Is it permissible to pray behind one who calls to a shirk-based and disbelief-inducing religious innovation, given that the mosque is near this caller’s workplace and there is no other nearby mosque?

The questioner : A questioner asks, saying: The imam of the mosque calls to a shirk-based and disbelief-inducing religious innovation. Is it permissible to pray behind him, given that the mosque is near this caller’s workplace and there is no other nearby mosque?

The Shaykh : The issue requires detailed consideration. If this imam has been presented with the proof of Allah from the Book of Allah and the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) establishing that what he is in is shirk (associating partners with Allah) and kufr (disbelief) regarding Allah and His Messenger, and he does not desist, then the prayer behind him is not valid. However, if he is like many of these people who live in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance, and unfortunately there is no one to convey to them the ruling of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), then in my opinion, it is permissible to pray behind him, because we cannot declare him a disbeliever and expel him from the religion as long as we have not established the proof against him. Yes.