Not Performing Salah is very serious

Does Abandoning Prayer Make You a Disbeliever?

Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) stated that a person who neglects prayer due to laziness is considered a disbeliever. This perspective is the more accurate view, supported by evidence from the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, as well as the words of the Salaf and sound understanding. (End quote from Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti` ala Zad Al-Mustanqi`, 2/26)

Quranic and Sunnah Evidence on Not Praying

Those who examine the texts of the Quran and Sunnah will see that neglecting the prayer is considered a major act of disbelief, which places one outside the fold of Islam.

Among the evidence to be found in the Quran is:

• The verse (interpretation of the meaning): {But if they repent [by rejecting Shirk (polytheism) and accepting Islamic Monotheism], perform As-Salat (Iqamat As-Salat) and give Zakat, then they are your brethren in religion.} [At-Tawbah 9:11]

The verse indicates that Allah requires polytheists to do three things to bridge the gap between them and us: repent from polytheism, perform prayer, and pay Zakah. If they repent but do not pray or pay Zakah, they are not our brethren in faith. Similarly, if they pray but do not pay Zakah, they still do not belong to our brotherhood. Brotherhood in religion can only be severed by complete rejection of faith, not by immoral conduct or minor disbelief.

• Allah also says (interpretation of the meaning):

Then came a generation after them who abandoned As-Salah (the prayers)—neglecting them by not performing them, not doing them properly, or missing their appointed times—and instead followed their desires. They will be cast into Hell, except for those who repent, believe in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad, and do good deeds. Such people will enter Paradise and will not be wronged in the least. [Maryam 19:59-60]

Hadiths on Abandoning Prayer

The evidence from this verse indicates that Allah refers to those who neglect their prayers and follow their desires. However, it also states, “Except those who repent and believe,” suggesting that when they are neglecting their prayers and pursuing their desires, they cannot be considered true believers. Additionally, there is evidence from the Sunnah that confirms that neglecting prayer is a serious matter. Disbelief includes the Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Between a man and shirk and disbelief there stands his neglect of the prayer.” (Narrated by Muslim in Kitab Al-Iman on the authority of Jabir ibn `Abdullah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)).

The evidence of the Sunnah that proves that the person who neglects their prayer is considered a disbelieverincludes the Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Between a man and shirk and disbelief there stands his neglect of the prayer.” (Narrated by Muslim in Kitab Al-Iman on the authority of Jabir ibn `Abdullah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)).

Buraydah ibn Al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The prayer is the covenant that distinguishes us from others. Whoever neglects it has disbelieved.” This is narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah.

The term “disbelief” refers to a kind that excludes a person from Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) identified prayer as the key difference between believers and disbelievers. Those who do not fulfil this obligation are considered disbelievers.

There is also the Hadith of `Awf ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best leaders are those you love and who love you in return, who pray for you as you pray for them. The worst are those you hate and who hate you back, trading curses with one another. When asked, “O Messenger of Allah, should we not fight them with the sword?” he replied, “Not as long as they are upholding prayer among you.”

This Hadith implies that it is permissible to oppose and fight those in authority if they neglect the establishment of prayer. However, this is only allowed when they openly display disbelief, and there is clear evidence from Allah confirming that their actions are indeed acts of disbelief.

`Ubadah ibn As-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called us to give Bay`ah (oath of allegiance). We pledged to listen and obey him in all circumstances, whether we felt enthusiastic or disinclined, in difficulty or ease, and even when others were preferred over us. He emphasised that we should not oppose those in authority unless they openly demonstrate disbelief supported by clear evidence from Allah.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Based on this, neglecting the prayer—an act that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us to oppose and combat with the sword—is a clear act of disbelief. We have evidence from Allah confirming that this indeed constitutes disbelief.

Does Neglecting Prayer Mean Disbelief?

If someone were to ask: Is it not permissible to interpret the texts regarding a person who neglects prayer as a disbeliever, considering that this may refer to someone who neglects prayer because they do not believe it is obligatory?

We would argue that interpreting the texts in this manner is not permissible due to two reservations regarding this interpretation.

1. The discussion centres on the need to consider the broader context of the ruling. The judgment that a person who neglects prayer is a disbeliever pertains to their act of neglecting it, not to their denial of its obligation. Brotherhood in faith relies on performing prayer, rather than acknowledging it as mandatory. Allah did not specify, “If they repent and recognise prayer as obligatory.” Similarly, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not claim that the distinction between believers and disbelievers is one’s acknowledgement of the obligation of prayer. If this were the intended message, it would have been explicitly stated, aligning with the teachings of the Quran. For Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

{And We have sent down to you the Book (the Quran) as an exposition of everything.} [An-Nahl 16:89]

{And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the Dhikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Quran)], that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them.} [Al-Nahl 16:44]

It is incorrect to use reasons not recognised by the Lawgiver when determining if someone is a disbeliever. A person who denies the obligation of the five daily prayers, without a valid excuse, is deemed a disbeliever, regardless of whether they pray. Similarly, someone who prays but denies the obligation of those prayers is also a disbeliever, even if they fulfil all other prayer conditions. Thus, texts about neglecting prayers should not be interpreted as addressing the denial of their obligation.

The correct view is that the person who neglects the prayer is a disbeliever who is beyond the pale of Islam, as is clearly stated in the report narrated by Ibn Abu Hatim in his Sunan from `Ubadah ibn As-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not worship anything alongside Allah and do not neglect the prayer, as doing so puts you outside the fold of Islam.”

