Answered by Shaykh Gibril F Haddad
Can you please elaborate on actions not being directly related to belief given that many hadiths and words of the Companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and early Muslims indicate that someone who leaves prayer falls into disbelief
As-Salamu `alaykum:
The one who does not pray and the quitter of prayer in those reports must be understood as those that do not consider prayer an obligation upon them. There is no disagreement among the scholars of Ahl al-Sunna that such are disbelievers (kafirs) and Allah knows best.
Faraz notes:
As for those who leave prayer out of laziness or lack of motivation, they are believers who have fallen into major sin. They must repent to their Lord and change their ways. It is our duty to call them to the truth, in the best and most appealing of ways.
The hadiths about leaving prayer entailing disbelief are considered to apply to them insofar as:
a) they have fallen into heedlessness only befitting disbelievers;
b) without prayer, their faith is likely to continue to weaken and fade untilit is fearedthey may even fall into actual denial and disbelief.
May Allah protect us, our families, communities, and the Ummah of the Beloved of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), and make us of those who establish the prayer in the way most beloved to Him.