Q: What is the ruling on a person who abandons Salah (prayer), does not observe Sawm (fasting) during Ramadan and makes a mockery of religious obligations and Sunnah such as growing a beard and shortening one’s garment (for men: to avoid the trailing of garment on the ground out of pride)? Please, clarify how to deal with such a person whether he is a brother, a father, or a friend?

A: The person who intentionally abandons Salah may do so either out of negligence or out of denying its obligation. If he denies its obligation, he is a Kafir (disbeliever) by scholarly consensus. If he abandons Salah out of being negligent, he is regarded as a Kafir, according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): The covenant between us and them is Salah, whoever abandons it has disbelieved. Reported by Ahmad and the Compilers of the Sunan with a sound Isnad (chain of narrators) (Part No. 2; Page No. 44) on the authority of Buraydah ibn Al-Hasib. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: What is between a person and committing Shirk (associating partners with Allah) and Kufr (disbelief) is abandoning Salah. Reported by Imam Muslim in his Sahih (Book of Authentic Hadith). There are many proofs in this regard.Anyone who makes a mockery of the religion of Islam and the authentically reported Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) like growing a beard, or that men shorten their garments to the ankles or to halfway down their shin while knowing that they are authentically reported is a Kafir. Moreover, anyone who ridicules a Muslim and scorns them just because they are religiously-committed to Islam is a Kafir. Allah (Exalted be He) says: Say: "Was it at Allâh (عز وجل), and His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations) and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.