The Ruling on the Imamate of the Fasiq, the Ignorant person, the Stupid person and the like
Question :
What is the ruling on prayer behind one who shaves his beard, or one who smokes, or an ignorant person, or a stupid person who does not know the Qur'an?
Answer:
As for the Imamate of one who smokes and one who shaves his beard, whether he is the regular Imam or not, if it is possible to pray behind another, then it is lawful to pray behind another. However, if this Imam is the regular Imam and it is possible to change him for another who has more right, then he should be appointed. But if it is not possible due to the absence of a better person, or because of the great divisions it might cause, then he should remain, in order to avoid the lesser benefit in favor of the greater benefit and to take on the lesser of two evils in order to avoid the greater. As for the Imamate of the ignorant person and the stupid person, it has been authentically reported in Sahih Muslim, on the authority of Abu Mas'ud Al-Badri, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet said:
"The best reciter of the Book of Allah should lead the people. If they are equal in recitation, then the most knowledgeable of them regarding the Sunnah should lead them. If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then the one who emigrated (to Al-Madinah) first. If they are the same in this, then the oldest of them. And in another narration: "who first accepted Islam. And a man may not lead another person in a prayer within the area of his (the latter's) authority, nor should he sit in his house when he is his guest without his permission.
In light of this, it is not correct for an ignorant person, who is not good at reciting Al-Fatihah to act as Imam, unless he is leading other people like himself and there is no one else among them who deserves to be Imam.
Source:
The Permanent Committee
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 409-410
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