A man who is bald or has his garment hanging below the ankles steps forward to lead the prayer; do they have the right to turn him back?

The questioner : He says: If, for example, the congregation steps forward and one person is, for example, bald or has his garment hanging below the ankles, is it permissible for me to turn him back and say, “Step back, come here”?

The Shaykh : What is it?

The questioner : Bald and with his garment hanging below the ankles.

The Shaykh : No, if the question is given from the beginning.

The questioner : If they are a group and they step forward, for example, a person who is bald or has his garment hanging below the ankles, and they step forward, is it permissible for them to turn him back and say, “Step back, you who are bald or have your garment hanging below the ankles”?

The Shaykh : As for the well-known position in the school of jurisprudence, as will be mentioned, we must say: turn him back and do not pray behind him, because this person is an open sinner, and the prayer behind an open sinner is invalid. As for the second opinion, which holds that the prayer behind an open sinner is valid, we would keep him in place, because turning him back might cause fitnah (trial, discord or temptation); fitnah might arise from this, and the purpose of the congregation would be nullified by this fitnah.