The ruling on praying behind an imam who has notes regarding his creed
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
This questioner says: Is it permissible to pray behind an imam who has some notes regarding his creed?
Answer:
First, advice. Perhaps this imam is unaware of these notes, so clarify them to him. If he accepts, praise be to Allah. If he does not accept, and these notes are among the open sins upon him, then he should not be an imam; he is not chosen for the imamate, because the imam is a role model. If open sins appear upon him, he becomes a role model for others in being lenient with these sins. As for the validity of praying behind him: if these sins are shirk (associating partners with Allah) that necessitate apostasy, then it is not permissible to pray behind him by consensus. A mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) with major shirk, or one with major disbelief, is not permissible to take as an imam; it is forbidden, and the prayer behind him is not valid. However, if these sins are less than shirk and less than disbelief, and they necessitate open sinfulness, the scholars have differed regarding the imamate of an open sinner: whether the prayer behind him is valid or not. The precaution is to avoid praying behind him until he repents to Allah the Exalted. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
This questioner says: Is it permissible to pray behind an imam who has some notes regarding his creed?
Answer:
First, advice. Perhaps this imam is unaware of these notes, so clarify them to him. If he accepts, praise be to Allah. If he does not accept, and these notes are among the open sins upon him, then he should not be an imam; he is not chosen for the imamate, because the imam is a role model. If open sins appear upon him, he becomes a role model for others in being lenient with these sins. As for the validity of praying behind him: if these sins are shirk (associating partners with Allah) that necessitate apostasy, then it is not permissible to pray behind him by consensus. A mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) with major shirk, or one with major disbelief, is not permissible to take as an imam; it is forbidden, and the prayer behind him is not valid. However, if these sins are less than shirk and less than disbelief, and they necessitate open sinfulness, the scholars have differed regarding the imamate of an open sinner: whether the prayer behind him is valid or not. The precaution is to avoid praying behind him until he repents to Allah the Exalted. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 02/243 — archive.org (3:08)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.