Is the fasting of one who does not pray, or one who prays only in Ramadan and then stops praying thereafter, accepted?

Neglecting prayer is one of the greatest calamities and is the dividing line between disbelief and faith. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed, between a man and disbelief or polytheism is the abandonment of prayer," and "The covenant between us and them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved." The companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and many scholars were of the opinion that whoever abandons prayer has disbelieved.

Scholars differed regarding the ruling on one who neglects prayer out of laziness, not out of denial: Abu Hanifa: He does not disbelieve and is imprisoned until he prays. Malik and Al-Shafi'i: He does not disbelieve and is killed as a legal punishment if he does not pray. The well-known opinion in the Maliki school: He disbelieves and is killed as an apostate. This is what has been narrated from the Companions and is supported by authentic texts, and a consensus has been claimed on it.

This difference leads to varying rulings on the acceptance of fasting for one who neglects prayer: Those who say he does not disbelieve: His fasting is valid and accepted. Those who say he disbelieves: His deeds are nullified, and neither fasting nor anything else benefits him.

One who neglects prayer is advised to maintain it, for prayer is the first thing a servant will be held accountable for.