The imam said five takbirs instead of four; what is the ruling on that?

The questioner:
I prayed the midday prayer today over funerals, and the imam said we would pray with five takbirs: four for the deceased and the fifth for the children who were rushed. Is this action valid?

The Shaykh:
This is an ignorant person among the ignorant, and it is necessary that the officials in charge of managing the endowments be informed about him so they can alert him to this error and prevent it from recurring. Yes. It is not permissible for the imam to perform anomalous actions or act on his own independent legal reasoning and opinions. It is not permissible. If this door were opened, great corruption would result. The Muslims’ way is one. It is not permissible for them to deviate by holding anomalous opinions, weak statements, or independent legal reasoning that has no basis but is from the imam himself. Is this absolutely not permissible? Yes.

The presenter:
Honorable Shaykh, the questioner says.

The Shaykh:
And since you know him, you must advise him and make it clear to us that this is an error and that it should not recur. Yes.