The Ruling on Praying behind a Person Who seeks Help from Other than Allah

Question:

Is it correct to pray behind one who seeks help from other than Allah saying: "Help us, O Ghawth, support us O Jilani!"? And if I do not find another to pray behind, then is it allowed for me to pray at home?

Answer:

It is not permissible to pray behind any of the people of Shirk, including those who seek help and support from other than Allah. This is because to seek help from other than Allah, such as the dead, idols, the Jinn and the like is to associate partners with Allah, the Most High. As for seeking help from the present living, who are able to do what you request of them, there is no objection to this, for Allah, the Almighty and Majestic says about Musa, upon him be peace:
" The man of his own party asked him for help against his foe".

So if you can find no Muslim Imam behind whom you may pray, it is permissible for you to pray at home, but if you can find a congregation to pray in the mosque either before or after the Imam who practices this Shirk, you should pray with them. And if it is possible for the Muslims to remove this Imam who practices this Shirk, and replace him with a Muslim Imam, who can lead the people in prayer, they must do so, because this is a part of ordering the good and forbidding the evil and the implementation of the Law of Allah in His earth if it is possible to do so without causing turmoil, as Allah says:
"The believers, men and women are Awliya' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma'roof (i.e. Islamic monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid (people) from Al- Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds and all that Islam has forbidden).

The Prophet SAW said:
"If anyone of you sees something evil, he should change it by his hand; if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do this, then with his heart, and this is the weakest type of faith".
Source:
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 1 Pages 112-113

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