The Ruling on an Imam Appointing a Substitute

Question:
I ask your Eminence to kindly clarify the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding an imam of a mosque appointing another imam or hafiz as his substitute, when the imam does not attend except on Friday, claiming that he is busy with his other duties. It is known that he receives a monthly salary for this and gives a portion of it to the one who substitutes for him. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
It appears to me that it is not permissible for this imam to do what the questioner mentioned unless he consults the competent authority. He should explain to the competent authority that he has a busy schedule and cannot attend except on a specific day or on Friday. If they approve and allow him to appoint a substitute, he should appoint someone he considers equal to him or better in performing the prayer and reciting the Quran with knowledge, so that the substitute stands in his place in every respect. As for the imam receiving the salary and then delegating the work to someone else, this is not permissible except with the permission of the competent authority. If they allow it and appoint someone suitable to be his substitute, there is no blame on him.