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:

Assalamalaykum,

Dear Brother.

1- I would like to know about HARAM. Suppose i know a man he eat`s haram or a backbiter and some time he offer namaz as a IMAM. Is it acceptable for me to offer namaz behind him regularly or in rare cases.

2- If the IMAM finishes his namaz after three rakat in ZUHAR, ASAR OR ISHA.Shell i continue the last one or repeat again that namaz.

Please explain us with the reference of quran and sahih hadeeth.

I look forward to your response

Thankyou

(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:

Pray behind impious 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.

Your Question: I would like to know about HARAM. Suppose i know a man he eat`s haram or a backbiter and some time he offer namaz as a IMAM. Is it acceptable for me to offer namaz behind him regularly or in rare cases.

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.’

Beloved brother, regardless of the amount, severity, or number of evil deeds of the brother who has been chosen or appointed to lead the prayer as the ‘imam’, it is absolutely incumbent upon the believers to offer their prayers behind that person.

Regardless of the condition of the ‘imam’, the believers who pray behind him will have their reward in full from the Lord of the Worlds for their prayer. Under no circumstances is it permitted in Islam that the believers intentionally break off from the congregation only because of the condition or deeds of the chosen ‘imam’.

Your Question: If the IMAM finishes his namaz after three rakat in ZUHAR, ASAR OR ISHA.Shell i continue the last one or repeat again that namaz.

If the brother ‘Imam’ leading the prayer makes an error in the prayer like praying three rakahs when four have to prayed, etc., the believers praying behind the imam must alert their imam by politely declaring ‘subhanallah’; if one amongst the men did not alert the imam or if there are only women in the congregation, the women are to alert the imam of his error by the clapping of their hands.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.86

It is permissible for men to say ‘subhanallah’ and for women to clap to alert the imam leading the prayer to a mistake he might have made in the prayer. Sahl ibn Sa'd as-Sa'di relates that the Prophet (saws) said: "If someone is faced with something during the ‘salah’, he should say 'subhanallah.' Clapping is for the women and saying ‘subhanallah’ is for the men."

Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and an-Nasa'i.

If the ‘imam’ is alerted regarding his error in prayer by the declaration of ‘subhan-Allah’ (or clapping by women), he should make the necessary amends and end the prayer with a ‘sajdah-suhoo’ (prostration of forgetfulness). If, for example, the ‘imam’ has already completed the prayers after three rakahs when four should have prayed, and the error is only brought to his attention after the prayer has ended, the imam should stand up again with the congregation, and lead them in praying one more rakah, and then complete the prayer with a ‘sajdah-suhoo’.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.394 Narrated by Abdullah

The Prophet (saws) prayed (and the sub-narrator Ibrahim) said, "I do not know whether he prayed more or less than usual"), and when he (saws) had finished the prayers he was asked, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! Has there been any change in the prayers?" He (saws) said, "What is it?' The people said, "You (saws) have prayed so much and so much." So the Prophet (saws) bent his legs, faced the Qibla and performed two prostration's (of Sahu) and finished his prayers with Taslim (by turning his face to right and left saying: "As-Salamu'Alaikum-Warahmat-ullah"). When he (saws) turned his face to us he (saws) said, "If there had been anything changed in the prayer, surely I would have informed you but I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I forget remind me and if anyone of you is doubtful about his prayer, he should follow what he thinks to be correct, and complete his prayer accordingly and finish it and do two prostrations (of Sahu)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.324 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "When anyone of you stands for the prayers, the Shaytaan comes and puts him in doubts till he forgets how many Rakat he has prayed. So if this happens to anyone of you, he should perform two prostrations of Sahu while sitting. "

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