Moreover, if we interpret the Hadiths about neglecting the prayer as the denial that prayer is obligatory, it overlooks the fact that this ruling applies to Zakah, fasting, and Hajj as well. Anyone who neglects these duties while denying their necessity is deemed a disbeliever, unless they have a valid excuse of ignorance.

neglecting Prayaer is serious is seen as an act of disbelief. Based on the evidence of the texts and reports, he may also be deemed to be a disbeliever based on rational thinking.

How can a person be a believer if he neglects the prayer, which is the pillar of religion, and when verses and Hadiths are urging us to perform prayer, which makes the wise believer rush to do the prayer, and when verses and Hadiths are warning against neglecting it, which makes the wise believer scared to ignore the prayer? Once we have understood this, a person cannot be a believer if they neglect the prayer.

If a person were to say: Can we not interpret disbelief in the case of one who neglects the prayer as meaning a lesser form of disbelief (Disbelief An-Na`mah) rather than the kind of disbelief which puts a person beyond the pale of Islam (Disbelief Al-Millah)?

Or can we not interpret it as being less than major disbelief and more like the disbelief referred to in the Hadiths, “There are two qualities that exist among people which are qualities of disbelief: slandering people’s lineage and wailing over the dead” and “Trading insults with a Muslim is Fisq (immoral conduct) and exchanging blows with him is disbelief”, etc.?

We would say that this interpretation is not correct for several reasons:

1. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made prayer the dividing line between disbelief and faith, between the believer and the disbeliever. This is where he drew the line, and the two things are quite distinct and do not overlap.
2. Prayer is one of the pillars of Islam, so when the person who neglects it is described as a disbeliever, this implies the kind of disbelief that puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, because he has destroyed one of the pillars of Islam. This is a different matter from attributing disbelief to a person who does one of the actions of disbelief.
3. There are other texts which indicate that the disbelief of the one who neglects the prayer is the kind of disbelief which puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, so what is meant here by disbelief should be interpreted according to the apparent meaning, to avoid contradictions between the texts.
4. The description of disbelief in those Hadiths is different. Concerning neglecting the prayer, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Between a man and shirk and disbelief.” Here, the word disbelief is preceded in the original Arabic by the definite article “al”, which indicates that what is referred to here is the reality of disbelief. This is in contrast to the other Hadiths where disbelief is referred to without the definite article, or in a verbal form, which indicates that this is a part of disbelief or that the person has disbelieved by doing this action, but it is not the absolute disbelief which places a person beyond the pale of Islam.

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book Iqtida’ As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim (p. 70, As-Sunnah Al-Muhammadiyyah edn.), concerning the Hadith of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “There are two qualities that exist among people which are qualities of disbelief”:

“The phrase ‘which are qualities of disbelief’ means that these two qualities, which exist among people, are qualities of disbelief because they are among the deeds of disbelief and they exist among people. But not everyone who has a part of disbelief becomes a disbeliever because of it, unless there exists in his heart the reality of disbelief. Similarly, not everyone who has a part of faith becomes a believer because of it, unless there exists in his heart the essential reality of faith.

So there is a distinction between disbelief that is preceded [in the original Arabic] by the definite article “al” – such as in the Hadith ‘Between a man and polytheism and disbelief there stands nothing but his neglecting the prayer’, – and disbelief that is not preceded by the definite article but is used in an affirmative sense.’”

So it is clear that the person who neglects the prayer with no excuse is a disbeliever who is beyond the pale of Islam, based on this evidence.

This is the correct view according to Imam Ahmad, and it is one of the two opinions narrated from Ash-Shafi`i, as was mentioned by Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir of the verse (interpretation of the meaning):

{Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salat (the prayers) [i.e. made their prayers to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed lusts.} [Maryam 19:59]

Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in his book, As-Salah, that there are two views narrated from Al-Shafi’i, one of which was also reported by At-Tahawi as coming directly from Al-Shafi’i himself. This perspective is supported by the majority of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), with many indicating a consensus among them on this issue.

This was also the view of the majority of the Companions; indeed, many narrated that there was consensus among the Companions on this point. `Abdullah ibn Shaqiq said: the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not think that neglecting any deed made a person a disbeliever, apart from neglecting the prayer.

This was reported by At-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim, who classed it as authentic according to the conditions of Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Is-haq ibn Rahawayh (may Allah have mercy on him) said, It was reported with an authentic chain of narration from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that the one who neglects the prayer is a disbeliever.

This was also the view of the scholars from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) until the present day: that the person who deliberately neglects the prayer with no valid excuse, until the time for that prayer is over, is a disbeliever.

Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said that it was reported on the authority of `Umar, `Abd Ar-Rahman ibn `Awf, Mu`adh ibn Jabal, Abu Hurayrah and others among the Companions. He said: “We do not know of any opposing view among the Companions.”

Al-Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated this from him in At-Targhib wat-Tarhib, and added more names of Companions: `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud, `Abdullah ibn `Abbas, Jabir ibn `Abdullah and Abud-Darda’ – may Allah be pleased with them.

He said: apart from the Companions, there are also Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Is-haq ibn Rahawayh, `Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak, An-Nakha`i, Al-Hakam ibn `Utaybah, Ayyub As-Sakhtayani, Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi, Abu Bakr ibn Abu Shaybah, Zuhayr ibn Harb and others.

And Allah knows best.