What is the ruling on one who abandons prayer?

There are two types of people who abandon prayer: 1. One who denies its obligation, and such a person is an apostate disbeliever by consensus. 2. One who is negligent and lazy, regarding whom scholars have differed.

The first opinion: He does not disbelieve with a disbelief that expels him from Islam. This is the view of the majority of scholars, who cite as evidence the Almighty's saying: "Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills," and the Hadith: "Indeed, Allah has forbidden the Hellfire for whoever says 'La ilaha illa Allah' (there is no god but Allah), seeking thereby the countenance of Allah."

The second opinion: He disbelieves with a disbelief that expels him from Islam. This is the view of Imam Ahmad, who cites as evidence the Almighty's saying: "But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion," and the Hadith: "The covenant between us and them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved."

The more preponderant view is that whoever abandons prayer entirely has disbelieved. As for one who prays sometimes, he has not disbelieved, but he is in grave danger, based on the Hadith: "Five prayers Allah has obligated upon His servants. Whoever performs them without neglecting anything of their rights out of contempt for them, Allah has promised to admit him into Paradise. And whoever does not perform them, Allah has not promised him anything; He may punish him if He wills, or admit him into Paradise if He wills." This is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah.