What should an imam do if he is afflicted by people who do not want to leave out the qunut in the Fajr prayer?

Abu Malik: What should an imam do if he is afflicted by people who do not want to leave out the qunut in the Fajr prayer?

The Shaykh : The truth is that the answer to this question relates to shari'ah policy. Some scholars, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), say that it is permissible for a Muslim to leave out some of the sunnah practices at times to reconcile the hearts of the people around him who do not know the sunnah. I see that this is correct, in the sense of repelling the greater evil with the lesser evil. However, there must be some detail here. If this imam, first, hopes for their rectification by accommodating them with this supplication, and second, does not hope for their rectification by this supplication, this policy, or this accommodation alone, but rather he is also establishing a foundation for them to follow him in the sunnah by delivering many sermons and lessons until the sunnah becomes clear to them, and if it becomes clear to them and he continues with this for months or years, according to what he believes to be the case, and then he finds that these people with whom he is in this policy have not accommodated him, meaning the situation has reversed, so he is following their desires while they are not following his desires, then at that time he should leave this imamate, as long as it has not produced the expected result. He should, and I am reminding you, for the reminder benefits the believers, what does "imam" mean? You all know that an imam means a role model. So if the imam becomes the one following, and the followers become the imams, then that means the matter has been reversed. In this case, after the explanation I have given, if he has not benefited from this policy, and as they say in our region in Syria, "he returned with empty hands" or "you came and went just as you were," what is the benefit of this imamate? He has not benefited from them in anything, meaning by guiding them, and they have not benefited from him in anything, meaning by being guided by him. At that time, I see that he should not accommodate them and should declare the sunnah. And what will happen afterwards? This imam is not wanted, and that is what should be the outcome if the shari'ah policy does not benefit. May Allah reward you with good.
Abu Malik: Another question.

The questioner : If the imam is performing the qunut, what should the follower do?

The Shaykh : He follows him.

The questioner : He follows him.

The Shaykh : Yes, as long as he is satisfied with him. It is the exact opposite of that; as long as he is satisfied with him as his imam, he must follow him, due to the generality of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): So do not differ with him. Yes.