Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother,

Assalam-wa-laykum,

I would to amend my previous question.

"Is it righteous to offer Salat behind an Imam who is know to be Biddathi ? ? ?

Allah Hafiz.

Your Brother

Aijaz Hussain.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Imam impious

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2527 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Striving (Jihad) in the path of Allah is incumbent on you along with every ruler, whether he is pious or impious; the prayer is obligatory on you behind every believer, pious or impious, even if he commits grave sins; the (funeral) prayer is incumbent upon every Muslim, pious and impious, even if he commits major sins.’

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.663 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "If the Imam leads the prayer correctly then he and you will receive the rewards; but if he makes a mistake (in the prayer) then you will receive the reward for the prayer and the sin will be his."

Beloved brother, regardless of who is chosen or appointed to lead the congregational prayers, the believers are commanded by Allah and His Messenger (saws) to pray behind the chosen or appointed ‘imam’. It would not behove or befit a believer who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day to leave prayer in congregation just because he does not agree with the opinion or deeds of the chosen ‘imam’.

If the ‘imam’ is indeed involved in committing the evil of ‘bida’ or sins even more heinous than that, he alone will be responsible for his deeds; the deeds of the chosen or appointed ‘imam’ does not in any way effect the prayer or reduce the rewards of the believers who offer their prayers behind him.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan