Q 3: What should I do with a close friend who does not accept my advice and refuses to offer Salah (Prayer) saying: Verily you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) guide not whom you like, but Allâh guides whom He wills. ?

A: You should keep advising your friend who does not offer Salah. If he does not accept your advice, you should abandon him, because abandoning Salah is Kufr (disbelief). Allah (Exalted be He) says: You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will not find any people who believe in Allâh and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). And: O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists) as friends It is untrue to use the Ayah (Qur'anic verse): Verily you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) guide not whom you like as evidence to support his claim. Guiding to the straight path is required and possible for man. Allah (Exalted be He) addressed Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) saying: And verily, you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the Straight Path (i.e. Allâh’s Religion of Islâmic Monotheism). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If Allah guides one person through you, it will be better for you than red (expensive) camels. (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) However, the previous Ayah rules out man's ability to guide to the acceptance of Truth, for this is confined to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) alone. Allah says: (Part No. 5; Page No. 38)  Not upon you (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is their guidance, but Allâh guides whom He wills. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.