How should a wife deal with her husband who does not pray despite her repeated reminders, and is it forbidden to have relations with him?

Prayer is a great pillar of Islam. Whoever abandons it out of denial of its obligation has disbelieved by the consensus of the Ummah. As for whoever abandons it out of negligence and laziness, while acknowledging its obligation, they have disbelieved according to the preponderant opinion, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "Between a person and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer," and "The covenant between us and them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved."

The husband who abandons prayer must be urged to desist from this grave sin, and it should be explained to him that his action constitutes disbelief, and that the marital bond between them is religiously dissolved due to the impermissibility of a Muslim woman remaining married to a disbeliever, as Allah Almighty says: "They are not lawful for them, nor are they lawful for them."

If he responds, then all is well. Otherwise, the matter must be escalated to the guardian, then to the Sharia courts. It is not permissible to remain with him if he insists on abandoning prayer.