Does the Invalidity of the Imam’s Prayer Affect the Followers' Prayers?

Does the Invalidity of the Imam’s Prayer Affect the Followers' Prayers?​

Question:

Does the invalidity of the Imam's prayer invalidate the followers' prayers?

Answer:

If the Imam leads the prayer without ablution (wudu) or in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah), or if his clothes are impure, and he completes the prayer in such a state, the followers' prayers remain valid and correct. However, the Imam is required to repeat the prayer. This is supported by:

Evidence No. 1:​

It is narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

"They will lead you in prayers. If they are correct, it is for you and for them. If they make a mistake, it is for you and against them."

References:

• Musnad Ahmad: 2/355
• Sahih Bukhari: 1/96, Hadith: 694

Hafiz Bagawi writes:

"This Hadith is evidence that if an Imam leads the people in prayer while in a state of major impurity or without ablution, the followers' prayers are valid, and the Imam must repeat his prayer, whether he knew of his impurity and intentionally led the prayer or was unaware."

Reference:

• Sharh al-Sunnah: 3/405

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

"Soon, there will be people who will lead you in prayer. If they complete the prayer correctly, it is sufficient for you and for them. If they fall short, it is against them and sufficient for you."

Reference:

• Sahih Ibn Hibban: 2228, with a Hasan chain

The narrator, Abdullah bin Ali al-Afriki, is considered "Hasan in Hadith." Abbas al-Duri says that he asked Imam Yahya bin Ma'in about him, and he said:

"Yes! There is no problem with him."

Reference:

• Tarikh Yahya bin Ma'in: 5331

Imam Ibn Hibban states:

"He is among the trustworthy people of Kufa."

Reference:

• Sahih Ibn Hibban, under Hadith 2228

Imam Abu Zur'ah al-Razi says:

"He is not very strong, his hadith contains denial, and he is weak."

Reference:

• Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil: 5/116

This opinion is unacceptable as it goes against the majority.

Imam Ibn al-Mundhir writes:

"This Hadith indicates the error of the one who claims that if the Imam’s prayer is invalid, the followers' prayer also becomes invalid."

Reference:

• Al-Awsat fi al-Sunan wa al-Ijma' wa al-Ikhtilaf: 4/164

Evidence No. 2:​

Abu Ali al-Hamdani says that he traveled with Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him). They requested him to lead the prayer because he was a companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He replied:

"No, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:

Whoever leads the people in prayer, completes the time, and the prayer correctly, it is sufficient for him and for them. But if he falls short in that, it is against him and not against them."

References:

• Musnad Ahmad: 4/145, 4/154, 4/156, 4/201
• Sunan Abi Dawood: 580
• Sunan Ibn Majah: 983, with a Hasan chain

Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, and Al-Hakim have declared this Hadith authentic.

Abdur-Rahman bin Harmala explicitly mentioned his hearing from Abu Ali al-Hamdani in this narration.

Reference:

• Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi: 3/147

Furthermore, Abdur-Rahman bin Harmala al-Madani is considered "Hasan in Hadith" by the majority of hadith scholars.

Authorities:

Imam Yahya bin Ma'in states:

"He is trustworthy. Yahya al-Qattan narrated about one hundred hadiths from him."Reference:

• Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi: 4/310

Imam al-Nasa'i says:

"There is no problem with him."

Imam Namir says:

"He is trustworthy."Reference:

• Tahdhib al-Tahdhib by Ibn Hajar: 6/147

1. Imam al-Saji says:
   
   "Truthful, but he makes mistakes in hadith."Reference:
   • Tahdhib al-Tahdhib: 6/147

Imam Ibn Adi states:

"I did not find any rejected hadith in his narrations."Reference:

• Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi: 4/311

Imam Ibn Hibban included him in "trustworthy" narrators and mentioned:

"He made mistakes."Imam Ibn Hibban's opinion is outweighed by the majority's verification. Imam Ibn Hibban himself authenticated his hadith, indicating a retraction.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, when asked about Yazid bin Abdullah bin Qasit and Ibn Harmala, said:

"How close they are to each other."

Imam Muslim narrated from him in supporting chains.

9, 10. Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (Hadith: 1513) and Al-Hakim (1/210) authenticated his hadith, implicitly verifying him.

This counts as ten verifications.

Critics:

1. It is said that Imam Yahya bin Sa'id al-Qattan weakened him but did not abandon him.Reference:
   
   • Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil by Ibn Abi Hatim: 5/223
2. Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi says:
   
   "His hadith will be written but not used as evidence. His hadith sometimes contains disturbance."Reference:
   • Al-Jarh: 5/240

A hadith's disturbance does not always indicate weakness, especially when the majority have authenticated Abdur-Rahman bin Harmala's narration.

1. Hafiz al-Mundhiri writes:
   "Bukhari weakened him."Reference:
   • Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib

However, Bukhari's statement is about Abdur-Rahman bin Harmala, uncle of Qasim bin Hassan, not Abdur-Rahman bin Harmala al-Aslami. Hafiz al-Dhahabi listed him in those who were spoken about but are trustworthy or acceptable.

Imam Ibn Khuzaymah wrote:

"The evidence that the Imam’s prayer may be deficient while the followers' prayer is complete contradicts the claim that the followers' prayer is connected to the Imam’s prayer. If the Imam's prayer is invalid, the followers' prayer also becomes invalid."Reference:

• Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 1513