Reports narrated from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, establishing that prayer is part of faith; and this was likewise narrated from the Companions: ‘Umar, ‘Ali, ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, Abu al-Darda’, al-Bara’, and Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah.

1502 — It is also related from him that he was asked, “During the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, which deed did you regard as distinguishing disbelief from faith?” He replied, “Prayer.”

Al-Hasan said: “It has reached me that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to say, ‘The boundary between a servant and his committing shirk (associating partners with Allah), thereby falling into disbelief, is that he abandons prayer without excuse.’”

This view was also held among the Successors by Mujahid, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, Jabir ibn Zayd, ‘Amr ibn Dinar, Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, and al-Qasim ibn Mukhaymirah; and among the jurists by Malik, al-Awza‘i, al-Shafi‘i, Sharik ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Nakha‘i, Ahmad, Ishaq, Abu Thawr, and Abu ‘Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Sallam.