Prayer Behind a Sufi Innovator Imam

Question:
If the imam of the neighborhood is a Sufi, meaning he permits attending mawlid celebrations, permits visiting graves on the day of Eid, and practices these matters, is the prayer behind him valid?

Answer:
If you find another imam or another mosque whose imam you doubt, go to it and do not pray behind this one, because he is an innovator. However, if you do not find one and there is no congregation in another mosque.
If his innovation is one that entails disbelief, such as calling upon other than Allah, slaughtering for other than Allah, or seeking aid from other than Allah, then the prayer behind him is not valid. Pray alone and do not pray behind him. But if his innovation is less than disbelief and less than shirk (associating partners with Allah), and it only entails open sinfulness, then pray behind him and do not pray alone. Pray behind him because the prayer is valid, and if one’s prayer is valid, his imamate is valid, especially in cases of need and dire necessity.