Ibn Bazz: Ruling on eating slaughtered animals of one neglectful of Salah

Ruling on eating slaughtered animals of one neglectful of Salah 

Q: A questioner from Al­`Alamin in Egypt inquires: Is it permissible to eat the meat of an animal slaughtered by someone who does not offer Salah (Prayer)? 

A: In the Name of Allah and all praise is due to Him! 

A: According to the preponderant view of scholars, it is not permissible to eat the meat of an animal that is slaughtered by a person who intentionally abandons Salah, even if he admits its obligation but abandons it out of laziness. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: What makes one a Kafir (disbeliever) and a Mushrik (one who associates others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) is abandoning Salah. (Related by Muslim in his Sahih (authentic) Book of Hadith on the authority of Jabir ibn Abdullah Al­ Ansary may Allah be pleased with them)He (peace be upon him) also said: That which differentiates us from them (i.e. non­Muslims) is our performance of Salah. Anyone who abandons it becomes a Kafir. (Related by Imam Ahmad and Ahl­ul­Sunan (authors of Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes) with an authentic Sanad (chain of narrators))He (peace be upon him) said: The peak of the matter is Islam and its pillar is Salah. (Related by Imam Ahmad and Al­Tirmidhy with an authentic Sanad)There are many Hadith to the same effect. 

( Part No : 10, Page No: 273) 

If one denies the obligation of Salah, they are considered Kafir according to Ijma` (consensus of scholars), even if they offer it, for this denotes belying Allah (Glorified be He), His Messenger (peace be upon him), and the Ijma`. We ask Allah to protect us against this and to guide all Muslims to observe Salah and not to abandon it or perform it lazily. 

Allah has dispraised the hypocrites for their laziness to perform Salah with Muslims. In Surah (Qur'anic chapter) Al­Nisa', Allah (Glorified be He) says: Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allâh, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As­Salât (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allâh but little. Describing the hypocrites, Allah (Glorified be He) says in Surah Al­ Tawbah: And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allâh and in His Messenger (Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم), and that they came not to As­Salât (the prayer) except in a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly. So let not their wealth nor their children amaze you (O Muhammad صلى االله عليه وسلم); in reality Allâh’s Plan is to punish them with these things in the life of this world, and that their souls shall depart (die) while they are disbelievers. 

There are many Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) describing and dispraising the hypocrites and warning against their characteristics. 

May Allah protect us and all Muslims from them! May Allah grant us success!