What is meant by the statement “someone who does not perform prayers becomes an unbeliever”?

- While Companions like Ali (ra) and Umar (ra) considered those who do not perform prayers to be unbelievers, why do some scholars not consider it unbelief?
- Did Ali (ra) and Umar (ra) decree that those who do not perform prayers are unbelievers?
- What are the evidences of the scholars who do not consider not performing prayers to be unbelief?
- What decree did Imam Abu Hanifa make regarding those who do not perform prayers?

Dear Brother / Sister,

First of all, we should state that a Muslim does not become an apostate or an unbeliever simply for not praying, as long as he does not deny that prayer is fard. Similarly, a Muslim who commits a major sin does not become an unbeliever.

The word “kafir” (unbeliever) is used not only in its commonly understood sense of unbelief but also ingratitude in the Quran and hadiths. Therefore, the use of the word “kafir” used for Muslims in some narrations should not be interpreted as meaning apostasy. The preference for the word to mean “ingratitude” shows a style intended to highlight the ugliness of the deed. Furthermore, in some similes and metaphors, the aim is to show the utmost ugliness of an evil – within a style of guidance and instruction.

Therefore, the issue of someone who does not perform prayers becoming in unbelief is not in the sense of becoming an apostate.

After this brief introduction, let us move to the question:

According to Hanafi madhhab, the preferred view of Shafi’i madhhab, Malikis, and according to a narration from Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Hanbali madhhab, those who abandon prayer due to negligence or laziness are not accused of unbelief. (1)

However, some scholars state that those who do not perform prayers are considered unbelievers. They base this view on the following narrations and similar ones from the Prophet (pbuh):

“Between a slave and unbelief is the abandonment of prayer.” (2),
“Between a person and unbelief is the abandonment of prayer.”
“Between us and them is the abandonment of prayer. Whoever abandons prayer becomes an unbeliever.” (3)

Similarly, those who argue that the people who believe but do not perform prayers will become unbelievers also cite the opinions of some Companions regarding the issue to confirm their views. (4)

The statement of Umar (ra), “He who abandons prayer has no share in Islam” and Ali (ra), “He who does not perform prayers is an unbeliever” (5) and Ibn Masud, “He who does not perform prayers has no religion” (6) are among the main examples that those who advocate this view refer to. (7)

The word “kufr” (unbelief) mentioned in those hadiths and other narrations was either used about those who do not accept that prayer is fard, or such expressions were used to warn those who believe but do not perform prayers, by taking a harsh and strict stance. (8)

If a Muslim were to become an unbeliever by not performing prayers while believing, he would become a Muslim by performing prayers; and in that case, it would be necessary to accept that one who performs prayers while not believing is a Muslim, and one who does not perform prayers while believing is an unbeliever. Therefore, it is clear that one who does not perform prayers while believing is not an unbeliever. (9)

In that case, it would be appropriate to consider the word kufr used in hadiths and other narrations not in the sense of apostasy, but rather in the sense of ingratitude for blessings, or a type of kufr that does not lead to apostasy or denial كفر دون كفر. (10)

In conclusion, we believe that the word unbelief mentioned in the hadith, as interpreted by our scholars, can either apply to those who deny the obligation of prayer and abandon it, or this unbelief should be understood as a practical, metaphorical form of ingratitude of blessings that does not lead to apostasy. This is because the Quran and Sunnah emphasize Allah’s forgiving aspect for all sins except polytheism (shirk), and instead of pushing sinners outside of Islam, they invite them not to lose hope in Allah’s mercy and to repent.

Footnotes:

1) Manbaji, al-Lubab, 1/155; Şeyhîzâde, Majma’ul-Anhur, 1/146; Juwayni, Nihayatul-Matlab, 2/651; Nawawi, al-Majmu’, 2/146; Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Muhammad al-Abdari Ibnul-Hajj, al-Madhal (Darut-Turath, n.d.), 1/213; Abu Muhammad Abdulwahhab b. Ali b. Nasr at-Taghlibi Qadi Abdulwahhab, al-Ishraf ala Nukati Masailil-Ikhtilaf, thq. Habib Ibn Tahir (Beirut: Daru Ibn Hazm, 1420), 1/352; Zarkashi, Sharhuz-Zarkashi, 2 /272-273.
2) Muslim, “Iman” 35; Ahmed, al-Musnad, 23/365.
3) Ahmed, al-Musnad, 38/20.
4) For the opinions of the Companions regarding the issue, see Ibn Abdul-Barr, at-Tamhid, 4/225.
5) Abdurrazzaq, al-Musannaf, 6/171 (Hadith no: 30436).
6) Abdurrazzaq, al-Musannaf, 6/167 (Hadith no: 30397).
7) Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni, 2/331; Abul-Faraj, ash-Sharhul-Kabir, 1/384; Zarkashi, Sharhuz-Zarkashi, 2/275.
8) Shamsuddin Muhammad b. Abil-Abbas ar-Ramli, Nihayatul-Muhtaj (Beirut: Darul-Fikr, 1404), 2/429.
9) Mawardi, al-Hawil-Kabir, 2/527.
10) See Bukhari, Iman, 113; Muslim, Iman, 28; Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, as-Salat wa Ahkamu Tariqiha, (Madinah: Maktabatuth-Thaqafa, n.d.), 54.

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