Al-Walid ibn 'Uqbah ibn Ma'it: It is reported in his biography that he drank intoxicants. Ibn Hajar mentioned this in *Al-Isabah*, and al-Dhahabi in *Siyar A'lam al-Nubala*.

The questioner : He saysThe questioner : Al-Walid ibn 'Uqbah ibn Ma'it: It is reported in his biography that he drank intoxicants. Ibn Hajar mentioned this in *Al-Isabah*, and al-Dhahabi in *Siyar A'lam al-Nubala*, and they did not weaken the narration. As for the hadith scholars... they weakened the story. What is the stronger position in your opinion?

The Shaykh : The stronger position, without doubt, is that the story is valid because it is established in *Sahih al-Bukhari*. It is one of the matters that obligates Muslims to pray behind every imam. Therefore, it was part of the Salafi creed, inherited by the later generations from the earlier ones, to pray behind every righteous and sinful person. This man was an open sinner; he prayed while intoxicated with intoxicants. The proof that he prayed four rak'ahs is that he prayed Fajr as four rak'ahs. And it is not just this; rather, he said afterwards: "Shall I add to that? Pray behind him." Why? Because of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) in two hadiths:
The first is in *Sahih al-Bukhari*, where he (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding the right of the imams: .
The other hadith is in *Sahih Muslim*: ; therefore, there is no need to be strict in the issue of following an imam who differs in madhhab, as long as this person who differs remains within the circle of Islam. But if he exits from it, then the prayer behind him is not valid. This is the criterion for the ruling on the validity or invalidity of the prayer. If he is a Muslim, the prayer behind him is valid, whether he agrees with your madhhab or differs from it. You are praying for Allah, and he is praying for Allah. If he errs, the error is upon him, and the correctness is for you. And to confirm this meaning, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith: . The imam is a guarantor for the validity of the prayer of those who follow him behind him. Therefore, there are two matters here: the first is that the follower should not concern himself with looking at the perfection of the imam in knowledge, righteousness, or piety. Just as the opposite is obligatory upon the imam to concern himself with the responsibility of his leadership and the people following him, for he is a guarantor for the validity of their prayer. If he corrupts it for them, then the sin of this corruption is upon him, and he bears the responsibility of everyone. For this reason, he (peace be upon him) said: .
Yes.