Abusing the Ostentatious (Riya) Prayer

Question

For ten years Hind, wife of Zayd, has lived in bitter discord with her husband; becoming utterly rebellious, she gathered up all the household goods, jewellery and cloth and went off in a huff to her parents’ house. Hind’s heirs told Zayd, “Divorce Hind.” Zayd replied, “Return my property, jewellery, etc.” Hind’s heirs said, “Your property and jewellery have been set off against Hind’s maintenance — seven years have passed; what is she to eat and drink?” Zayd said, “If, when a wife is rebellious (nashiza)

Answer

Prayer and fasting are pillars of Islam; to abuse them, revile them or belittle them entails kufr — there is no hesitation about this. In istifta (no. 301), for the kind of question the questioner had recorded, the ruling was written accordingly in the reply.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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