Is it permissible to pray behind a person who holds a belief contrary to the belief of the people of the Sunnah and the community?

Question : This questioner asks: Is it permissible to pray behind a person whose belief is contrary to that of the people of the Sunnah and the community? Please inform us of this.

Answer : This phrase is broad. If the belief contrary to the people of the Sunnah and the community is one that makes its holder a disbeliever, then it is well known that it is not permissible to pray behind him because he is a disbeliever. If the belief does not make the one who differs from the people of the Sunnah and the community a disbeliever, then the prayer behind him is valid, except if it leads to harm, such as if he becomes complacent and continues in his religious innovation because he sees people from the people of the Sunnah and the community praying behind him, or if it leads to others being deceived by him because they see that the people of the Sunnah and the community are praying behind him. In this case, one does not pray behind him, even if his religious innovation does not entail disbelief. This is the criterion for praying behind an innovator. And...
It might be said that a distinction is made between the innovator who calls to his religious innovation and the innovator who follows by imitation, who committed the religious innovation out of ignorance and imitation; thus, the prayer behind the first is not valid, and the prayer behind the second is valid. Yes. May Allah bless you.