He says, “I reside in an area where there is only one mosque, and the permanent imam of this mosque is ignorant of the rulings of the religion, does not perform the prayer properly, and does not perform it with tranquility.”
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The questioner : He says, “I reside in an area where there is only one mosque, and the permanent imam of this mosque is ignorant of the rulings of the religion, does not perform the prayer properly, and does not perform it with tranquility. His state has reached the point where he completes the recitation of a verse while bowing. This imam revives religious innovations and maintains them, and he dislikes the Sunnah and shuns it.”
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for well-being.
The questioner : Out of his ignorance and his false claim, he says that we do not love the Prophet.
The Shaykh : I seek refuge in Allah.
The questioner : This is because we do not send blessings upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) with the loud formula after the adhan. We have advised him many times, but he does not like those who advise him, and he is insistent on the innovations. We have informed him that what he does is an innovation and not part of the religion, and we have guided him to the Sunnahs, but he did not respond to our words. The matter did not stop at him merely opposing us; rather, it reached the point where he publicized us as being outside the religion and as innovators in matters that are not innovations. The general public agrees with him on this, and he is the permanent imam. So what should I and those like me do with this imam? There is no mosque other than this one. Should I pray in my house, or what should I do?
The Shaykh : If the situation is as you have described regarding this imam, then it is obligatory first that you raise the matter to the authorities so that they may remove him from the imamate or correct him. If this is not possible and this imam remains in the state you described, then it is not permissible for you to pray behind him. You have the right to pray in your homes, either by gathering at the home of a specific person among you and praying in congregation there, or by each of you praying in his own home with his children and family. As for praying behind one in this state, it is not permissible. Yes.
The questioner : He has another question, he says.
The Shaykh : We ask Allah for well-being.
The questioner : Out of his ignorance and his false claim, he says that we do not love the Prophet.
The Shaykh : I seek refuge in Allah.
The questioner : This is because we do not send blessings upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) with the loud formula after the adhan. We have advised him many times, but he does not like those who advise him, and he is insistent on the innovations. We have informed him that what he does is an innovation and not part of the religion, and we have guided him to the Sunnahs, but he did not respond to our words. The matter did not stop at him merely opposing us; rather, it reached the point where he publicized us as being outside the religion and as innovators in matters that are not innovations. The general public agrees with him on this, and he is the permanent imam. So what should I and those like me do with this imam? There is no mosque other than this one. Should I pray in my house, or what should I do?
The Shaykh : If the situation is as you have described regarding this imam, then it is obligatory first that you raise the matter to the authorities so that they may remove him from the imamate or correct him. If this is not possible and this imam remains in the state you described, then it is not permissible for you to pray behind him. You have the right to pray in your homes, either by gathering at the home of a specific person among you and praying in congregation there, or by each of you praying in his own home with his children and family. As for praying behind one in this state, it is not permissible. Yes.
The questioner : He has another question, he says.