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﴿ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴾

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The ruling on praying behind one who shaves his beard and sends his women out in tabarruj (display of adornment)

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Question:
Is it permissible for me to pray behind an imam who does not shorten his garment, nor let his beard grow, and whose wife and daughters go out with their faces, hair, legs, and arms exposed?

Answer:
The prayer is valid behind him if he is a Muslim; the prayer behind him is valid. However, if it is easy to pray behind someone else who is better and more excellent than him, that is more preferable and more complete. This is because he is a sinner, and the prayer behind a sinner is valid according to the stronger of the two opinions of the scholars, provided he is a Muslim. He should be advised and guided so that he lets his beard grow and raises his garments. His brothers and loved ones should advise him, guide him, and persist with him until he straightens his path. Likewise, his family should advise him from their side. The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim, and Allah the Exalted says:
The believing men and believing women are allies of one anotherوَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ
[Surah al-Tawbah: 71]. Therefore, it is obligatory to advise one another and enjoin truth in every matter.
The imam who leads people in prayer should be a role model in all good. If he falls short, it is obligatory for the authorities to choose someone better than him and replace him if he does not respond to the advice. They should seek someone who is better than him so that he becomes a role model in good and so that the Muslims praying behind him benefit from him. If Muslims advise one another and enjoin truth, good will increase and evil will decrease. If they remain silent, the opposite will happen: evil will increase and good will decrease. We ask Allah for safety. Yes.
Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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