What is the ruling on praying behind an innovator?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : ... That is, many of the committed and enthusiastic brothers who adhere to the Sunnah, and the issue is praying behind the imams who are innovators, whether they are Ash'aris or extreme Sufis, if this expression is correct, who say that it is permissible to call for aid from other than Allah in matters that only Allah can do. And that leaving the prayer behind them will lead to leaving the congregation in most cases, because most of the time, since most of the imams among us, except for a few, are people of innovation, what is your opinion?
The Shaykh : Of course, we have answered this more than once. Regarding the prayer—and peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you—we hold, and knowledge belongs to Allah, based on what the later generations inherited from the earliest generations regarding the legitimacy of praying behind every righteous and sinful person, and praying for every righteous and sinful person, that the prayer behind these innovator imams is valid, as long as the one who wants to pray, at least we say with this condition, holds that this imam, with his innovation or innovations, has not exited the circle of Islam and the Muslims. He is an innovator, but without a doubt, we are certain that not every innovator is a disbeliever. This is a certainty. If the matter is so, then the question must be qualified and defined, at least by the one answering, and this is what I do. I say: if the one praying behind the innovator imam, whether he is a Sufi, Maturidi, Ash'ari, or whatever other names, sects, or parties there are, if this person holds that this innovator imam has not exited his status as a Muslim, then the previous rule applies: praying behind every righteous and sinful person. But if he holds the opposite, that it is disbelief, then it is very obvious that the prayer behind him is not valid. However, at the same time, we warn against rushing to issue fatwas declaring Muslims disbelievers, let alone multiple Muslims, merely because they have fallen into an innovation, even if this innovation, as they say today, is creedal and relates to the creed. One must be patient and not rush to issue a fatwa of takfir. But at the same time, we say that the Muslim should choose the imam behind whom he prays to be upon the Sunnah in reality, worship, and conduct, if that is feasible for him. Otherwise, if the matter comes down to praying alone in his home or praying behind that imam whom he considers an innovator, it is better for him to pray alone. Then, we say, if he is truly asking this question out of mindfulness of Allah and scrupulousness, we say: the door of scrupulousness is wide. If you return from the mosque, repeat the prayer in congregation with the people of your household... Yes, that is right.
The questioner: ...
The Shaykh : It is so... This is our answer to this issue.
The questioner : ... That is, the one he prays behind the imam as a voluntary prayer?
The Shaykh : A voluntary prayer, yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, yes.
The Shaykh : Of course, we have answered this more than once. Regarding the prayer—and peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you—we hold, and knowledge belongs to Allah, based on what the later generations inherited from the earliest generations regarding the legitimacy of praying behind every righteous and sinful person, and praying for every righteous and sinful person, that the prayer behind these innovator imams is valid, as long as the one who wants to pray, at least we say with this condition, holds that this imam, with his innovation or innovations, has not exited the circle of Islam and the Muslims. He is an innovator, but without a doubt, we are certain that not every innovator is a disbeliever. This is a certainty. If the matter is so, then the question must be qualified and defined, at least by the one answering, and this is what I do. I say: if the one praying behind the innovator imam, whether he is a Sufi, Maturidi, Ash'ari, or whatever other names, sects, or parties there are, if this person holds that this innovator imam has not exited his status as a Muslim, then the previous rule applies: praying behind every righteous and sinful person. But if he holds the opposite, that it is disbelief, then it is very obvious that the prayer behind him is not valid. However, at the same time, we warn against rushing to issue fatwas declaring Muslims disbelievers, let alone multiple Muslims, merely because they have fallen into an innovation, even if this innovation, as they say today, is creedal and relates to the creed. One must be patient and not rush to issue a fatwa of takfir. But at the same time, we say that the Muslim should choose the imam behind whom he prays to be upon the Sunnah in reality, worship, and conduct, if that is feasible for him. Otherwise, if the matter comes down to praying alone in his home or praying behind that imam whom he considers an innovator, it is better for him to pray alone. Then, we say, if he is truly asking this question out of mindfulness of Allah and scrupulousness, we say: the door of scrupulousness is wide. If you return from the mosque, repeat the prayer in congregation with the people of your household... Yes, that is right.
The questioner: ...
The Shaykh : It is so... This is our answer to this issue.
The questioner : ... That is, the one he prays behind the imam as a voluntary prayer?
The Shaykh : A voluntary prayer, yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, yes.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.