A Famous Debate?

The debate between Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and Imam Al-Shafi'i on the Kufr of the one who has abandoned Salah.

This debate is very famous between the two great imams.

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Al-Shafi’i said: Oh Ahmad, do you say that he is a kaafir?

Ahmad said: Yes.

Al-Shafi'i said: If he is a kaafir, how should he return to Islam?

Ahmad said: by saying; There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Al-Shafi’i said: So the man repeats in this saying and has not abandoned it?

Ahmad said: He converts back to Islam by praying.

Al-Shafi'i said: The prayer of a kaafir is not valid and he is not judged to be Muslim by it?

Imam Ahmed gave up and remained silent.

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This debate is narrated to us by Taj Al-Subki in his text Al-Tabaqat Al-Shafi'ya (2/61)

This story is completely baseless and is munkar (rejected) and was written in Al-Tabaqat about 500 years after the time it would have occurred and contains no Isnaad (chain of narration).

The story also absolutely belittles Imam Ahmad. It also belittles the knowledge of Imam Al-Shafi'i

Whilst there is no authentic report on Imam Al-Shafi'is view on the one who abandons prayer.

It is narrated that from his students most did not hold the view of Takfir, as is narrated by Al-Sabuni in Aqeedat Al-Salaf, Al-Nawawi in his Majmu' (3/14).

Some indicated that takfir was the view of the Imam such as Al-Tahawi in Mushkil Al-Aathar (3179) and in Mukhtasar Ikhtilaaf Al-Ulamaa (4/393)

At a minimum, Al-Shafi'i himself in Al-Umm (1/208)

"if a man abandons the prayer until it's time has left, he has exposed himself to evil that he must seek forgiveness from Allah"

As for Imam Ahmad, his view on this is famous and there is no indication he changed his view.

His view is well known from his students such as Abdullah, Ibn Han'i, Khallal, Abu Dawood, and many others.

This general agreement of his students on his view is narrated by Ibn Abi Ya'la in Tabaqat Al-Hanabila (1/27)

As for Imam Maalik, what is most famous is that he did not view the one who abandons the prayer to be a kaafir as is narrated by a majority of his students. This is mentioned on him by Ibn Rushd (Al-Jadd) in Al-Muqaddimaa. However no direct quote is narrated by Maalik on this.

As for Imam Abu Hanifa, it is well known he did not do takfir on this issue. This is narrated by many of his companions. It is also narrated in Mushkil Al-Aathar of Al-Tahawi (3179), Mukhtasar ikhtilaaf Al-Ulamaa (4/393).

May Allah have mercy upon these four Ulamaa and their righteous students.

This is translated and abridged from Sifat Salaat Al-Nabi ﷺ by Shaykh Abdulaziz Al-Turayfi (may Allah rectify his affair)

And Allah knows best and may have forgive me for any error I have made.