What is the evidence that one who abandons prayer is not an infidel (kafir), and what is Sheikh Al-Albani's position on this?
One who abandons prayer out of denial of its obligation is, by scholarly consensus, a disbeliever. However, one who abandons it due to negligence and laziness is not considered by the majority to be a disbeliever whose disbelief expels him from Islam. The preponderant view is that whoever completely abandons prayer is a disbeliever, but one who prays sometimes and stops sometimes is not a disbeliever. Among the proofs of the majority that the one who abandons prayer is not a disbeliever whose disbelief expels him from Islam are the generality of the verse: ﴿Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills﴾, and the : «Indeed, Allah has forbidden the Hellfire for whoever says 'There is no god but Allah,' seeking thereby the Countenance of Allah.»
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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