The ruling on the imam praying without ritual purity

Question:
Many questions have reached you in your name. This questioner says: Shaykh Salih, the imam of our mosque, led the congregation in prayer without being in a state of ritual purity, and this was discovered during the prayer. What is the ruling regarding him and the people praying behind him?

Answer:
If he entered the prayer without being in a state of ritual purity, then this prayer is invalid. He must leave, either by appointing someone else to lead the people in prayer, or by ordering them to wait for him until he performs the ritual purification and comes back to pray with them. This is something that happened to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he realized he was not in a state of ritual purity, he said, "Stay in your places," then he went and performed the ritual purification (peace and blessings be upon him), and he came back and prayed with them. He does not continue while he is not in a state of ritual purity; his prayer is invalid. Yes.