They renewed marriage contract because husband did not pray
28-10-2013 | IslamWeb
Question:
Asallam U Alaikum, If wife prayed regularly and husband did not pray at all. When they found out ruling that marriage contact should be renewed and they renewed it. Would any statement of divorce made before the contract was renewed be counted as divorce or not. Even if at the time of the first conract they thought it was a valid contract and were ignorant of ruling of one who does not pray. JazakAllah hu Khair
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The scholars of Fiqh differed in opinion about the ruling on a person who abandons the prayer out of laziness; and the majority of the scholars are of the view that he does not go out of the fold of Islam. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 84235.
Therefore, this husband's marriage contract is valid and there is no need to renew it. Hence, the divorces that were issued in this marriage are taken into account and are effective.
On the other hand, this husband should repent to Allaah from abandoning the prayer, which is one of the grave major sins if not an act that takes a person out of the fold of Islam. He should also supplicate Allaah to make him firm on the straight path.
Allaah Knows best.