What is the ruling on one who neglects prayer out of laziness, and is that considered an act of rejection or merely laziness?

One must avoid the company of those who abandon prayer and indulge in corruption, and be keen on the company of the righteous. Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. One who abandons it, denying its obligation, is an infidel by consensus. One who abandons it out of laziness is considered an infidel by some scholars. The debate between Imam Ahmad and Al-Shafi'i does not permit abandoning prayer. If someone says that prayer is not important, if it is in mockery, it is disbelief; if it is a mistake, they must repent. Prayer is the head of every good, and abandoning it is the ugliest evil. One who hopes for Allah's forgiveness while persisting in disobedience has been overcome by Satan. Abandoning prayer is one of the causes of wretchedness. The phrase "religion is ease" does not mean abandoning obligatory duties; rather, it means forbidding what leads to boredom and cessation. Accusing those who adhere to religion of extremism should not be heeded.