Concerning the One Who Abandons Prayer

*Concerning the One Who Abandons Prayer*

The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), mentioning the prayer, said (which means): If anyone keeps to it, it will be light, evidence and salvation for him on the Day of Resurrection. But if anyone does not keep to it, it will not be light, evidence and salvation for him on the Day of Resurrection, and on that Day he will be associated with Qaroon, Pharaoh, Namaan and Ubayy bin Khalaf (an enemy of Islaam from among the Quraysh). [Ahmad, Tabaraanee, Ibn Hibbaan]

Ibn Al-Qayyim(rahimahullah) explained: The person who abandons prayer will be raised in a deformed state because his neglect of player may be due to his involvement with his property, his country, his administrative work or his trade. Therefore, if he was involved with his property he will be resurrected with Qaroon; if with his country, then with Pharaoh; if with his administrative work, then with Hamaan; and iThe Scholars have differed on those intentionally neglect the solah but fall short of denying its obligation. Some say that they are kaafir who are to be given 3 days to repent, but if they do not repent then they are to be executed. The funeral prayer will not be recited over them, and they are not to be buried in the Muslim graveyard. The greeting of salaam is not to be given to them, in life or in death, and their greeting is not to be returned; prayers for forgiveness and mercy for them cannot be offered; they cannot inherit, neither can their wealth be inherited, instead it is to be given to the Muslim treasury (bayt al-maal). This ruling applies whether the number of people who are neglecting their prayers are many or a few.

Because the prophet Muhammad(sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "The difference between us and them is solah and whoever neglects it is a kaafir." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad and the authors of Sunan with a saheeh isnaad).

The Prophet(sallallahu aiahi wa sallam) also said, "(Nothing stands) between a man and kufr and shirk, except prayer: (whoever neglects it becomes a kaafir and a mushrik)." (Reported by Imaam Muslim in his Saheeh, with other similar ahaadeeth).

If he does not deny that it is obligatory, but he neglects it because of laziness, for example, then he is guilty of a major sin (kabeerah), but he is not considered to be a kaafir. Then in this case if they die, then they must still be considered and treated like any other Muslims, ie they are to be washed, shrouded, prayed upon, sought forgiveness for them and their wealth are to be distributed in accordance to the faraa'id.

Also from Imaam ibn Baaz rahimahhullaah:

"Any sane adult person who dies and does not pray, given that he knows the Islaamic ruling about prayer, is a disbeliever. He is not to be washed nor should he be prayed over. He is not to be buried in the Muslim cemetery. His Muslim relatives do not inherit from him. In fact, his wealth is to be given to the state treasury according to the strongest opinion among the scholars. This is based on the authentic hadeeth in which the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said, "Between a person and kufr (disbelief) and shirk (associating partners with Allaah) is the abandonment of the prayer." This was recorded by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) also said, "The covenant dividing us and them is the prayer. Whoever abandons it has committed kufr (apostasy)." This was recorded by Ahmad and the Compilers of the Sunan with an authentic chain from the Hadeeth of Buraydah. ‘Abdullaah ibn Shaqeeq al-'Aqeelee, one of the Noble Followers, stated, "The Companions of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) did not consider the abandonment of any act as kufr except the [abandonment of] prayer." There are many Ahaadeeth and reports with that meaning. This is concerning the one who does not pray out of laziness. The one who refuses to accept it as being obligatory is an apostatising disbeliever according to all of the scholars of Islaam.

We ask Allaah to make the affairs of the Muslims good and lead them to follow the Straight Path. He is the All-Hearing, the Responder.