The Ruling on Praying Behind a Sorcerer or False Prophet Imam
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Q: Is it permissible to pray behind a sorcerer or false prophet imam, knowing that some of them are proficient in reciting the Qur'an? Please guide us, may Allah reward you with good.
A: If the imam is a sorcerer who claims knowledge of the unseen or engages in superstitions and evil deeds, it is not permissible to appoint him as an imam, nor to pray behind him; because one who claims knowledge of the unseen is a disbeliever. We ask Allah for safety. Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, says: [Surat al-Naml: 65]. Likewise, one who practices sorcery has the ruling of disbelievers; due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surat al-Baqarah: 102].
As for if he has some sins but does not have any acts of disbelief such as sorcery or claiming knowledge of the unseen, but only has some sins, then the prayer behind him is valid. However, it is better to seek another from among the people of justice and uprightness, as a precaution for the religion and to avoid the disagreement of scholars who say that it is not permissible to pray behind him.
As for sinners, it is not befitting to appoint them as imams, but if they are found as imams, the prayer behind them is valid; because people may be tested with them, and necessity may call for praying behind them.
As for one who calls upon other than Allah, or seeks aid from the dead, or calls out to them for help, one does not pray behind him; because by this action, he becomes among the disbelievers, because this is the action of the polytheists whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fought in Makkah and elsewhere.
And we ask Allah to rectify the conditions of the Muslims, and to grant them understanding in the religion, and to appoint the best of them over them. Indeed, He is Hearing and Near.
A: If the imam is a sorcerer who claims knowledge of the unseen or engages in superstitions and evil deeds, it is not permissible to appoint him as an imam, nor to pray behind him; because one who claims knowledge of the unseen is a disbeliever. We ask Allah for safety. Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, says:
Say, "None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah
قُلْ لا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلا اللَّهُAnd they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. But the two angels do not teach anyone unless they say, "We are a trial, so do not disbelieve
وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلا تَكْفُرْAs for if he has some sins but does not have any acts of disbelief such as sorcery or claiming knowledge of the unseen, but only has some sins, then the prayer behind him is valid. However, it is better to seek another from among the people of justice and uprightness, as a precaution for the religion and to avoid the disagreement of scholars who say that it is not permissible to pray behind him.
As for sinners, it is not befitting to appoint them as imams, but if they are found as imams, the prayer behind them is valid; because people may be tested with them, and necessity may call for praying behind them.
As for one who calls upon other than Allah, or seeks aid from the dead, or calls out to them for help, one does not pray behind him; because by this action, he becomes among the disbelievers, because this is the action of the polytheists whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fought in Makkah and elsewhere.
And we ask Allah to rectify the conditions of the Muslims, and to grant them understanding in the religion, and to appoint the best of them over them. Indeed, He is Hearing and Near.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.