Authored by: Ghulam Mustafa Zahid Amn Puri (Hafidhahullah)
Question:
If an Imam leads the prayer without being in a state of wudu, do the followers (muqtadis) also need to repeat their prayer?
Answer:
If an Imam leads the prayer without wudu, he is required to repeat his prayer, but the followers (muqtadis) do not need to repeat their prayer. Their prayer remains valid. This is supported by several authoritative statements:
◈ Sheikh al-Islam, Imam Abu Abdul Rahman Abdullah bin Mubarak (رحمه الله) (118–181 AH) stated:
"There is no strong hadith to support the claim that when an Imam leads the prayer without wudu, the followers must repeat the prayer. On the contrary, other hadiths clearly indicate that the followers do not need to repeat the prayer. This is the position of anyone who desires to remain just and fair with the hadith."
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi, 1/401, with a good chain of narration)
◈ The scholar and Imam, Hafidh Abdul Rahman bin Mahdi (رحمه الله) (died 135 AH), said:
"It is a consensus that if an Imam in a state of major impurity (janabah) leads the prayer, he must repeat the prayer, but the followers do not need to repeat theirs. I am unaware of any disagreement on this matter."
(Sunan al-Daraqutni, 1/364; Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi, 2/400, with an authentic chain)
When Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (رحمه الله) was asked about an Imam who leads the prayer without wudu, he responded:
"The Imam must repeat his prayer, but the followers do not need to repeat theirs."
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi, 2/401, with a good chain of narration)
Thus, the established position is that while the Imam is required to repeat his prayer if performed without wudu, the prayer of the followers remains valid and does not need to be repeated.
Question:
If an Imam leads the prayer without being in a state of wudu, do the followers (muqtadis) also need to repeat their prayer?
Answer:
If an Imam leads the prayer without wudu, he is required to repeat his prayer, but the followers (muqtadis) do not need to repeat their prayer. Their prayer remains valid. This is supported by several authoritative statements:
◈ Sheikh al-Islam, Imam Abu Abdul Rahman Abdullah bin Mubarak (رحمه الله) (118–181 AH) stated:
"There is no strong hadith to support the claim that when an Imam leads the prayer without wudu, the followers must repeat the prayer. On the contrary, other hadiths clearly indicate that the followers do not need to repeat the prayer. This is the position of anyone who desires to remain just and fair with the hadith."
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi, 1/401, with a good chain of narration)
◈ The scholar and Imam, Hafidh Abdul Rahman bin Mahdi (رحمه الله) (died 135 AH), said:
"It is a consensus that if an Imam in a state of major impurity (janabah) leads the prayer, he must repeat the prayer, but the followers do not need to repeat theirs. I am unaware of any disagreement on this matter."
(Sunan al-Daraqutni, 1/364; Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi, 2/400, with an authentic chain)
When Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (رحمه الله) was asked about an Imam who leads the prayer without wudu, he responded:
"The Imam must repeat his prayer, but the followers do not need to repeat theirs."
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi, 2/401, with a good chain of narration)
Thus, the established position is that while the Imam is required to repeat his prayer if performed without wudu, the prayer of the followers remains valid and does not need to be repeated.