Six Shar‘i Rulings About One Who Abandons All Prayers Except Jumu‘ah
ماخوذ: فتاویٰ ارکان اسلام
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
In the Ummah today, there are many who abandon the five daily prayers and attend only Jumu‘ah (Friday prayer). What is the shar‘i ruling regarding such a person? Is his Jumu‘ah accepted? What are the consequences of abandoning the obligatory prayers while maintaining attendance at Jumu‘ah?
Allah alone knows whose deeds are accepted or rejected. However, He has informed us of certain causes that lead to rejection, such as shirk (polytheism) and persistent disobedience.
﴿إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾
“Verily, Allah accepts only from the righteous (muttaqīn).”
(Surah al-Mā’idah: 27)
Thus, acceptance is tied to taqwā, not selective obedience.
If a person commits shirk, his deeds are null and void until he sincerely repents.
﴿لَئِنۡ أَشۡرَكۡتَ لَيَحۡبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ﴾
“If you commit shirk, surely your deeds will be nullified.”
(Surah al-Zumar: 65)
As long as a person avoids shirk, his acts of worship may still hold value, provided he repents from negligence in other duties.
Neglecting ṣalāh intentionally is a severe sin. The Prophet ﷺ said:
«من ترك الصلاة متعمدًا فقد برئت منه ذمة الله»
“Whoever abandons the prayer deliberately, Allah is free from him.”
(Shuʿab al-Īmān, 291)
This indicates that even missing one prayer intentionally removes divine protection and covenant.
There is no explicit evidence in the Qur’an or Sunnah that suggests all of a person’s other acts of worship become void merely due to abandoning ṣalāh — unless shirk is also present.
☑ However, prayer is the pillar of Islam and neglecting it compromises the entire structure of one’s religion.
A person who prays only Jumu‘ah and neglects the five daily prayers is undoubtedly committing a major sin. However, scholars advise not to declare his Jumu‘ah invalid outright.
Why?
Because:
Such individuals should not be told: “Your Jumu‘ah is not accepted.” Rather:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«بشروا ولا تنفروا، ويسروا ولا تعسروا»
“Give glad tidings and do not repel people; make things easy and do not make them difficult.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
① Only Allah decides whose worship is accepted.
② Shirk nullifies all deeds, while negligence in prayer is a major sin.
③ Intentionally missing ṣalāh entails severe warning.
④ There's no clear evidence that other deeds are nullified merely due to abandoning ṣalāh.
⑤ The Jumu‘ah prayer of such a person is not to be declared invalid hastily.
⑥ The correct response is da‘wah, not dismissal.
وبالله التوفيق
ماخوذ: فتاویٰ ارکان اسلام
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
❖ Introduction
In the Ummah today, there are many who abandon the five daily prayers and attend only Jumu‘ah (Friday prayer). What is the shar‘i ruling regarding such a person? Is his Jumu‘ah accepted? What are the consequences of abandoning the obligatory prayers while maintaining attendance at Jumu‘ah?
✦ ① Acceptance of Worship Is Solely in Allah’s Hands
Allah alone knows whose deeds are accepted or rejected. However, He has informed us of certain causes that lead to rejection, such as shirk (polytheism) and persistent disobedience.
﴿إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾
“Verily, Allah accepts only from the righteous (muttaqīn).”
(Surah al-Mā’idah: 27)
Thus, acceptance is tied to taqwā, not selective obedience.
✦ ② Shirk Nullifies All Deeds
If a person commits shirk, his deeds are null and void until he sincerely repents.
﴿لَئِنۡ أَشۡرَكۡتَ لَيَحۡبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ﴾
“If you commit shirk, surely your deeds will be nullified.”
(Surah al-Zumar: 65)
As long as a person avoids shirk, his acts of worship may still hold value, provided he repents from negligence in other duties.✦ ③ Abandoning Prayer Is a Major Sin
Neglecting ṣalāh intentionally is a severe sin. The Prophet ﷺ said:
«من ترك الصلاة متعمدًا فقد برئت منه ذمة الله»
“Whoever abandons the prayer deliberately, Allah is free from him.”
(Shuʿab al-Īmān, 291)
This indicates that even missing one prayer intentionally removes divine protection and covenant.✦ ④ Does Abandoning Ṣalāh Invalidate Other Deeds?
There is no explicit evidence in the Qur’an or Sunnah that suggests all of a person’s other acts of worship become void merely due to abandoning ṣalāh — unless shirk is also present.
☑ However, prayer is the pillar of Islam and neglecting it compromises the entire structure of one’s religion.
✦ ⑤ The Case of the "Friday-Only" Muslim
A person who prays only Jumu‘ah and neglects the five daily prayers is undoubtedly committing a major sin. However, scholars advise not to declare his Jumu‘ah invalid outright.
Why?Because:
- He is still holding on to a thread of religious practice.
- He may be impacted by the Friday sermon and return to full observance.
- Harsh declarations may push him away from the Deen altogether.
✦ ⑥ The Correct Approach: Counsel and Concern
Such individuals should not be told: “Your Jumu‘ah is not accepted.” Rather:
- Encourage them with gentle reminders.
- Highlight the importance of daily ṣalāh.
- Pray that Allah guides them toward full observance.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«بشروا ولا تنفروا، ويسروا ولا تعسروا»
“Give glad tidings and do not repel people; make things easy and do not make them difficult.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī)
Summary of the Six Shar‘i Rulings
① Only Allah decides whose worship is accepted.
② Shirk nullifies all deeds, while negligence in prayer is a major sin.
③ Intentionally missing ṣalāh entails severe warning.
④ There's no clear evidence that other deeds are nullified merely due to abandoning ṣalāh.
⑤ The Jumu‘ah prayer of such a person is not to be declared invalid hastily.
⑥ The correct response is da‘wah, not dismissal.
وبالله التوفيق
