A man led a congregation, and after the closing salam, he remembered that he had prayed without ablution. What is the ruling for the imam and the congregation, and is it obligatory for the imam to inform the congregation that he prayed without ablution?

The questioner : A man led a congregation, and after the closing salam, he remembered that he had prayed without ablution. What is the ruling for the imam and the congregation, and is it obligatory for the imam to inform the congregation that he prayed without ablution?

The Shaykh : Answer: It is not obligatory for the imam to inform the congregation that he prayed without ablution, for their prayer is valid. As for him, he must repeat it. This is what 'Umar ibn al-Khattab did in his time, and no one objected to him.