Is it permissible for a woman to seek divorce from her husband who abuses her and her children with insults and beatings, and does not pray, given that she has no source of income? And does his not praying annul the marriage contract?

Prayer is the pillar of Islam. One who abandons it out of laziness does not leave the fold of Islam, according to the majority of scholars, and the marital bond remains. A husband cursing and insulting his wife is an act of injustice and sin, and it permits her to seek divorce. It is advisable to strive to reform the husband with gentleness, wisdom, and supplication, reminding him of Allah and of establishing prayer, for "indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing." If the husband repents, the wife should thank her Lord and live with him in kindness. If he persists in wrongdoing, one must weigh staying with him versus separation, choosing the lesser of the two harms.