Fasting / One Who Fasts But Doesn't Pray / Answered by Sheikh Bin Baz

Are the Fasting and Other Acts of Worship of the One Who Doesn't Pray Accepted?

Question: There is a person who fasts and perfoms some other acts of worship but he does not pray, so is his fast accepted and his other acts of worship?

Answer: In the name of Allah and praise is for Allah, what is correct is that the one who abandons the prayer intentionally has disbelieved the Major Disbelief, and based on this his fasting would not be accepted nor his acts of worship until he repents to Allah (exalted is He). This is due to the statement of Allah (mighty and majestic is He), "And if they were to commit shirk (i.e. ascribe partners to Allah, worship other than Allah) that which they did (of good deeds) would become nullified." (Surat Al-An'aam, Ayah #88)

And also due to that which came with a similar meaning in other verses and narrations. And a group of the people of knowledge took the opinion that he (i.e. the one who abandons the prayer) does not disbelieve the major disbelief, and that this does not nullify his fasting or other acts of worhsip if he admits to it (i.e. the prayer) being an obligation but (at the same time) abandons the prayer out of being negligent and lazy.

And what is correct is the first statement, and that is that this person disbelieves the major disbelief if he intentionally leaves it (i.e. the prayer) even if he admits to its being obligatory. This is due to a number of proos, from them is the statement of the Prophet (may the peace and commendations of Allah be upon him), "Between a man and al-kufr (i.e. disbelief) and ash-shirk (i.e. ascribing partners to Allah) is abandoning As-Salaat (i.e. the Prayer)." Muslim reported this narration in his Saheeh on the authority of Jaabir Bin Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with them both). And this is also due to his (may the peace and commendations of Allah be upon him) statement, "The pact that is between us and them is As-Salaat (i.e. the Prayer) so whoever abdandons it then he has disbelieved." Al-Imaam Ahmed reported this narration and also the people of the four Sunan (i.e. four famous collectors of Prophetic narrations; Abu Dawood and At-Tirmidhee and An-Nasaa'ee and Ibn Maajah) with an authentic chain of narration from the report of Buraydah Bin Al-Haseeb Al-Aslamee (may Allah be pleased with him). And the great scholar Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) went into depth in speaking about this in "A Seperate Essay About the Rulings Regarding As-Salaat and Abandonment of it", and it is a beneficial essay which is good to review and benefit from.

This answer was given by Sheikh Bin Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/2380