Is it true that whoever prays Friday Prayer is not a disbeliever, as reported from Ibn Uthaymeen and Ibn Taymiyyah, based on the hadith "tark as-salat" (abandoning prayer) and not "tark salat" (abandoning a prayer)?
Those who assert that abandoning prayer constitutes disbelief differ on the extent of abandonment that necessitates disbelief, holding two views:
The first view: Disbelief is incurred by abandoning a single obligatory prayer or two. This has been narrated from the Companions and the Tabi'in, and it is the opinion of the people of knowledge. Imam Ahmad, Ibn al-Mubarak, and Ibn Hazm adopted this view, and it is what the Permanent Committee for Issuing Fatwas has ruled. The lapse of time means delaying Dhuhr prayer until sunset, and Maghrib prayer until dawn.
The second view: The one who abandons prayer does not disbelieve unless they abandon it entirely. This view was adopted by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen. Ibn 'Uthaymeen believes that whoever prays one or two obligatory prayers does not disbelieve, but whoever abandons prayer perpetually is a disbeliever. Ibn 'Uthaymeen also believes that whoever only prays Jumu'ah (Friday prayer) and no other prayers is a disbeliever, because such a person is not considered to be a worshiper.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/10766