One who Abandons Salah may not be taken as a Friend
Q: A question by F.A. from Riyadh stating: Is it permissible to make a friendship relation with a person who does not sometimes or often perform Salah (Prayer)?
A: It is impermissible for a Muslim to make a friendship relation with a person who does not sometimes offer Salah. Rather, he should be advised not to do so and his bad deed must be denied. If he repents, he may be taken as a friend; otherwise, he should be abandoned. Rather, the questioner has to hate such a person for Allah's sake until he repents from this major sin. Actually, abandoning Salah is major disbelief based on the following Hadith: “That which differentiates us from them (i.e. disbelievers and hypocrites) is our performance of Salah. He who abandons it, becomes a disbeliever." (Related by Imam Ahmad and Ahl-ul-Sunan (authors of Hadith compilations classified by jurisprudential themes) through a trustworthy chain of narrators on the authority of Buraydah Ibn Al-Husayb (رضي الله عنه)). Moreover, Muslim recorded in his Sahih on the authority of Jabir (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “What makes one a disbeliever and a polytheist is abandoning Salah.”
Accordingly, it is obligatory on all Muslims to love, hate, ally and show enmity for Allah's sake. Allah (سبØانه وتعالى) says: “Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrâhîm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allâh: we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred for ever until you believe in Allâh Alone" [Surah Al-Mumtahanah, 60: 4]
In a country enforcing Shari’ah (Islamic law), such a person should be referred to rulers, until he repents or, otherwise, be killed. Actually, the Hadd (prescribed punishment) for a person who abandons Salah and refuses to repent is being killed. In this regard, Allah (عز وجل) says: “But if they repent and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, then leave their way free.” [Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 5] The Ayah (Qur'anic verse) indicates that whoever abandons Salah and refuses to repent may not be set free and shall be killed.
However, the preponderant view is that such a person shall be killed for being a disbeliever in view of the above-quoted two Hadiths as well as other Hadiths to the same effect. Moreover, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “I have been prohibited from killing people who offer Salah”
The Hadith indicates that those who do not offer Salah are not prohibited to be killed. Rather, they must be killed if they do not repent as a deterrent punishment for those who commit such a heinous crime.
We ask Allah to set right the affairs of Muslims and to guide all of us to be firm in religion. Allah is All-Hearing, Ever-Near.
[Majmoo’al-Fataawa Ibn Baaz, Vol.: 10; pp. 270 - 272]