The ruling on praying behind an imam who believes that the dead can bring benefit and ward off harm
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Q365: The questioner, A. A. from the Republic of Sudan, asks: If the imam of the mosque who leads the people in prayer, and some of the ma'mums, believe that the dead can bring benefit and ward off harm, and they are among those who swear by other than Allah and commit many religious innovations and superstitions, is it permissible for me to pray with this imam, or should I pray alone in my house, or look for another mosque where the imam and the worshippers behind him do not possess these characteristics?
A365: It is a condition for the imam who leads the Muslims in prayer that he possess a high degree of soundness in creed, soundness in conduct, and justice; because he is a role model, and because leading the prayer is a great trust and a major responsibility. If the imam you mentioned is of this description, and that he does something of
Associating partners with Allah, superstitions, and religious innovations; therefore, prayer behind him is not valid. This is because if he believes that benefit and harm come from other than Allah, from graves and the dead, this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). He draws near to the graves through various types of slaughter, vows, supplication, and the like. This is major shirk, and its perpetrator has exited the religion. Prayer behind him is not valid, and his deeds are not accepted as long as he remains upon this belief. Likewise, if he has a type of religious innovation or superstition, even if it does not reach the level of shirk, it undermines his righteousness and his suitability for leading the prayer. It is a condition for the imam that he be righteous. These religious innovations and superstitions that he practices undermine his righteousness, so it is not valid for him to be an imam, and prayer behind him is not valid. As for the followers, if the imam is sound in his belief, sound in his conduct and morals, and is righteous, then prayer behind him is valid, even if some of the worshippers behind him commit religious innovation, shirk, or superstition. The criterion is the imam behind whom the prayer is valid, even if some of those behind him possess these characteristics I mentioned. However, if the imam is the one who practices these acts of shirk and religious innovation, then as we mentioned, prayer behind him is not valid. You must seek out another mosque whose imam is upright and sound in belief and action. If there is no mosque other than this one with this imam who is not fit to lead, you can
gather with others who disapprove of this and pray together. You leave this mosque and establish a place for prayer until Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) facilitates a righteous imam. This is if you are unable to work to remove this imam and replace him with someone else. If you are able to work to replace him with someone better, it is obligatory for you to do so. And Allah knows best.
A365: It is a condition for the imam who leads the Muslims in prayer that he possess a high degree of soundness in creed, soundness in conduct, and justice; because he is a role model, and because leading the prayer is a great trust and a major responsibility. If the imam you mentioned is of this description, and that he does something of
Associating partners with Allah, superstitions, and religious innovations; therefore, prayer behind him is not valid. This is because if he believes that benefit and harm come from other than Allah, from graves and the dead, this is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). He draws near to the graves through various types of slaughter, vows, supplication, and the like. This is major shirk, and its perpetrator has exited the religion. Prayer behind him is not valid, and his deeds are not accepted as long as he remains upon this belief. Likewise, if he has a type of religious innovation or superstition, even if it does not reach the level of shirk, it undermines his righteousness and his suitability for leading the prayer. It is a condition for the imam that he be righteous. These religious innovations and superstitions that he practices undermine his righteousness, so it is not valid for him to be an imam, and prayer behind him is not valid. As for the followers, if the imam is sound in his belief, sound in his conduct and morals, and is righteous, then prayer behind him is valid, even if some of the worshippers behind him commit religious innovation, shirk, or superstition. The criterion is the imam behind whom the prayer is valid, even if some of those behind him possess these characteristics I mentioned. However, if the imam is the one who practices these acts of shirk and religious innovation, then as we mentioned, prayer behind him is not valid. You must seek out another mosque whose imam is upright and sound in belief and action. If there is no mosque other than this one with this imam who is not fit to lead, you can
gather with others who disapprove of this and pray together. You leave this mosque and establish a place for prayer until Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) facilitates a righteous imam. This is if you are unable to work to remove this imam and replace him with someone else. If you are able to work to replace him with someone better, it is obligatory for you to do so. And Allah knows best.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.