سنن ابي داود
Abu Dawud
كتاب الصلاةPrayer (Kitab Al-Salat)
باب إِمَامَةِ الْبَرِّ وَالْفَاجِرِChapter: Pious And Wicked People As Imam.
Hadith 594
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ ، حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ ، عَنْ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ ، عَنْ مَكْحُولٍ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " الصَّلَاةُ الْمَكْتُوبَةُ وَاجِبَةٌ خَلْفَ كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ بَرًّا كَانَ أَوْ فَاجِرًا وَإِنْ عَمِلَ الْكَبَائِرَ " .
Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: The obligatory prayer is essential behind every Muslim, pious or impious, even if he has committed a sins.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
594. Commentary:
This narration is weak in its chain of transmission; however, if by chance one has to pray behind such people, the prayer will be valid, provided that the person is a monotheist Muslim. The principle is that whoever’s own prayer is valid, his leadership (imamate) is also valid. It is mentioned in Tarikh Bukhari that Abdul Karim says: I found ten companions of Muhammad (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) who used to pray behind oppressive rulers. In the previous chapter 10 of the Book of Prayer «إذا أخر الإمام الصلاة عن الوقت», it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “What will be your condition when there will be rulers over you who will delay the prayer from its proper time?” Or he said: “They will destroy the prayers from their appointed times.” It was asked: “O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), what do you command us?” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Pray the prayer at its proper time, and if you find them (the rulers) praying, then pray with them as well; it will be a voluntary (nafl) prayer for you.” In this hadith, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) permitted prayer behind such oppressors and clarified that it will be considered a voluntary prayer. [صحيح مسلم۔ حديث 648۔ سنن أبى داود۔ حديث : 431]
As for someone being of corrupt belief: if there is an imam who openly commits major shirk, i.e., considers calling upon other than Allah and seeking help from other than Allah to be permissible, then there is no meaning in praying behind him. If, in some place, a situation of compulsion arises, then repeating the prayer is necessary. However, if someone secretly holds such beliefs, we are not responsible for investigating him. Prayer behind them is valid. Jurisprudential differences and preferences are tolerable; if someone is guilty of lack of moderation and leads the prayer so hastily that it becomes difficult to fulfill the pillars (arkan), then one should also avoid such a person. This is similar to the case of oppressive rulers, and its solution has already been mentioned.
This narration is weak in its chain of transmission; however, if by chance one has to pray behind such people, the prayer will be valid, provided that the person is a monotheist Muslim. The principle is that whoever’s own prayer is valid, his leadership (imamate) is also valid. It is mentioned in Tarikh Bukhari that Abdul Karim says: I found ten companions of Muhammad (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) who used to pray behind oppressive rulers. In the previous chapter 10 of the Book of Prayer «إذا أخر الإمام الصلاة عن الوقت», it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “What will be your condition when there will be rulers over you who will delay the prayer from its proper time?” Or he said: “They will destroy the prayers from their appointed times.” It was asked: “O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), what do you command us?” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Pray the prayer at its proper time, and if you find them (the rulers) praying, then pray with them as well; it will be a voluntary (nafl) prayer for you.” In this hadith, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) permitted prayer behind such oppressors and clarified that it will be considered a voluntary prayer. [صحيح مسلم۔ حديث 648۔ سنن أبى داود۔ حديث : 431]
As for someone being of corrupt belief: if there is an imam who openly commits major shirk, i.e., considers calling upon other than Allah and seeking help from other than Allah to be permissible, then there is no meaning in praying behind him. If, in some place, a situation of compulsion arises, then repeating the prayer is necessary. However, if someone secretly holds such beliefs, we are not responsible for investigating him. Prayer behind them is valid. Jurisprudential differences and preferences are tolerable; if someone is guilty of lack of moderation and leads the prayer so hastily that it becomes difficult to fulfill the pillars (arkan), then one should also avoid such a person. This is similar to the case of oppressive rulers, and its solution has already been mentioned.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 594
