What is the ruling on the prayer of one who wears pants? And is he to be preferred for leading the prayer?

The questioner : What is the ruling on the prayer of one who wears pants? And likewise, is the one who wears pants to be preferred for leading the prayer over a group of people, some of whom are wearing a thobe?

The Shaykh : There is no doubt that one who prays wearing pants—if that is the correct term—his prayer is disliked with a prohibitive dislike; because the pants cover the 'awrah of this worshipper, especially when he bows, and more specifically when he prostrates. However, the one wearing these pants has no connection to being preferred for leading the prayer or being delayed from it. The justification for preference is not that he is not wearing pants and is wearing a shirt—for example—or a dishdasha or a long shirt, according to the differences in languages. This shirt does not, of course, make every one who wears it qualified to lead the people. The system in this is stated in his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): to the end of the hadith. So if the one wearing pants, as we said, is the most knowledgeable of the people in recitation, he is the most deserving of leading the prayer. But he should not step forward; because he is responsible for the complete validity of the prayer of those following him, just as he is responsible for the validity of their prayer. So he bears the sin for his prayer and the prayer of the others. Also, it is not befitting for one who is wearing a shirt and is not qualified to lead the people—that is, he is not the most knowledgeable in recitation—to justify that he is better in terms of clothing than that one who is most knowledgeable in recitation; because that one who is most knowledgeable in recitation is wearing pants and he is wearing a shirt, but he is not qualified to lead the people. So these legal realities must be considered, and people should not fall into confusion.
Many people are scrupulous about praying behind, for example, one who is afflicted with shaving the beard, and this is a very great sin. But if he is the most deserving by the text of the hadith to lead the people because he is the most knowledgeable in recitation, and he may also be the most knowledgeable of them in the Sunnah; then he is the one who should step forward. And he must bear the responsibility of the sin he carries due to his non-response to the command of his Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) . As for the preference in leading the prayer, it has no relation to righteousness or lack of righteousness. Rather, this is a matter that returns to the one obligated to lead the prayer; so he must consider that. But if there is no one among the present more deserving of leading the prayer than him, they should not be scrupulous about praying behind him. Like another mosque where there is a man who recites well and his clothing is also lawful, and he is fulfilling the obligation of growing the beard. So there is no doubt—in this state—that preferring to pray behind this imam in that mosque is better than preferring to pray behind that imam who was afflicted with some of the legal violations.
Yes.