a covenant that He will forgive him. But whoever does not do so will have no covenant with Allah: if He wills, He will forgive him, and if He wills, He will punish him.” (1)
This may mean: whoever does not perform them in this manner—namely, completing the bowing, prostration, and humility.
It may also mean: whoever does not perform them in this manner—namely, completing the bowing, prostration, and humility.
It may mean: whoever does not perform all of them, but prays some and abandons others.
Or it may mean: whoever does not perform any one of them, but abandons them all.
Since the hadith may bear these meanings, it is equivocal and must therefore be understood according to the interpretation that accords with the clear and decisive texts.
The second category consists of general texts that are qualified by the hadiths indicating the disbelief of one who abandons the prayer, such as the Prophet’s statement, peace and blessings be upon him, in the hadith of Mu'adh ibn Jabal: “There is no servant who testifies that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, except that