The Imam Who Absents Himself from the Prayers and Referring His Case to the Responsible Authority

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, we have an imam who has not prayed Fajr with us for ten years or more, and he attends only one or two obligatory prayers in a day. We have advised him, but to no avail, due to the distance of his home from the neighborhood where the mosque is located, and because he is tied up with another job. Do we commit a sin if we report his case to the responsible authority, and sever our ties with him because he has a family? Is this an acceptable course of action?

Answer:
No, you have the right to do this. If he is absent and only attends at certain times, keeping the people waiting in the mosque, you have the right to approach the responsible authority to have him dismissed or transferred to another mosque closer to him, and to appoint an imam in his place. This is your right and a means of removing harm. There is no obstacle, and you are not being unjust in this, because this is your right. Yes. And Allah the Exalted knows best, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.