Bukhari

Benefits and Issues:
If the imam is without ablution (wudu) or in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah), or if there is impurity on his clothes, and he leads the prayer in this state, then the prayer of the followers (muqtadis) is completely valid and correct. However, it is necessary for the imam to repeat his prayer, as:

Proof Number ➊
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«يصلّون لكم، فان ا صابوا فلكم ولهم، وان أخطؤوافلكم وعليهم»
They (the rulers) will lead you in prayer; if they perform it correctly, it will be a means of salvation for you and for them, but if they make a mistake, it will be a means of salvation for you and a burden against them. [مسند الامام احمد : 355/2، واللفظ له، صحيح بخاري : 96/1، ح : 694]

◈ Hafiz Baghawi rahimahullah writes:
«فيه دليل على أنه اذا صلى بقوم، و كان جنبا او محدثا ان صلاة القوم صحيحة، وعلي الامام اعادة، سواءكانالامام عالما بحدثه متعمّد الامامة أوكان جاهلا۔۔۔»
“This hadith is evidence that if the imam leads people in prayer while he is in a state of major ritual impurity (junub) or without ablution (wudu), the prayer of the people is valid, but it is necessary for the imam to repeat the prayer, whether he is aware of his state and knowingly leads the prayer, or he is unaware.” [شرح السنة : 405/3]

❀ It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«سياتي اقوام او يكون اقوام يصلّون الصلاة، فان اتموا فلكم ولهم، وان نقصوا فعليهم ولكم۔»
“Soon there will come some people (rulers) who will lead you in prayer; if they perform the prayer completely, it will suffice for you and for them, but if they are negligent, it will be a burden for them and will suffice for you.” [صحيح ابن حبان : 2228، وسنده حسن]

↰ Its narrator is Abdullah bin Ali al-Afriki «حسن الحديث».
◈ Abbas Luduri says that I asked Imam Yahya bin Ma'in: Is he trustworthy? He replied:
«نعم ! ليس به بأس۔»
“Yes! There is nothing wrong with him.” [تاريخ يحيي بن معين : 5331]

◈ Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah says:
«من ثقات اهل لكوفة۔»
“He is among the trustworthy Kufans.” [صحيح ابن حبان، تحت حديث 22228]

◈ Imam Abu Zur’ah al-Razi rahimahullah says:
«ليس بالمتين، فى حديثه انكار، هوليّن۔»
“He is not a strong narrator; there is objectionable (munkar) content in his hadith, he is weak.” [الجرح و التعديل : 116/5]
↰ This statement is unacceptable because it is contrary to the majority.

◈ Imam Ibn al-Mundhir rahimahullah writes:
«هذا الحديث يدّل على اغفال من زعم انّ صلاة الامام اذا فسدت صلاة من خلفه۔»
“This hadith shows that the person is mistaken who claims that if the imam’s prayer becomes invalid, then the prayer of his followers also becomes invalid.” [الاوسط فى السنن والاجماع و الاختاف لابن المنذر : 164/4]

Hadith Commentary:
That is, if there is any deficiency in the prayer of the imam, it will not affect the prayer of the followers. This is because they have fulfilled all the conditions and pillars.

Hadith Commentary:
Some scholars have interpreted “leading the prayer properly” to mean performing the prayer at its prescribed time, and “negligence” to mean performing the prayer during the disliked (makruh) time. They have presented the following narration as evidence:

It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Perhaps you will encounter people who will perform the prayer after its time has passed. In such circumstances, perform the prayer at its proper time in your home, and then perform it with them as well. Consider the prayer you perform with them as voluntary (nafl).” (Sunan an-Nasa’i, al-Imamah, Hadith: 780)

However, restricting their negligence to only performing the prayer during the disliked time is not correct, because the aforementioned narration refutes this, indicating that the negligence of the imam includes not only performing the prayer during the disliked time, but also any deficiency or shortcoming in the prayer itself.

In one narration from Imam Ahmad, there is further clarification: If they perform the prayer at its proper time and also complete its bowing (ruku‘) and prostration (sujud), then its reward will be for both you and them. (Musnad Ahmad: 147/4)

This narration also shows that the negligence of the imam does not refer solely to performing the prayer during the disliked time, but also includes any deficiency in the prayer and any lack of humility and submissiveness (khushu‘, khudu‘).

Imam Ibn al-Mundhir rahimahullah states that this hadith refutes those who hold the view that if the imam’s prayer is invalid, then the prayer of the followers (muqtadis) automatically becomes invalid as well. (Fath al-Bari: 243/2)