IMAAM IN A CONGREGATION NAMAAZ
'These are the only believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger'
(Surah Al-Noor. Verse 62)
'He who has performed Namaaz behind a pious Alim, has performed Namaaz behind (any one of) Nabi'. (Al-hadith)
In the present time, a lot of people take Namaaz very lightly and do not pay attention to whom they perform Namaaz behind. The imaam should be:
' of the Ahle Sunnah Wa Jama'ah with correct beliefs (sahih aqeeda)
' sane
' male
' abstain from sins
' strictly follows the Islamic laws (shariyat)
' recite The Holy Quran correctly (correct qira'at)
' has a greater knowledge of the requirements of Namaaz and cleaniness
Namaaz should only be performed behind an imaam who has correct beliefs (sahi ul aqeeda). A Namaaz will become invalid and will have to be repeated if it is performed behind an imaam with corrupt and deviated beliefs. Namaaz performed behind a Wahabi, Deobandi, Ahle Hadith, Tableege Jamaat etc imaam becomes odious and has to be repeated.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, 'stay away from those astray from the deen and keep them away least they put you in fitna and make you astray as well'.
(Muslim, Mishkat)
A Sunni Muslim with correct beliefs deserves the most for doing imaamat even if more learned and conversant with the rules of qira'at are available among congregates. (Bahar e Shariyat, Durr e Mukhtar)
An apostate (murtad), hypocrite (munafiq) and persons with corrupt and deviated beliefs are ineligible for imaamat. (Bahar e Shariyat)
Anyone who openly accepts invitations and takes food of deviants (badhmazhab) and has relations with them is a transgressor (fasiq) in public. Such people are ineligible for imaamat.' (Fatawa Razviyah)
Sitting and associating with the deviants is forbidden (haraam) and dangerous. There is huge risk of becoming misled. To keep friendship with the misled is even more dangerous and destructive. (Hazrat Imaam Ahmad Raza Khan [Rahmatullah Alaih])
According to the Hanfi School of thought, it is wajib to keep a fist length beard. A person who does not have a shar'ee (according to Islamic Laws) beard is considered an open sinner (fasiq). It is strongly disapproved (makhrooh e tahreeme) to perform Namaaz behind a fasiq. (Radd Ul Muhtar)
It is narrated that an imaam spat towards the qibla while Prophet Muhammadﷺ was looking. Prophetﷺ said, 'he should not lead you'. (Abu Dawood)
Prophetﷺ dislikes a person who spits towards the qibla to be an imaam. To be an open sinner is much more serious.
Any person who misses the sunnat e Muakkadah, and in particular the two sunnat of Fajr, and four sunnat of Zohr is a transgressor in public (fasiq e mo'alin). It is strongly disapproved (makhrooh e tahreeme) to perform Namaaz behind him, and any Namaaz performed behind him must be repeated. It is also a sin to select such a person for the post of imaam. (Guunyah Sharhh e Muunyah, Fatawa Razviyah)
Anyone who deliberately misses fast (roza) without authentic Islamic reasons is a transgressor (fasiq). Namaaz should not be performed behind such individuals.
(Fatawa Razviyah)
Anyone, who despite of being capable does nothing to prevent his wife from going out without a veil is a transgressor. Namaaz behind such a person will be strongly disapproved (makhrooh e tahreeme) and must be repeated. It is a sin to select such a person as an imaam. However, if despite his consistent effort, she does not obey him, and then he cannot be blamed. Then Namaaz can be performed behind him.
(Ghunyah Sharhh e Muunyah, Fatawa Razviyah)
Anyone who deceives others to collect money is a transgressor. Such people should never be appointed as imaam, and rather they should be terminated. (Fatawa Razviyah)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that Prophet Muhammadﷺ said, 'If you are leading the Namaaz, then shorten it, keeping in mind the presence of old, sick and weak persons in the congregation. However, if you are offering Namaaz alone, then lengthen it as much as you wish'. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Hazrat Anas(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that Prophet Muhammadﷺ said, 'the hairs of the forehead are in the hands of shaitaan of those muqtadee who lift and bow their heads prior to the imaam'. (Imaam Malik)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates that Prophet Muhammadﷺ said, 'Are those people who lift their heads prior to the imaam, do not fear Allah Ta'ala may convert their head into donkeys head'. (Bukhari, Muslim)
