The Ruling on the Mosque Imam Abandoning the Imamate to Visit People and Attend to Their Needs

Question:
He says: I work as the imam of a mosque. Is visiting my Muslim brothers and pursuing their interests during my working hours at the mosque, even if it leads to my absence for some periods, considered part of da'wah (calling others to Islam), especially if a man who has memorized the Qur'an stands up to lead the few who are present and acts as my substitute in prayer?

Answer:
My brother, you are the imam of a mosque, and being an imam is a responsibility and a trust. Either you perform the imamah as required, or you leave it to someone else and go to another job, which you call da'wah or something else. But you take on the imamah and neglect it, saying, "I am going to do da'wah." That is neglecting an obligatory duty for something that is merely recommended, which is not appropriate. The bottom line is that you must either perform the imamah as required, because it is a trust in your care, or you must leave it to someone else. Yes.