Ruling on one who neglects prayer

 

The saheeh ahaadeeth state clearly that
the one who neglects prayer is a kaafir. If we take the hadeeth at face value, it appears
that we are obliged to deprive the person who neglects prayer deliberately of all his
rights of inheritance, a separate cemetery should be allocated for such people, and we
cannot pray for them or greet them with salaam, because there is no greeting of peace for
a kaafir. Let us not forget that if we were to calculate the number of men, believers and
non-believers alike, who pray, we will find it is only 6%, and among women the number is
even less. What does Islam have to say about this? What is the ruling about giving or
returning the greeting of salaam to one who neglects prayer?

Praise be to Allaah.

The scholars have differed concerning the Muslim who deliberately
neglects salaah without denying that it is obligatory. Some of them say that he is
definitely a kaafir who has gone beyond the pale of Islam. He is considered to be a murtadd
(apostate) who is to be given three days to repent – if he does not, he is to be
executed for his apostasy. The funeral prayer will not be recited over him, and he will
not be buried in the Muslim graveyard. The greeting of salaam is not to be given to him,
in life or in death, and his greeting is not to be returned; prayers for forgiveness and
mercy for him cannot be offered; he cannot inherit, neither can his 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.

This opinion is the soundest and most correct, because of the words of
the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The difference between
us and them is salaah. Whoever neglects it is a kaafir.” (Reported by Imaam
Ahmad and the authors of Sunan with a saheeh isnaad); and:
“(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).

The majority of scholars said that if a person denies
that prayer is obligatory, he is a kaafir and an apostate from the religion of Islam. The
ruling concerning such a person is as described above. 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 beyond the pale of Islam. He
should be given three days in which to repent. If he does, then al-hamdu lillah (praise be
to Allaah); if he does not, then he should be executed, but this is a punishment, not
because he became a kaafir. In this case, he should be washed (ghusl, after death)
and wrapped in a shroud (kafn). The funeral prayer should be offered for him,
prayers can be offered for forgiveness and mercy for him, and he should be buried in the
Muslim graveyard. He can inherit and be inherited from. In general, all the rules
concerning Muslims who are sinners apply to him, in life and in death.