Azami 1737

Ibn Majah (4034) narrated it via Rashid Abu Muhammad Hamani, from Shahr bin Hawshab, from Umm Darda, from Abu Darda, and he mentioned it. Bukhari also recorded it through this same route in Adab al-Mufrad (18), and Lalikai in Usul Itiqad (1524). There is some discussion regarding Shahr, though his narration does not fall below the grade of hasan when it does not contradict more reliable narrators.Among its corroborating narrations is what was reported from Anas bin Malik, from the Prophet ﷺ, who said, "Between a servant and shirk there is nothing but abandoning prayer, and if he abandons it he has disbelieved." Ibn Majah (1080) narrated it from Abdul-Rahman bin Ibrahim Dimashqi, who said, Walid bin Muslim told us, who said, Uzai told us, from Amr bin Saeed, from Yazid Raqashi, from Anas, and he mentioned it. Yazid is Ibn Aban Raqashi, who was a righteous, ascetic man given to weeping, but he was inattentive to the careful study of hadith, and for that reason the majority of scholars graded him daif.It was also reported from Anas, as a raised hadith, with the wording, "Whoever abandons prayer deliberately has openly disbelieved." Tabarani narrated it in Awsat (3372). He said, Jafar told us, who said, Muhammad bin Abu Dawud Anbari told us, who said, Hashim bin Qasim told us, from Abu Jafar Razi, from Rabi bin Anas, from Anas, and he mentioned it. Daraqutni was asked about this hadith, and he said, "Ali bin Jaad differed from him and narrated it from Abu Jafar, from Rabi, as a mursal narration, and the mursal version is closer to being correct."I say, its axis also rests on Abu Jafar Razi, who is Isa bin Abu Isa Abdullah bin Mahan. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Majruhin (702) and said, "He was among those who transmitted unfamiliar reports from well-known narrators on his own authority. I am not pleased with citing his reports as evidence, except where they agree with reliable narrators, and it is not permissible to consider his narration except where it does not contradict the most reliable ones." The Hafiz said in Taqrib, "Truthful, but weak in memory." So this may be one of the errors he made, adding the word "openly," for he was not corroborated in this addition.As for Haythami's critique in Majma al-Zawaid (295/1), where he said, "Tabarani narrated it in Awsat, and its narrators are all reliable except Muhammad bin Abu Dawud, for I did not find anyone who documented his biography. Ibn Hibban mentioned Muhammad bin Abu Dawud Baghdadi among the reliable narrators in Thiqat, but I do not know whether this is the same person or not." I say, he is among the narrators found in Tahdhib, where the Hafiz placed him at the rank of "truthful." Abu Dawud here is Sulayman Anbari, Abu Harun bin Abu Dawud, and perhaps Haythami became confused because he did not know his father's name.Among its corroborating narrations is what was reported from Umm Ayman, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do not abandon prayer deliberately, for whoever abandons prayer deliberately, the protection of Allah and His Messenger has been withdrawn from him." Imam Ahmad (27364) narrated it from Walid bin Muslim, who said, Saeed bin Abdul-Aziz informed us, from Makhul, from Umm Ayman, and he mentioned it. Abd bin Humayd (1594) also narrated it from Umar bin Saeed Dimashqi, from Saeed bin Abdul-Aziz Tanukhi, with a chain longer than this. Umar said, Someone other than Saeed told us that Zuhri said, The one to whom this advice was given was Thawban.I say, the chain contains Makhul, who is Makhul Shami, and he did not hear from Umm Ayman. Abu Hatim said, I asked Abu Mushir, "Did Makhul hear from any of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ?" He said, "As far as we have verified, only from Anas bin Malik." Mizzi and others have confirmed that his narration from Umm Ayman is mursal.Among its corroborating narrations is what was reported from Muaz, who said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed me with ten commands. He said, 'Do not associate anything with Allah, even if you are killed or burned. Do not disobey your parents, even if they order you to leave your family and wealth. Never abandon a prescribed prayer, for whoever abandons a prescribed prayer deliberately, the protection of Allah has been withdrawn from him. Do not drink wine, for it is the root of every immorality. Beware of disobedience, for disobedience brings on the wrath of Allah Almighty. Beware of fleeing from the battlefield, even if the people are destroyed. If plague strikes the people while you are among them, remain steadfast. Spend on your dependents from your means. Do not withhold your rod of discipline from them, and make them fear Allah.'" Imam Ahmad (22075) narrated it from Abu Yaman, who said, Ismail bin Ayyash informed us, from Safwan bin Amr, from Abdul-Rahman bin Jubayr bin Nufayr Hadrami, from Muaz, and he mentioned it. Abdul-Rahman bin Jubayr bin Nufayr did not meet Muaz, and his narration from him is mursal. See Tuhfat Tahsil (p. 196).It has another chain, narrated by Tabarani in Kabir (20/82) through Amr bin Waqid, from Yunus bin Maysara bin Halabas, from Abu Idris Khawlani, from Muaz bin Jabal, that a man said, "Messenger of Allah, teach me a deed that, if I do it, will bring me into Paradise." He said, "Do not associate anything with Allah..." the hadith continuing in similar wording, with the addition, "Do not contest authority