1594 — Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Basir informed us; he said: Uthman ibn Ahmad narrated to us; he said: Hanbal ibn Ishaq narrated to us; he said: al-Humaydi narrated to us:

I was informed that some people say: “Whoever affirms prayer, zakah, fasting, and pilgrimage, yet does none of these things until he dies—or prays facing away from the qiblah until he dies—is a believer, so long as he does not deny them, provided that he knows that abandoning them [is sinful]—that is, so long as he acknowledges the obligatory duties and facing the qiblah.”

So I said: “This is outright disbelief, and contrary to the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and the practice of the Muslims. Allah, Exalted is He, says: ‘And they were commanded only to worship Allah, devoting their religion sincerely to Him, inclining to true faith, and to establish prayer and give zakah.’ [al-Bayyinah: 5]”