Guidance for absent imams and mu'adhhdhins and their supervision
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
This question says: Your Eminence, father, some imams rarely attend their mosque, and some are not committed. I hope you will guide such people. There is also a question related to this, or a result of this negligence: Why do I see so many imams of the mosques, particularly from the Asian communities, especially since these communities do not master the Arabic language, particularly in the Name of the Exalted when reciting the Qur'an, and in the adhan and iqamah when pronouncing the two testimonies, saying "I bear witness that there is no..." and so on? Then they rush forward to lead the prayer as imam, while there are people behind them who recite well in clear Arabic. Can the authorities not put in place a plan for mandatory courses for official mu'adhdhins and imams so that they perform their work in a way that pleases Allah, with eloquent Arabic recitation? Also, there are some Arab residents who work in the mosques on a temporary basis; they lack knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, and they recite well in front of the microphone, but they lack knowledge of the section on acts of worship. Where is the imam who devotes his time, or part of it, to informing others or Muslims about the affairs of their religion? We ask for your guidance regarding the absence of these people and the advancement of such people. May Allah preserve you and care for you?
The Shaykh:
It is obligatory for the imam and the mu'adhdhin to fear Allah, to fulfill their obligations, and not to neglect them. If a need arises, let him seek permission from the responsible authority, saying, "I have a need, and I will leave the mosque for such and such a duration," until they appoint someone to take his place who is like him, or better than him. Or he takes over and informs them, saying, "I will hand over the imamate, or the adhan, or the khutbah to so-and-so." If they approve, praise be to Allah. It is obligatory for him to inform them and notify them. As for the imam taking the imamate and the adhan, taking their salary, and wasting this, that is a great evil and is not permissible. It is obligatory for the imam to fear Allah, and for the mu'adhdhin to fear Allah, and not to waste this position. Rather, he must be upright in his imamate, his khutbah, and his adhan. If an unexpected event occurs, he returns to the responsible authority. As for a minor matter, a minor occurrence, at some times the situation is known; this is forgiven, praise be to Allah, if he appoints someone to take his place who is like him or better than him in the imamate or the khutbah for an unexpected day, or in the adhan for a small, unexpected amount of time. A time when an unexpected event occurs, and a day when an unexpected event occurs, this is something that is forgiven, if Allah wills, and there is no blame. But the thing that lasts for days or a long period, he must consult the authorities and inform them of what befalls him, so that they approve the one he has appointed, or he appoints a deputy to take his place in his imamate, khutbah, and adhan. Likewise, it is obligatory for those responsible for the imamate and the adhan to have supervisors who monitor the people. There must be supervisors so that they know who is present and who is not, and so that they know who is skilled in recitation and who is not, and who is skilled in the adhan and who is not. This is obligatory for the Ministry, may Allah guide it, to pay attention to this, because this is very important. There may be an imam who does not recite well, or a mu'adhdhin who does not perform the adhan well. If supervisors are found, this is of great benefit. And if there are seminars for these people so that they gain knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and insight, that is also good. But supervision is important, and there are supervisors who care about the affairs of imams and mu'adhdhins and check their conditions in every city and every village. This is important, because some people do not care. An imam may accept the position but not care and not pay attention. He does not pay attention to recitation, nor to the khutbah, nor to maintaining the prayer, and so does the mu'adhdhin. The presence of supervisors brings much good and many benefits. We ask Allah to grant the Ministry success in all good.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you. The rank of some people is that one person is appointed to take their place.
The Shaykh:
This is a calamity, a calamity. One is not delegated except after seeking permission from the competent authorities, and they are satisfied with his deputy, and there is no rotation with others.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He preserve you and care for you.
This question says: Your Eminence, father, some imams rarely attend their mosque, and some are not committed. I hope you will guide such people. There is also a question related to this, or a result of this negligence: Why do I see so many imams of the mosques, particularly from the Asian communities, especially since these communities do not master the Arabic language, particularly in the Name of the Exalted when reciting the Qur'an, and in the adhan and iqamah when pronouncing the two testimonies, saying "I bear witness that there is no..." and so on? Then they rush forward to lead the prayer as imam, while there are people behind them who recite well in clear Arabic. Can the authorities not put in place a plan for mandatory courses for official mu'adhdhins and imams so that they perform their work in a way that pleases Allah, with eloquent Arabic recitation? Also, there are some Arab residents who work in the mosques on a temporary basis; they lack knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, and they recite well in front of the microphone, but they lack knowledge of the section on acts of worship. Where is the imam who devotes his time, or part of it, to informing others or Muslims about the affairs of their religion? We ask for your guidance regarding the absence of these people and the advancement of such people. May Allah preserve you and care for you?
The Shaykh:
It is obligatory for the imam and the mu'adhdhin to fear Allah, to fulfill their obligations, and not to neglect them. If a need arises, let him seek permission from the responsible authority, saying, "I have a need, and I will leave the mosque for such and such a duration," until they appoint someone to take his place who is like him, or better than him. Or he takes over and informs them, saying, "I will hand over the imamate, or the adhan, or the khutbah to so-and-so." If they approve, praise be to Allah. It is obligatory for him to inform them and notify them. As for the imam taking the imamate and the adhan, taking their salary, and wasting this, that is a great evil and is not permissible. It is obligatory for the imam to fear Allah, and for the mu'adhdhin to fear Allah, and not to waste this position. Rather, he must be upright in his imamate, his khutbah, and his adhan. If an unexpected event occurs, he returns to the responsible authority. As for a minor matter, a minor occurrence, at some times the situation is known; this is forgiven, praise be to Allah, if he appoints someone to take his place who is like him or better than him in the imamate or the khutbah for an unexpected day, or in the adhan for a small, unexpected amount of time. A time when an unexpected event occurs, and a day when an unexpected event occurs, this is something that is forgiven, if Allah wills, and there is no blame. But the thing that lasts for days or a long period, he must consult the authorities and inform them of what befalls him, so that they approve the one he has appointed, or he appoints a deputy to take his place in his imamate, khutbah, and adhan. Likewise, it is obligatory for those responsible for the imamate and the adhan to have supervisors who monitor the people. There must be supervisors so that they know who is present and who is not, and so that they know who is skilled in recitation and who is not, and who is skilled in the adhan and who is not. This is obligatory for the Ministry, may Allah guide it, to pay attention to this, because this is very important. There may be an imam who does not recite well, or a mu'adhdhin who does not perform the adhan well. If supervisors are found, this is of great benefit. And if there are seminars for these people so that they gain knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and insight, that is also good. But supervision is important, and there are supervisors who care about the affairs of imams and mu'adhdhins and check their conditions in every city and every village. This is important, because some people do not care. An imam may accept the position but not care and not pay attention. He does not pay attention to recitation, nor to the khutbah, nor to maintaining the prayer, and so does the mu'adhdhin. The presence of supervisors brings much good and many benefits. We ask Allah to grant the Ministry success in all good.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you. The rank of some people is that one person is appointed to take their place.
The Shaykh:
This is a calamity, a calamity. One is not delegated except after seeking permission from the competent authorities, and they are satisfied with his deputy, and there is no rotation with others.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He preserve you and care for you.
Source
لقاءات لابن باز - لقاء الأئمة - ابن باز - ٢ — archive.org (14:01)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.