A. M.) from the Kingdom, who lists a number of characteristics of a sister of hers, the worst of which is her abandoning of prayer. She also says: Even her mother does not pray unless she comes to her house. All these people ask the Shaykh, may Allah have mercy on him, for guidance regarding this second pillar of the pillars of Islam, if you would be so kind?
Answer: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance.
As for what follows: The Book and the Sunnah indicate that prayer is the most important and greatest act of worship after the two testimonies, and that it is the pillar of Islam, and that it is obligatory for all Muslims who are accountable to preserve it and establish it as Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has prescribed, as He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [al-Baqarah:238] This is a verse from Surat al-Baqarah. And He, the Exalted, also said in Surat al-Baqarah: [al-Baqarah:43] And in Surat al-Bara'ah (al-Tawbah), when He mentioned fighting the polytheists, He said: [al-Tawbah:5] This indicates that one who does not pray is not left alone but is fought. He, the Exalted and Majestic, said: [al-Tawbah:11] This indicates that one who does not pray is not a brother in religion.
And the verses in this meaning are very numerous. It is established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: And it is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the people of the Sunan with a sound chain from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him) . And Muslim narrated in his Sahih from Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: The expression "the man" does not exclude the woman, for if the ruling is established for the man, it is established for the woman as well. And likewise, what is established for the woman is established for the man, except by evidence that specifies one of them.
So these hadiths and what came in their meaning all indicate that the one who abandons prayer becomes a disbeliever, among men and women, after reaching the age of accountability.
And it is established in the authentic hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when asked about the rulers who do not establish religion as it should be, "Do we fight them?" said: "No, unless you see clear disbelief from you, with which Allah has provided proof." And in another wording he said: This indicates that the one who does not establish prayer has committed clear disbelief.
The scholars differed regarding these hadiths. Some of them said: They are for prohibition, warning, and intimidation, and the intended meaning is not major disbelief, but rather disbelief less than disbelief. This is the view of the majority of the jurists, and they said: It is disbelief less than disbelief.
And a group of the people of knowledge held that the intended meaning is major disbelief; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And when disbelief is known, and shirk is known, the intended meaning is major disbelief and major shirk. And he said: This indicates that he intended major disbelief; because he (peace and blessings be upon him) applied it to a clear matter, which is the matter of prayer. The matter of prayer is a great matter, and it is the pillar of Islam, so it is not strange that abandoning it is major disbelief. For this reason, Abdullah ibn Shaqiq al-Aqili, the great Tabi'i, mentioned regarding the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: This indicates that they consider it major disbelief; because there are things they know are disbelief, but it is disbelief less than disbelief, such as disavowal of kinship, such as fighting. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is disbelief less than disbelief if one does not consider it permissible. And likewise his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): And his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): All of this means, according to the people of knowledge, disbelief less than disbelief; because it came as a negation, and the other evidence indicates that the intended meaning is not major disbelief.
Unlike prayer, whose matter is great, and which is the first pillar after the two testimonies, and which is the pillar of Islam. The Lord (peace and blessings be upon him) , when He prescribed fighting the disbelievers, said: [al-Tawbah:5] This indicates that they are not left alone while they abandon prayer. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This indicates that one who does not pray is killed.
And the summary is: The correct opinion, and what the evidence requires, is that abandoning prayer is major disbelief, even if the majority say otherwise. For the criterion is the evidence, and the criterion is not the number of people who say it. The ruling is tied to the evidence, and preference is made by the evidence. And the evidence has been established that the abandonment of prayer is major disbelief.
And as for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): It is explained by his saying in the other hadith: There is no protection except by establishing prayer; and because the one who does not establish prayer has not fulfilled the right of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). So the intended meaning of the saying "La ilaha illa Allah" and that it protects the one who says it is if he commits to its right. And one of its rights is to perform prayer. And because the one who unites Allah, who says "La ilaha illa Allah," if he commits to a nullifier of the nullifiers of Islam, his saying "La ilaha illa Allah" does not benefit him. So if he said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," and then denied the obligation of prayer, he is a disbeliever by consensus. Or if he denied the obligation of zakah, he is a disbeliever by consensus. Or if he denied the obligation of fasting Ramadan, he is a disbeliever by consensus. Or if he insulted the religion, he is a disbeliever by consensus. Or if he insulted the Messenger, he is a disbeliever by consensus. Or if he mocked the religion, he is a disbeliever by consensus. And his saying "La ilaha illa Allah" does not benefit him. So it is known by this that his coming with tawhid and the testimony to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) of the message only benefits him if he does not commit to a nullifier of the nullifiers of Islam. But if he commits to a nullifier of the nullifiers of Islam, the testimony does not benefit him, like the examples we mentioned, like insulting the religion, like mocking the religion, like denying the obligation of prayer, like denying the obligation of zakah, like mocking the religion of Allah.
And if a person testifies that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and prays and fasts and worships, and then denies the prohibition of zina, saying: "Zina is lawful," he is a disbeliever according to all Muslims. Or if he said: "Intoxicants are lawful," he is a disbeliever according to all Muslims. Or if he said: "Sodomy is lawful," he is a disbeliever according to all Muslims. Or if he urinated on the mushaf (written copy of the Qur'an) intentionally, or stepped on it with his foot intentionally in contempt for it, or sat on it in contempt for it, he is a disbeliever according to all Muslims, by his contempt for the Book of Allah. And his testimony that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, does not benefit him. So how is it strange that he is a disbeliever by abandoning prayer if he abandons it and is lax with it, and it is the greatest and most important of the pillars of the religion after the two testimonies?
This is not strange. For this reason, the correct opinion is that if a Muslim marries a woman who does not pray, the marriage is invalid. And likewise, if a Muslim woman marries a man who does not pray, the marriage is invalid. So when he repents to Allah, the contract is renewed. When the one who does not pray repents, the contract is renewed.
But if both of them do not pray, the marriage is valid, because both of them are disbelievers. We ask Allah for safety, and we ask Allah for guidance and success for everyone. Yes.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.