What is your most preferred ruling regarding one who abandons prayer out of negligence and laziness? And what is meant by disbelief that does not expel one from the religious community? And what is the period after which one who abandons prayer becomes a disbeliever? And is it sufficient for him just to pray, or must he also pronounce the two testimonies of faith? And does the ruling on one who abandons prayer out of negligence differ from the ruling on one who abandons it out of laziness?

Scholars differ concerning the kufr (disbelief) of one who abandons prayer out of laziness. Some are of the view that it is major kufr which expels one from the faith. Some are of the view that he is merely disobedient. Some differentiate between abandoning prayer entirely, which they consider to be kufr, and abandoning it sometimes and praying sometimes, which they do not consider to be kufr. The latter is the relied-upon opinion in fatwa, and the meaning of minor kufr (which does not expel one from the faith) is that its perpetrator does not exit Islam; rather, his action is described as kufr by way of severe admonition.

The period after which one is judged to have committed major kufr by abandoning prayer out of laziness is when he permanently abandons it, such that he resolves to abandon all prayers.

The repentance of one who abandons prayer out of laziness and thus commits kufr is by performing the prayer. It is also said that he should recite the two Shahadas. The most correct view is that he becomes a Muslim merely by performing his prayer.