The ruling on saying: “Hajj expiates the abandonment of prayer”
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Q357: The questioner says: Several years have passed in my life without me praying or fasting Ramadan, but last year I performed the obligatory Hajj. Will this expiate the missed fasting and prayer for me? If it does not, what must I do now? Please guide us, may Allah reward you.
A357: Deliberately abandoning prayer is very serious, because prayer is the second pillar of the pillars of Islam. If a Muslim abandons it deliberately, that is disbelief, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) And Allah the Exalted says regarding the disbelievers: [At-Tawbah 9:11], and He the Exalted says regarding the people of the Fire: [Al-Muddaththir 74:42-44],
and other texts indicating the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer, even if he does not deny its obligation, according to the correct opinion of the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them. As for what you mentioned about you abandoning it deliberately for four years, this necessitates disbelief. However, if you repent to Allah the Mighty and Majestic with a sincere repentance and maintain prayer in the future of your life, then Allah will erase what came before. Sincere repentance expiates what came before it. As for Hajj, it does not expiate the abandonment of prayer, nor does it expiate the abandonment of fasting, because abandoning these major sins is not expiated by Hajj. Likewise, if you performed Hajj while you were not praying, it is not valid, because the one who does not pray has no religion, no Islam, and no deed is accepted from him, except that he repents to Allah the Mighty and Majestic. If you repent to Allah with a sincere repentance and maintain prayer, then this expiates what came before, but this is contingent upon truthfulness and persistence in repentance, and giving attention to prayer. If you performed Hajj in the state of abandoning prayer, you must repeat it. But if you performed it after you repented, it is valid, if Allah wills. As for the time that passed with the abandonment of prayer and fasting, sincere repentance expiates it.
A357: Deliberately abandoning prayer is very serious, because prayer is the second pillar of the pillars of Islam. If a Muslim abandons it deliberately, that is disbelief, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Between the servant and disbelief or shirk (associating partners with Allah) is abandoning prayer
بين العبد وبين الكفر أو الشرك 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 كفرBut if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know.
فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَنُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ(42) [And asking them], "What put you into Saqar?" (43) They will say, "We were not of those who prayed, (44) Nor did we used to feed the poor.
مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ (42) قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ (43) وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ الْمِسْكِينَand other texts indicating the disbelief of the one who abandons prayer, even if he does not deny its obligation, according to the correct opinion of the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them. As for what you mentioned about you abandoning it deliberately for four years, this necessitates disbelief. However, if you repent to Allah the Mighty and Majestic with a sincere repentance and maintain prayer in the future of your life, then Allah will erase what came before. Sincere repentance expiates what came before it. As for Hajj, it does not expiate the abandonment of prayer, nor does it expiate the abandonment of fasting, because abandoning these major sins is not expiated by Hajj. Likewise, if you performed Hajj while you were not praying, it is not valid, because the one who does not pray has no religion, no Islam, and no deed is accepted from him, except that he repents to Allah the Mighty and Majestic. If you repent to Allah with a sincere repentance and maintain prayer, then this expiates what came before, but this is contingent upon truthfulness and persistence in repentance, and giving attention to prayer. If you performed Hajj in the state of abandoning prayer, you must repeat it. But if you performed it after you repented, it is valid, if Allah wills. As for the time that passed with the abandonment of prayer and fasting, sincere repentance expiates it.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.