Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. It is the distinction between Islam and disbelief.
Question: A wife is asking about her husband who doesn’t pray in spite of telling him about the importance of prayer, what could she do?
There is no doubt that neglecting prayers out of laziness is one of the most heinous sins in Islam. Indeed, Prayer is the second pillar of Islam after the Testimony of Faith (testifying that there is no true god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying the zakah, making the pilgrimage (Hajj) to the Sacred House, and fasting the month of Ramadan.” (Al-Bukhari)
So, you are advised, dear sister, to do your best to help your husband come back to the right path and understand the essence and importance of Prayer. Try to do that in a wise and kind way seeking the help of the imam of a nearby Islamic center, friends, or influential family members.
Sheikh Muhammad Nur Abdullah, former president of ISNA (the Islamic Society of North America) and member of the Fiqh Council of North America, stated:
Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. It is the distinction between Islam and disbelief. It is reported that “the first thing a person will be asked about on the Day of Judgment is whether he or she fulfilled his or her duty toward Prayer; if it is good, the rest of his or her deeds would be good; but if it is bad, the rest of his or her deeds would be bad.” And the Qur’an, when addressing believers, frequently repeats the command to “establish Prayers.” (Al-Baqarah 2:43)
You should tell your husband that Allah has commanded us to perform certain obligations and refrain from certain prohibitions. We must, therefore, fulfill our obligations and abstain from forbidden acts.