What is the ruling on an imam who does not consider the prostration for forgetfulness necessary, on the grounds that it would disturb the congregation?
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Question:
The imam of our mosque, if he makes a mistake in the prayer, does not perform the prostration for forgetfulness. And if the people of the mosque’s congregation remind him, he says, “I do not want to disturb the congregation.” What is the ruling on this action?
Answer:
Regarding the prostration for forgetfulness, there is a distinction. If the prostration is obligatory, it is mandatory. The congregation, praise be to Allah, know the prostration for forgetfulness and are not disturbed by it. However, if the prostration is recommended, it is permissible to leave it out.
As for the obligatory prostration for forgetfulness due to a deficiency in the prayer, or an addition in the prayer due to forgetfulness, or doubt in the prayer, this is obligatory. It is not permissible for the imam to leave it out. If he persists in leaving it out, he is to be removed from his position. You go to the department responsible for mosques, and either he commits to doing it, or they remove him. Because this is a deficiency in the prayer. Leaving out the obligatory prostration for forgetfulness is a deficiency in the prayer, and the prayer may not be valid because of this deficiency. If he does not prostrate for the deficiency in the prayer, or the addition in the prayer due to forgetfulness, or the doubt that occurs in the prayer, then it is not permissible to leave it out. Rather, he must be reminded and advised. If he complies, fine; otherwise, he is removed and replaced by someone else. Because this is a deficiency in the prayer. Does he have the right to act in the prayer according to his own whims or according to his own independent legal reasoning? Because some people think they have become scholars and start choosing and exercising independent legal reasoning, contradicting the scholars, saying, “I choose and I exercise independent legal reasoning.” This has happened with some pretenders to knowledge. Such a person is not fit to be an imam.
The imam of our mosque, if he makes a mistake in the prayer, does not perform the prostration for forgetfulness. And if the people of the mosque’s congregation remind him, he says, “I do not want to disturb the congregation.” What is the ruling on this action?
Answer:
Regarding the prostration for forgetfulness, there is a distinction. If the prostration is obligatory, it is mandatory. The congregation, praise be to Allah, know the prostration for forgetfulness and are not disturbed by it. However, if the prostration is recommended, it is permissible to leave it out.
As for the obligatory prostration for forgetfulness due to a deficiency in the prayer, or an addition in the prayer due to forgetfulness, or doubt in the prayer, this is obligatory. It is not permissible for the imam to leave it out. If he persists in leaving it out, he is to be removed from his position. You go to the department responsible for mosques, and either he commits to doing it, or they remove him. Because this is a deficiency in the prayer. Leaving out the obligatory prostration for forgetfulness is a deficiency in the prayer, and the prayer may not be valid because of this deficiency. If he does not prostrate for the deficiency in the prayer, or the addition in the prayer due to forgetfulness, or the doubt that occurs in the prayer, then it is not permissible to leave it out. Rather, he must be reminded and advised. If he complies, fine; otherwise, he is removed and replaced by someone else. Because this is a deficiency in the prayer. Does he have the right to act in the prayer according to his own whims or according to his own independent legal reasoning? Because some people think they have become scholars and start choosing and exercising independent legal reasoning, contradicting the scholars, saying, “I choose and I exercise independent legal reasoning.” This has happened with some pretenders to knowledge. Such a person is not fit to be an imam.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما حكم الإمام الذي لا يرى سجود السهو بحجة عدم التشويش على الجماعة؟ لمعالي الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.