with the following words (11/457):
“However, this may be understood to mean that he will be brought out as part of the handful, because of the general import of the words, ‘They never did any good whatsoever.’ This is mentioned in the hadith of Abu Saʿid that follows in the Book of the Oneness of God.” That is what he meant.
Yet al-Hafiz, may Allah have mercy on him, overlooked that the hadith itself contains a rebuttal of Ibn Abi Jamrah from another angle: just as Allah accepted the believers’ intercession for their brethren who prayed, fasted, and so forth on the first occasion, and they brought them out of the Fire by their distinguishing marks, when their intercession was accepted on the subsequent occasions and they brought out many people, there were plainly no people who prayed among them. Rather, they possessed goodness, each in accordance with his faith. This is exceedingly clear and cannot be missed by anyone, if Allah Most High wills.
Accordingly, the hadith is conclusive evidence that one who abandons the prayer—if he dies a Muslim testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah—will not remain eternally in the Fire along with the associationists. It is therefore very strong evidence that he falls under Allah Most High’s will, as stated in His words:
“Indeed, Allah does not forgive associationism with Him, but He forgives anything less than that for whomever He wills.” [al-Nisaʾ 4:48; 4:116]
Imam Ahmad also related in his Musnad (6/240) an explicit hadith on this matter, narrated from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, and attributed to the Prophet:
“The records before Allah, Exalted is He, are three...” The hadith includes:
“As for the record that Allah does not forgive, it is associationism with Allah. Allah, Exalted is He, said: ‘Whoever associates anything with Allah, Allah has certainly forbidden Paradise to him.’ [al-Maʾidah 5:72]
“As for the record to which Allah gives no weight at all, it is the servant’s wrongdoing against himself in matters between him and his Lord: a day of fasting that he neglected, or a prayer that he neglected. Allah, Exalted is He, forgives and pardons that, if He wills...” The hadith.
Al-Hakim graded it authentic (4/576). Although I do not regard this as established, for the reasons I explained in Takhrij Sharh al-Tahawiyyah (no. 384), it is supported by this authentic hadith—the hadith under discussion. So take heed.
Once you have understood what has preceded, my Muslim brother, I am truly left in unending astonishment at the failure to mention