Is Prayer Valid Behind an Imām Who Uses Black Dye?
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil – Bāb al-Ṣalāh, Vol. 1, p. 156
Question (Summary):
Is applying black dye on the beard or hair a major sin?
Is prayer valid behind an imām who applies black dye?
Similarly, is Jumuʿah prayer valid behind a khuṭīb who uses black dye, or a khuṭīb who always delivers the sermon sitting down?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
✿ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited dyeing the beard or hair with black color.
✿ If a person applies black dye to his beard or hair, then praying behind him occasionally is valid.
✿ However, such a person should not be appointed as a permanent imām.
✿ Evidence for this is found in a ḥadīth in Sunan Abī Dāwūd, in which the Prophet ﷺ removed a man from the position of imāmah because he disobeyed in a certain matter.
(This narration is mentioned in Bāb fī Karāhiyat al-Buzāq fī al-Masjid.)
Hādhā mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam bi-ṣ-ṣawāb.
