If someone does not pray, will their fasting be accepted?

It is narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Islam is built upon five things: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving zakat, performing Hajj, and fasting in Ramadan." (Bukhari, Muslim).

Fulfilling all the obligatory acts prescribed in Islam is a duty. However, the acceptance and reward of a Muslim’s acts of worship depend on their sincere faith (iman). That is, if a person truly believes in what the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) conveyed from Allah, performs prayer, fasts, gives zakat, goes on Hajj, and does other good deeds, their supplications will be accepted and they will be rewarded. In short, the acceptance of all good deeds depends first and foremost on our faith.

Allah does not leave any deed without reward or punishment. In the Qur’an, it is said:

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” (Surah Az-Zalzalah, 7-8).

Allah will not disregard the fasting of a person who does not pray; He will give them the reward they deserve. About His justice, our Creator says in the Holy Qur’an:

“We shall set up just scales for the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. Even if it is the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We as Reckoners.” (Surah Al-Anbiya, 47).

Praying five times a day and fasting in Ramadan are separate acts of worship commanded in Islam. A person who does not pray can still fast. However, it should not be forgotten that prayer has a high status and neglecting it is a major sin. Prayer is obligatory for every sane, mature Muslim. It is an act of worship performed five times daily. On the Day of Judgment, the first deed to be questioned will be the prayer.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "On the Day of Judgment, the first thing a person will be asked about is their prayer. If it is sound, they will succeed and prosper. If it is lacking, they will fail and lose." (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Nasa’i).

Prepared by Hasan AMANKUL