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:

As Salam Alaikum Burhan Bhai..

My Question is can any one do Imamat? without any cap on his head and wearing short sleeves t-shirt or tight Jeans and jeans covering his toes.. if one joins the salah and in that salah he realize that this might be not get accepted near Allah Subhana wa` Taala, so after praying back on Imaam can we Pray again if we not satisfied ourselves or wat is the solution if a person is doing imamat with above said dress.. please clarify.

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Answer:

Who can lead prayer imam

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.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.595 Narrated by Amr bin Salama

That he heard the Prophet (saws) say: “Offer such-and-such prayer at such-and-such time, and when the time for the prayer becomes due, then one of you should pronounce the Adhan (for the prayer), and let the one amongst you who knows Qur'an most to lead the prayer."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.653 Narrated by Malik bin Huwairth

We went to the Prophet (saws) and we were all young men and stayed with him for about twenty nights. The Prophet (saws) was very merciful. He (saws) said, "When you return home, impart religious teachings to your families and tell them to offer perfectly such and such a prayer at such and such a time and such and such a prayer at such and such a time. And at the time of the prayer one of you should pronounce the Adhan, and the oldest of you should lead the prayer."

When the believers gather to offer their congregational prayers at a place of worship or the masjid, they should offer their prayers behind the ‘imaam’ chosen and appointed by those in authority. But when the believers happen to assemble and pray amongst themselves, the criteria for choosing the ‘imaam’ amongst them should be the one who either knows the Quran more or is the oldest amongst them in age.

The wearing of a head-cover, or the dress-code, or the length of one’s beard, etc. has absolutely nothing to do with the choosing of an ‘imaam’ to lead the believers in prayer.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2527 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Striving in the path of Allah (jihad) 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 or the dress-code of the chosen ‘imam’!

The deeds or dress 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