Ruling on Prayer Behind an Imām Who Practices Innovation (Bidʿah) – Sharʿī Guidance
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil – Bāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 157
Question:
Bidʿah (innovation) is misguidance and must be avoided. Those who are engaged in innovations should also be avoided until they abandon them.
In Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, it is narrated from Mujāhid that:
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما once entered a mosque where the adhān had already been given. The muʾadhdhin performed tathwīb (here referring to the bidʿah practice of calling people again after the adhān with words like al-ṣalāh, al-ṣalāh – “come to prayer, come to prayer” – or saying such phrases during the iqāmah).
ʿAbdullāh رضي الله عنه said: “Let us leave this innovator,” and he did not pray there.
(Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī, Abwāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb Mā Jāʾa fī al-Tathwīb fī al-Fajr, Vol. 1, pp. 49–50)
From this narration, it becomes clear that every innovation is misguidance, and there is no light in it. If even a muʾadhdhin engaged in innovation was rejected, then what about an imām involved in innovation?
Note: Tathwīb is legislated only in the Fajr adhān in the form of the words “al-ṣalātu khayrun min al-nawm”.
Questions:
➊ Is it valid to pray behind an imām who practices innovation, or should one avoid him?
➋ Please clarify the narration mentioned above—what prayer was it, and what innovation did the muʾadhdhin commit?
➌ A narration states: “Ṣalāh is obligatory behind every Muslim, whether he is righteous or sinful, and obedience to every ruler is obligatory, whether righteous or sinful.” Does this mean prayer is valid behind a fāsiq or fājir (e.g., a man without a beard)?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
① Ruling on Prayer Behind an Innovator (Bidʿatī) Imām:
- If a person’s innovation reaches the level of kufr or shirk, then praying behind him is not permissible, and avoidance is necessary.
- If his innovation does not amount to kufr or shirk, then he should not be appointed as a permanent imām. However, if by coincidence one prays behind him, the ṣalāh will be valid.
② Clarification of the Narration:
The narration does not specify which prayer it was. However, the nature of the innovation is clearly described:
- The muʾadhdhin added words after the adhān or during the iqāmah, such as al-ṣalāh, al-ṣalāh or ḥayy ʿalā al-ṣalāh.
- Such additions are counted as bidʿah.
③ Ruling on Prayer Behind a Fāsiq or Fājir:
- The narration “Ṣallū khalf kulli barrin wa fājir” (“Pray behind every righteous and sinful person”) is not authentic.
- Therefore:
◈ A beardless man should not be appointed as a permanent imām.
◈ If one happens to pray behind him occasionally, the prayer will still be valid.
◈ Growing the beard is farḍ (obligatory) because it is the explicit command of the Prophet ﷺ.
◈ There is no Sharʿī evidence to lower this ruling from the level of obligation.
Conclusion:
✔ If the innovation amounts to shirk or kufr, prayer behind such an imām is invalid.
✔ If it does not reach that level, the prayer is valid but appointing him as a permanent imām is not appropriate.
✔ A fāsiq (e.g., one who shaves his beard) should not be chosen as an imām, but prayer behind him, if it occurs, remains valid.
Hādhā mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam bi-ṣ-ṣawāb.
