What is the ruling on leaving the prayer in the mosque with the congregation on the pretext that he does not like the imam, and that is due to personal enmity and not a religious reason?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on leaving the prayer in the mosque with the congregation on the pretext that he does not like the imam, and that is due to personal enmity and not a religious reason? Please advise us, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a person to delay the congregational prayer due to personal enmity between him and the imam. Rather, it is obligatory for him, that is, for the one who has personal enmity with the imam, to strive to remove this enmity so that faith is realized, because Allah the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:71] And He, Exalted and Majestic is He, informed that enmity between Muslims is among the desires of Satan, so He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:91].
So it is obligatory for the one who has personal enmity with his brother to strive, as much as possible, to remove it: either through a third person if the matter requires this, or between him and his brother. There is no shame for a person to go to his brother and say: "O my brother! What is in your heart against me?" Then he discusses with him the cause of this enmity in order to remove it from the heart.
And in summary, we say: It is not permissible for a person to delay the congregational prayer because of personal enmity between him and the imam, and it is obligatory for every person who has enmity with his Muslim brother to try to remove this enmity.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : It is not permissible for a person to delay the congregational prayer due to personal enmity between him and the imam. Rather, it is obligatory for him, that is, for the one who has personal enmity with the imam, to strive to remove this enmity so that faith is realized, because Allah the Exalted said:
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضSatan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِSo it is obligatory for the one who has personal enmity with his brother to strive, as much as possible, to remove it: either through a third person if the matter requires this, or between him and his brother. There is no shame for a person to go to his brother and say: "O my brother! What is in your heart against me?" Then he discusses with him the cause of this enmity in order to remove it from the heart.
And in summary, we say: It is not permissible for a person to delay the congregational prayer because of personal enmity between him and the imam, and it is obligatory for every person who has enmity with his Muslim brother to try to remove this enmity.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh.