How is the end of a person who has never performed daily prayers in his life; is he considered to have denied Islam with his neglect? Does a person who does not offer prayers become a kafir (unbeliever)?
Submitted by on Sun, 03/05/2015 - 21:40
Dear Brother / Sister,
Not performing daily prayers is one of the major sins. However, a person who does not offer prayers does not become an unbeliever (kafir). He only becomes a sinner. Allah either forgives or punishes him as He wishes.
Offering prayers is one of the most important truths after belief. That is why prayer is mentioned in about a hundred places in the Qur'an. No importance is given to any worship in such scale. For, prayer is the closest relationship of a believer with his Lord. A person who does not offer prayers is considered to have weakened this relationship and brought himself into enemies such as nafs (evil commanding soul) and Satan, which is the actual danger.
All verses about prayers encourage people to offer prayers. Here are some verses regarding the issue:
"Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer,.." (al-Baqara, 2/3)
"Prayer is indeed hard, except to those who are humble. " (al-Baqara, 2/45)
"Believers (strictly) guard their prayers" (al-Mumenoon, 23/9)
"Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds." (al-Ankaboot, 29/45)
"Speak to My servants who have believed, that they may establish regular prayers..." (Ibrahim 14/31)
It is possible to see the same issues in hadiths. When we look at the hadiths on prayer, we always see that the virtues and rewards of prayers are mentioned.
"Between faith and unbelief is abandoning the prayer."
"The difference between us and them (the hypocrites) is prayer."
However, the hadiths above are explained by Islamic scholars as follows: the people who deny the obligation of performing prayers and who consider not offering prayer as halal."
Ibn Abidin says the following at the beginning of the topic of prayer in his work "Raddual Mukhtar"; "A person who denies the obligation of performing prayers becomes a kafir (unbeliever) but a person who deliberately gives up offering prayers by disregarding it because of his laziness becomes a sinner."
In short, not offering prayers is one of the major sins. Only the members of Mutazila, which is a superstitious sect, say that those who commit big sins become kafirs (unbelievers). However, it is necessary to say that the belief of a person who never performs prayers will be in danger in time based on the following truth, "In every, sin there is a path that leads to kufr (unbelief)".
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