What is the ruling on an imam who leaves his mosque and the prayer therein to travel for 'Umrah and sit in Makkah for the entire last ten days?
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The questioner : May Allah reward the honorableThe Shaykh : And if the time is early, we see that some imams of mosques leave their mosques and travel for 'Umrah, especially in the last ten days of Ramadan. One of them may remain in Makkah for all ten days, saying, "I will pray tarawih and qiyam in the Haram, and I will fast in Makkah," while the people in his country or in the mosque where he is obligated to lead prayer have a need for him on those days. They are able to travel for 'Umrah before the last ten days. So what is your guidance for the imams, especially since some mosques suffer greatly from this? And is there any guidance for those people to arrange their times before the ten days in which the people need them?
The Shaykh : What we see is that these people who go for 'Umrah while they are imams and neglect their mosques are like one who builds a palace and demolishes a fortress. That is because their remaining in their mosques is the fulfillment of an obligation upon them, and their going for 'Umrah, the utmost in it, is a recommended practice (sunnah). And a recommended practice cannot be performed while leaving an obligation. But if they go for a day or two, I hope there is no harm in that. As for their going for all ten days, on the days when the people need their presence, that is a clear error, and in this case, they are closer to sin than to safety.
The Shaykh : What we see is that these people who go for 'Umrah while they are imams and neglect their mosques are like one who builds a palace and demolishes a fortress. That is because their remaining in their mosques is the fulfillment of an obligation upon them, and their going for 'Umrah, the utmost in it, is a recommended practice (sunnah). And a recommended practice cannot be performed while leaving an obligation. But if they go for a day or two, I hope there is no harm in that. As for their going for all ten days, on the days when the people need their presence, that is a clear error, and in this case, they are closer to sin than to safety.