with those who hold it, even if you feel it is rightfully yours." But this chain is nothing to be pleased about, for it contains Amr bin Waqid, who is Amr Dimashqi, extremely daif, graded daif by the vast majority of scholars, and in Taqrib it says, "Discarded." Haythami said in Majma al-Zawaid (138/1), regarding another hadith, "Amr bin Waqid was accused of lying, and his hadith is unfamiliar."Among its corroborating narrations is what was reported from Umaymah, a freedwoman of the Prophet ﷺ, who said, "One day I was helping him with his ablution, pouring water over his hands, when a Bedouin came to him and said, 'Advise me, Messenger of Allah, for I wish to return to my family.' He said, 'Do not associate anything with Allah, even if you are cut to pieces and burned with fire. Obey your parents in whatever they command you, and if they command you to give up your worldly possessions and family, then give them up. Never abandon prayer deliberately, for whoever abandons it, the protection of Allah Almighty and the protection of His Messenger ﷺ have been withdrawn from him.'" Marwazi narrated it in Tazim Qadr Salah (912) from Mahmud bin Adam, who said, Fadl bin Musa told us, who said, Abu Farwa Rahawi told us, from Abu Yahya Kalai, from Habib bin Nufayr, from Umaymah, the freedwoman of the Prophet ﷺ, and he mentioned it.Abu Farwa is Yazid bin Sinan, and through his route Hakim (4/41) also recorded it, adding that he did not speak further. Dhahabi said, "Its chain is feeble." I say, it contains Yazid bin Sinan Tamimi, Abu Farwa Rahawi, whom the majority of scholars have graded daif, and Munziri cited him as the flaw in Targhib wa Tarhib (828).Hafiz Munziri mentioned these hadiths and others in Targhib wa Tarhib, and he discussed the chains of some of them. Ibn Nasr Marwazi also recorded these hadiths in his book Tazim Qadr Salah, and the editor, Dr. Abdul-Rahman Fariwai, studied their chains and gave rulings on them, so refer to it. Given the abundance of these corroborating narrations, some scholars have graded it hasan. And Allah grants success.Reports have also come from a number of the companions, the successors, and those after them, stating that they saw no distinction between disbelief and faith except the abandonment of prayer. Among them is what Marwazi narrated in Tazim Qadr Salah (947) from Yahya bin Yahya, who said, Abu Khaythama informed us, from Abu Zubayr, who said, "I heard Jabir being asked by a man, 'Did you consider sin among you to be shirk?' He said, 'No.' He was also asked what stood between a servant and disbelief. He said, 'Abandoning prayer.'" Its chain is hasan on account of Abu Zubayr, and Abu Khaythama is Zuhayr bin Muawiya Jufi.Marwazi also recorded it (892) through another route from Ibn Ishaq, who said, Abu Aban bin Salih told me, from Mujahid bin Jabr Abu Hajjaj, from Jabir bin Abdullah, who said, "I asked him, 'What distinguished disbelief from faith among the deeds in your time, in the era of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?' He said, 'Prayer.'" Its chain is hasan on account of Muhammad bin Ishaq, who was a mudallis but has clearly stated the mode of transmission here.Marwazi also recorded (924) from Muhammad bin Yahya, who said, Abdul-Razzaq told us, from Mamar, from Zuhri, from Ubaydullah, from Ibn Abbas, who said, "When Umar was stabbed, I and a group of the Ansar carried him until we brought him into his house. He remained in a single state of unconsciousness until dawn broke. We said, 'The prayer, O commander of the faithful!' He opened his eyes and said, 'Have the people prayed?' We said, 'Yes.' He said, 'There is no share in Islam for anyone who abandons prayer.' Then he prayed, while his wound was gushing blood." Its chain is sahih. Ubaydullah is Ibn Abdullah bin Utba bin Masud Hudhali.Hafiz bin Qayyim said, "He said this in the presence of the companions, and they did not object to him." Salah wa Hukm Tarikiha (p. 50). This is supported by the statement of Abdullah bin Shaqiq, "The companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not consider abandoning any deed to be disbelief except prayer." Tirmidhi (2622) narrated it from Qutayba bin Saeed, who said, Bishr bin Mufaddal told us, from Jareeri, from Abdullah bin Shaqiq, and he mentioned it. Its chain is sahih. It has also been reported from Abu Hurairah, but that is not sahih, and the preserved version is from Abdullah bin Shaqiq.Ishaq bin Rahawayh reported a consensus on this, saying, "It has been established as sahih from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that whoever abandons prayer is a disbeliever, and this has likewise been the view of the scholars from the time of the Prophet ﷺ to this day, that whoever deliberately abandons prayer without excuse until its time has passed is a disbeliever." Tazim Qadr Salah (990).What is meant by abandoning prayer is denying its obligation. As for someone who abandons one or two prayers out of negligence and laziness, or prays only occasionally, it appears that such a person does not become a disbeliever, since he has not abandoned it entirely, as is stated in the text of the hadith, "abandoning prayer." This person has abandoned "a prayer," not "the prayer" entirely. The default state is the continuation of Islam, so we do not remove someone from it except with certainty, for what has been established with certainty cannot be lifted except with certainty. See Sharh Mumti (2/24–28).