What is the ruling on an imam who prayed without ritual purity, and what is the ruling for the one praying behind him?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The question, O Shaykh: If a person prayed as an imam leading a congregation, and he was not in a state of ritual purity, what is the ruling on the prayer of the followers? Are they required to repeat it? And is he sinful because of their prayer?
The Shaykh : If a person prays as an imam while not in a state of ritual purity, and if he did so intentionally, he is sinful, and it is obligatory for him to repeat his prayer, and to repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness. And if he was ignorant, such as if he ate meat and did not know that it was camel meat, and then it became clear to him after the prayer that it was camel meat, he is not sinful, but he must repeat the prayer, because he prayed without ablution.
Likewise, if he was forgetful, as if he had broken his state of purity and forgot to perform ablution, then he prayed and remembered after he had prayed, he is not sinful, but it is obligatory for him to perform ablution and repeat the prayer.
As for the followers, they are never required to repeat the prayer, and there is no sin on them, because they are only concerned with the apparent state, and this man prayed as their imam appearing to be in a state of purity, and that there was nothing in him preventing his prayer, so they are excused, because they did what is obligatory upon them, and nothing is required of them, even if it were stipulated that he remembered during the prayer that he was in a state of impurity, he should leave and tell some of the followers: Complete the prayer for them.
Yes, the one after.
The question, O Shaykh: If a person prayed as an imam leading a congregation, and he was not in a state of ritual purity, what is the ruling on the prayer of the followers? Are they required to repeat it? And is he sinful because of their prayer?
The Shaykh : If a person prays as an imam while not in a state of ritual purity, and if he did so intentionally, he is sinful, and it is obligatory for him to repeat his prayer, and to repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness. And if he was ignorant, such as if he ate meat and did not know that it was camel meat, and then it became clear to him after the prayer that it was camel meat, he is not sinful, but he must repeat the prayer, because he prayed without ablution.
Likewise, if he was forgetful, as if he had broken his state of purity and forgot to perform ablution, then he prayed and remembered after he had prayed, he is not sinful, but it is obligatory for him to perform ablution and repeat the prayer.
As for the followers, they are never required to repeat the prayer, and there is no sin on them, because they are only concerned with the apparent state, and this man prayed as their imam appearing to be in a state of purity, and that there was nothing in him preventing his prayer, so they are excused, because they did what is obligatory upon them, and nothing is required of them, even if it were stipulated that he remembered during the prayer that he was in a state of impurity, he should leave and tell some of the followers: Complete the prayer for them.
Yes, the one after.