Ibn Bazz: Sawm of a person who abandons Salah

( Part No : 10, Page No: 267) 

Sawm of a person who abandons Salah 

Q: There are people who observe Sawm (Fast) and some other acts of worship, but they do not offer Salah (Prayer). Would their Sawm and acts of worship be accepted? 

A: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

The correct opinion is that one who abandons Salah deliberately commits major Kufr (disbelief). Consequently, their Sawm or any act of worship is not valid until they repent to Allah (Glorified be He). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have beenofnobenefittothem. ThereareotherHadithandAyahs(Qur'anicverses)tothesameeffect.

However, a group of scholars are of the opinion that whoever abandons Salah does not commit major Kufr and their Sawm and other acts of worship are not invalidated, provided they admit the obligation of Salah but abandon it out of negligence and laziness. 

The soundest opinion of scholars is that whoever abandons Salah commits major Kufr if they do so willfully, even if they admit its obligation. This is based on many evidence including the following Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: What makes one a Kafir (disbeliever) and a Mushrik (one who associates others with AllahinHisDivinityorworship)isabandoningSalah. (RelatedbyMusliminhisSahih(authentic)BookofHadithonthe authority of Jabir ibn `Abdullah may Allah be pleased with them) Also, the Prophet (peace be upon him) 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)on the authority of Buraidah ibn Al­Husaib Al­Aslamy (may Allah be pleased with him)) 

( Part No : 10, Page No: 268) 

The prominent scholar Ibn Al­Qayyim (may Allah be merciful with him) elaborated on this issue in detail in a separate treatise on the rulings of Salah and abandoning it. It is very informative and should be read.