Is the prayer valid behind an innovator, such as an Ash'ari or a Sufi?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May the Shaykh be honored, we have an imam who holds to innovations.
The Shaykh : Holds to what?
The questioner : Holds to innovations, such as being Ash'ari or Sufi. Is the prayer valid behind him?
The Shaykh : I will give you a rule: "Whoever's prayer is valid, his imamate is valid", except for a woman leading a man. As for one who shaves his beard, lets his garment hang below the ankles, smokes, or holds to an innovation that does not make him a disbeliever, the prayer is valid behind all of them. However, if praying behind them encourages them to persist in what they are upon, such that they say, "What Allah willed, so-and-so prayed behind us, so we are on the right path," then do not pray behind them. But if it is from the general people who do not care about the imam, let him pray behind them. Did you understand the rule? Now, "Whoever's prayer is valid, his imamate is valid, except for a woman leading a man". What about a boy leading an adult?
The student: Is valid.
The Shaykh : It is valid because his prayer is valid. But if he is one who holds to innovation or open sinfulness, and you fear that if you pray behind him it will encourage him and make him pleased with himself, thinking he is on the right path, or that people will also be misled, then do not pray behind him.
The questioner : O Shaykh, even if it is not a regular voluntary prayer?
The Shaykh : Whether it is a regular voluntary prayer or not.
The Shaykh : Holds to what?
The questioner : Holds to innovations, such as being Ash'ari or Sufi. Is the prayer valid behind him?
The Shaykh : I will give you a rule: "Whoever's prayer is valid, his imamate is valid", except for a woman leading a man. As for one who shaves his beard, lets his garment hang below the ankles, smokes, or holds to an innovation that does not make him a disbeliever, the prayer is valid behind all of them. However, if praying behind them encourages them to persist in what they are upon, such that they say, "What Allah willed, so-and-so prayed behind us, so we are on the right path," then do not pray behind them. But if it is from the general people who do not care about the imam, let him pray behind them. Did you understand the rule? Now, "Whoever's prayer is valid, his imamate is valid, except for a woman leading a man". What about a boy leading an adult?
The student: Is valid.
The Shaykh : It is valid because his prayer is valid. But if he is one who holds to innovation or open sinfulness, and you fear that if you pray behind him it will encourage him and make him pleased with himself, thinking he is on the right path, or that people will also be misled, then do not pray behind him.
The questioner : O Shaykh, even if it is not a regular voluntary prayer?
The Shaykh : Whether it is a regular voluntary prayer or not.