The presenter of the prayer who is a display of sin
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
A questioner says: Is it permissible to appoint a person to lead the prayer because he is a memorizer? But he smokes and shaves his chin and beard.
Answer:
No. A man who displays sin is not to be appointed as imam, even if he memorizes the Qur'an, and even if he is among the people of knowledge. One should seek someone whose state is concealed and who is upright in his conduct. If he is not a scholar and not a memorizer of the Qur'an, but he knows the matters of his prayer, memorizes Surat al-Fatihah, and whatever is easy for him, he is appointed. One does not appoint a person known for shaving his beard, or smoking, or other sins. Rather, the one appointed is the one whose outward appearance is of goodness and uprightness, even if he has less knowledge, less fame among the people, and less memorization of the Qur'an. The people of religion are more deserving of appointment than the people of sins and the display of evil, even if the latter is a walking imam.
You will find that the prayer is valid despite the sin, whether the imam of the regular prayer or they appointed him and he prayed with them while he is shaven or smokes or the like of that. The prayer is valid according to the correct opinion of the scholars. The prayer behind an open sinner is valid according to the correct opinion. But it is not befitting to appoint him. It is befitting to seek a better imam. One does not appoint one who displays sin or religious innovation, whether it is an innovation or a sin. It is not befitting to appoint him. But if the people prayed behind him, the prayer would suffice, except if it is an innovation that makes him a disbeliever, in which case one does not pray behind him, and the prayer behind him is not valid, like the Jahmi who denies the attributes and names of Allah, may Allah protect us, and like the grave-worshipper who claims to be a Muslim and calls upon the dead and seeks aid from the dead. This one’s prayer behind him is not valid, because he is one who associates partners with Allah.
A questioner says: Is it permissible to appoint a person to lead the prayer because he is a memorizer? But he smokes and shaves his chin and beard.
Answer:
No. A man who displays sin is not to be appointed as imam, even if he memorizes the Qur'an, and even if he is among the people of knowledge. One should seek someone whose state is concealed and who is upright in his conduct. If he is not a scholar and not a memorizer of the Qur'an, but he knows the matters of his prayer, memorizes Surat al-Fatihah, and whatever is easy for him, he is appointed. One does not appoint a person known for shaving his beard, or smoking, or other sins. Rather, the one appointed is the one whose outward appearance is of goodness and uprightness, even if he has less knowledge, less fame among the people, and less memorization of the Qur'an. The people of religion are more deserving of appointment than the people of sins and the display of evil, even if the latter is a walking imam.
You will find that the prayer is valid despite the sin, whether the imam of the regular prayer or they appointed him and he prayed with them while he is shaven or smokes or the like of that. The prayer is valid according to the correct opinion of the scholars. The prayer behind an open sinner is valid according to the correct opinion. But it is not befitting to appoint him. It is befitting to seek a better imam. One does not appoint one who displays sin or religious innovation, whether it is an innovation or a sin. It is not befitting to appoint him. But if the people prayed behind him, the prayer would suffice, except if it is an innovation that makes him a disbeliever, in which case one does not pray behind him, and the prayer behind him is not valid, like the Jahmi who denies the attributes and names of Allah, may Allah protect us, and like the grave-worshipper who claims to be a Muslim and calls upon the dead and seeks aid from the dead. This one’s prayer behind him is not valid, because he is one who associates partners with Allah.
Source
واجب الرجل والمرأة — islamhouse.com (58:21)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.