Question : A question was asked regarding [the validity of] the fast of the person who does not pray.

Fatwa in Brief: Fasting without praying is not permitted. If one does not pray then one ceases to be Muslim. Thus, one’s fasting is not valid.

Shaykh Ibn al-‘Uthaymin, Fatawa al-Siyam, p. 34

Response:

Whoever fulfills the pillars of fasting from intention, refraining from eating, drinking, sex and other things from the Dawn till sun set, his fast is valid [in the sense that it is technically correct, not in the sense of being rewarded]; and not praying does not affect its validity.

Commentary:

If an act of worship is performed correctly according to the conditions specified by Islamic law, then it is valid; and it should not be repeated. If someone refrains from eating, drinking, committing any sexual act, or from any of the other prohibited acts during the time of fasting, from dawn until sunset, his fast must be judged as correct, and not invalid (batil). This holds true even if, during the same period of time, he commits sins, such as telling lies, or fails to pray.

Yet, while his fasting is correct, is it rewarded by God? The correct hadiths suggest that is not. Thus one states: “If one does not give up falsehoods in words and actions, God has no need of him [the faster] giving up food and drink”. This hadith is included in all [six Canonical] hadith collections, except that of Muslim. This is to say that, while correct, his fasting is not rewarded. However, he [the faster] should not be asked to repeat it because it is nevertheless correct.

The same applies regarding those who fast, but do not pray. Their fasting is technically correct, and thus need not be repeated. However, the above hadith suggests that, under these conditions, God will neither accept their fast, nor grant them a reward for it. Indeed, even if we suppose that their fast is accepted and rewarded by God, the penalty attached to their failure to pray will be severe. If God has not first forgiven the person neglects to pray, it will cost him mightily on the Day of Judgment. Hence, we should direct our eyes towards, and instill in our hearts, God’s words:

“And whoso doeth good an atom’s weight will see it then, and whoso doeth ill an atom’s weight, will see it then”. (Q. 99: 7-8)

“Whoso doeth right it is for his soul, and whoso doeth wrong it is against it. And thy Lord is not at all a tyrant to His slaves”. (Q. 41: 46)

Regarding the idea that the fast of this person is invalid because, by ceasing to pray, s/he also ceases to be Muslim, we have discussed this point already. [To sum up our response then] According to the four [Sunni] Imams, only the person who ceases to pray because s/he believes that prayer is not an obligation may be described as non-Muslim.

And God knows best.

Dr. ‘Ali Mansur