How should the statement ‘a person who does not perform prayers does not have belief’ be understood? Does a person who does not perform prayers become an unbeliever?
Dear Brother / Sister,
If a believer has an attribute belonging to an unbeliever, he will not be an unbeliever. For instant, it is stated in a hadith that telling lies is an attribute of munafiqs (hypocrites). However, a Muslim does not become a munafiq when he tells a lie. He may resemble munafiqs with that deed.
What is meant by the statement " a person who does not perform prayers does not have belief" is that he does not have perfect belief.
A person who believes in something that necessitates unbelief becomes an unbeliever. However, a person who utters a word that necessitates unbelief is not called an unbeliever because sometimes a word that necessitates unbelief does not make a person who utters it an unbeliever. Uttering that word might originate from his ignorance, not from his unbelief.
Unbelief and belief are things that are related to the heart. A person who utters a word that necessitates unbelief is not regarded as an unbeliever because of it unless he becomes an unbeliever in his heart.
Questions on Islam
- What is the religious decree on and penalty of cursing Allah?
- How many parts are humans divided into?
- Does something that is done without knowing that it is unbelief make a person an unbeliever?
- How should we understand the hadith "The only thing that distinguishes between a Muslim and an unbeliever is prayer"?
- Ruling on one who accidentally commited kufr due to negligence
- How can man be responsible for his action eternally?
- What is major and minor “Kufr” (unbelief)? Will you explain it by giving examples? How can we protect ourselves from all kinds of unbelief?
- Some people claim that not performing prayers is shirk (polytheism) and unbelief. How true is their statement?
- How should we understand the hadith "The only difference that distinguishes between a Muslim and an unbeliever is prayer (salah)"?
- Is it necessary to declare belief with the tongue?
