What is the ruling on the prayer and fasting of someone who discovered that her father is an infidel (does not pray and denies the obligation of prayer), and she concluded that she was not Muslim by birth and did not utter the Two Testimonies with the intention of entering Islam, despite her commitment to them and uttering them in prayer? What are the best supplications for seeking guidance for a person, and how can her father be advised?

The father's abandonment of prayer and his apostasy do not mean that the daughter is not Muslim by nature. Indeed, humans are born with a sound nature, which is monotheism, as stated in the noble Hadith: "Every child is born upon the fitra (natural disposition), and then his parents make him a Jew, or a Christian, or a Magian." As soon as one performs the obligatory prayer, they are judged to be Muslim. Malik was asked about a non-Arab who is told to pray, so he prays and then dies. Should a funeral prayer be offered for him? He said yes, because whoever prays has embraced Islam. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever prays our prayer and faces our Qibla, that is the Muslim for whom Allah's protection is guaranteed." The best supplication for the father is to ask Allah for his guidance, as the Prophet used to supplicate for the guidance of peoples like Daws and Thaqif. Excommunication (takfir) is a serious and grave error. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, warned against excommunicating a Muslim. Therefore, it is not permissible to excommunicate any Muslim until proof is established against them, and the Islam of one whose Islam is certain remains so unless removed by doubt.