Comparing Good Character without Worship and Worship without Good Character

Question

One man is a Muslim, in belief (ʿaqida) a firm adherent of the Hanafi school. He diligently recites the Noble Qur’an together with its translation, is a man of good qualities, detests lying and strives as much as possible to keep himself from disobedience and bad character — to the point that no base habit has been seen or heard of in him. But he is heedless of the essential thing, prayer and fasting; that is, he abandons them.

Answer

Prayer is the pillar of the religion. Whoever abandons prayer is engaged in a very great act of disobedience, to the point that if he abandons it deliberately, with no intention of making it up (qada’) and with no fear of punishment, the matter reaches the level of disbelief (kufr).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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