Which is correct regarding the ruling on one who misses the 'Asr prayer: Is all of his work invalidated, or only the work of that day?

A severe warning has been issued against one who intentionally misses the Asr prayer until its time has elapsed. Al-Bukhari (553) narrated from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever misses the Asr prayer, his deeds have been rendered futile." Scholars have differed regarding the warning mentioned for one who misses the Asr prayer, whether it is to be taken literally or not.

The first opinion: It is to be taken literally, meaning that whoever intentionally misses a single prayer until its time has elapsed becomes a disbeliever. Some scholars have used this as evidence that whoever misses the Asr prayer commits an act of disbelief, because nothing renders deeds futile except apostasy.

The second opinion: The warning mentioned is not to be taken literally. Those who hold this opinion have differed in their interpretation of the hadith (definition). Some of them believe that the hadith refers to one who misses it while deeming it permissible to do so (istihlālan), while others believe that the futility (hubūt) is specific to the prayer itself, meaning that one does not receive the reward of one who performs it on time. In this case, the intended "deed" (amal) that is rendered futile is the prayer itself.

What is more preponderant is that missing a prayer is of two types: A complete abandonment where one never prays at all; this renders all one's deeds futile. And a specific abandonment on a particular day; this renders the deeds of that day futile.