Is it permissible to pray behind an imam who says: “Whoever affirms that Allah is in the sky has committed disbelief”?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The imam of a mosque says: “Whoever affirms that Allah is in the sky with His essence has committed disbelief.” And there are also imams who say: “Whoever says that Allah is present everywhere and not present [elsewhere]…” This is the creed of this imam and that imam. Do we pray behind them or not?
The Shaykh : Who is the one who holds the first opinion?
The questioner : An imam in one of the mosques.
The Shaykh : Is this an imam?
The questioner : Yes, a mosque imam, a shaykh you do not know.
The Shaykh[Taha 20:5] How did He rise above the Throne? Allah knows best. The one who denies the rising above the Throne is denying the Qur'an.
The questioner : Okay, do we pray behind him, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : We do not pray behind him.
The Shaykh : You pray behind him if he testifies that there is no god but Allah, but he will be upon misguidance.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. May Allah bless you.
The questioner : ... Peace from the Algerians.
The Shaykh : Welcome, how are you? Well, praise be to Allah. May Allah improve the condition of the Muslims, and Allah is the One to be sought for help. Let us proceed.
The Shaykh : Who is the one who holds the first opinion?
The questioner : An imam in one of the mosques.
The Shaykh : Is this an imam?
The questioner : Yes, a mosque imam, a shaykh you do not know.
The Shaykh
The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.
الرَّحْمَنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَىThe questioner : Okay, do we pray behind him, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : We do not pray behind him.
The Shaykh : You pray behind him if he testifies that there is no god but Allah, but he will be upon misguidance.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. May Allah bless you.
The questioner : ... Peace from the Algerians.
The Shaykh : Welcome, how are you? Well, praise be to Allah. May Allah improve the condition of the Muslims, and Allah is the One to be sought for help. Let us proceed.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.