Question 021: In our area we don’t have enough Mosques. The students make a Jamaat and among us, one leads the prayer. Usually one student from Saudi Arabia leads the prayer but recently we found out that he is involved in bad activities which is forbidden in Islam. He is the most knowledgeable among us, in terms of deen and he is also Hafiz in Quran. Should we still pray behind him after everything we know about him? What should we do now?
Answer 021: Justice is one of the conditions that a person who leads the prayer should have. Justice meaning, the person is in a state of heartfelt God-fearing that keeps us from doing any capital (Kabirah) and venial (Saqirah) sin. The following are some conditions an Imam of Jamaat should have:
1) Adult Baligh (must have reached the age of responsibility and puberty). 2) Able to recite his prayers correctly (also to recite its Makhraj correctly). 3) Mu’min (believer) – Shia Ithna Asheri (the Twelver shia Imams). 4) Aaqil (Sane). 5) Of legitimate birth. 6) Aadil (Just). 7) One who has not been committing any capital sin (Kabirah); and whose outward behavior and conduct appears to be in conformity with Shariah. 8) Men should lead women in prayer, according to the obligatory precaution.
If it is not known that the person committed any capital sin or if he committed sin(s) but truly repented from it and obtained the justice after, and have the other conditions of leading the prayer, there would be no problem to offer our prayers behind him. Otherwise, we aren’t allowed.
If a person who once considered an Imam to be ‘Adil, doubts whether he continues to be ‘Adil, he can follow him.[1]
According to Imam Khomeini (ra), there are several conditions for an Imam of Jamà’at. They are: Imãn (or Shi’ah belief), purity of birth (i.e. legitimate birth), sanity and Bulugh (i.e. being of age), when the person following him happens to be of age; rather the Imãmat of a minor even when leading someone like him (i.e. a minor) is difficult (to accept as permissible); rather it is close to declaring it inadmissible. It is also a condition that the Imam must be a male, when the person following him is a male rather, according to the more cautious opinion, in all circumstances.
Another condition is that the Imam must be morally sound, so that it is not permissible to offer prayer behind a profligate or one whose position (as to his being of a legitimate birth) is not known. Adãlat (or moral soundness) is a psychological condition which impels a person to be constantly pious (or God-fearing) and prevents him from the commission of major sins, rather, according to the stronger opinion, even from the commission of minor sins, let alone the persistence in the commission of what are called major sins, and also from the commission of acts which are usually considered as exponent of an irresponsible attitude of their perpetrator towards faith. It is also more cautious to abstain from things repugnant to the ideal of manhood (Muruvvat), though it is not a condition (for an Imam of Jamã’at).
As regards the major sins, they include every sin for which Allah has promised punishment of Fire (or Hell), or a severe punishment (‘Iqãb), or which have been strongly condemned, or there is an evidence of their being more heinous than some of the major sins or their likes, or according to the dictates of reason they are major sins, or there is a consensus in Shari’ah over their being major sins, or it has been mentioned in a textual authority that they are major sins.
According to the stronger opinion, it is permissible to give the charge of leading prayer to a person who himself knows that he is not morally sound, but the followers believe in his being morally sound, though, in such case, it is more cautious to give it up. Anyhow it would be a valid Jamà’at, and shall be governed by all its relevant rules. [2]
For further information in this regards, please refer to the following answer:
Index: Number of things which invalidate the prayer, answer 547.
[1] . Imam Khomeini, Tawzih al-masa’il (al-mohasha), vol 1, p 791, question 1453. Ibid, Pg. 790; For further information in this regards, please visit: The official website of the office of Sayyid Sistani (ha), Congregational prayers » Qualification of an Imam of congregational prayers.
[2] . Ibid; Tahrir al-Wasilah of Imam Khomeini (ra), Vol. 1, Conditions for an Imam of Jamã’at.