He censured them despite their praying, because they neglected its obligatory requirements: performing it at its appointed time and completing its obligatory acts. As established in Sahīh Muslim, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“That is the hypocrite’s prayer! That is the hypocrite’s prayer! That is the hypocrite’s prayer! He watches the sun until, when it is between Satan’s two horns, he rises and pecks out four rak‘ahs, remembering Allah only a little during them.”

He described this as the hypocrites’ prayer because the person delayed it beyond its appointed time and pecked through it. It is also established in the Sahīh that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned rulers who would come after him and commit objectionable deeds. They asked, “Messenger of Allah, should we not fight them?” He replied, “No, so long as they pray.”

It is also established that he said:

“There will be rulers who delay prayer beyond its appointed time. Perform the prayer at its appointed time, then let your prayer with them be voluntary.”

Thus, he forbade fighting them so long as they prayed, indicating that if they did not pray, they were to be fought. He also explained that they would delay prayer beyond its appointed time. This constitutes a failure to observe it faithfully, not its abandonment.

Once the distinction between these two matters is understood, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, placed only those who failed to observe the prayers faithfully under Allah’s will, not those who abandoned them. The very reference to faithful observance implies that they prayed but failed to observe the prayers faithfully; it does not include those who failed to observe them faithfully. For if it did include such a case, they would undoubtedly be put to death as disbelievers and apostates.

It is inconceivable in ordinary circumstances that a man who believes in his heart, acknowledges that Allah has made prayer obligatory upon him, and is committed to the law of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and what he brought, would refuse the ruler’s command to pray until he is put to death, yet still be a believer inwardly. Such a man can only be a disbeliever. Even if he were to say, “I acknowledge that it is obligatory, but I do not perform it,”