The prayer is not valid behind one whose
وَلاَ تَصِحُّ الصَّلاَةُ
The Book of Prayer
Chapter on Imamate Continued
Chapter on Imamate Continued
[Invalid Imamate]
prayer is invalid, except when one did not know about his ritual impurity,336 nor did the one being led in the prayer know about it before he made tasleem. In this case, he [the imam] repeats [his prayer] alone. 337
خَلْفَ مَنْ صَلاَتُهُ فَاسِدَةٌ، إِلاَّ مَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ حَدَثَ نَفْسِهِ، وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْهُ الْمَأْمُوْمُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ، فَإِنَّهُ يُعِيْدُ وَحْدَهُ
It is invalid behind one who omits a major pillar of the prayer, except for the imam of the neighborhood if he prays while sitting because of sickness that is hoped to be cured. In this case, they pray behind him sitting, unless he began the prayer standing and became ill and sat down; then they would pray behind him standing. 338
وَلاَ تَصِحُّ خَلْفَ تَارِكِ رُكْنٍ، إِلاَّ إِمَامَ الْحَيِّ، إِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا، لِمَرَضٍ يُرْجَى بُرْؤُهُ، فَإِنَّهُمْ يُصَلُّوْنَ وَرَاءَهُ جُلُوْسًا، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَبْتَدِئَهَا قَائِمًا، ثُمَّ يَعْتَلُّ فَيَجْلِسُ، فَإِنَّهُمْ يُتِمُّوْنَ مَعَهُ قِيَامًا
336 Notice the difference between ritual impurity, such as having no wuḍoo’, and physical impurity. In the first case, there is agreement that the imam must repeat the prayer once he realizes that he prayed without wuḍoo’. In the case of having physical impurity on him, there is a disagreement in the madh-hab. (A2) + (-M, -s, -t) and the position of this book: If he finishes the prayer before remembering that he has a physical impurity, he does not have to repeat the prayer. This is because the Prophet (SA) took off his sandals while praying, because they had filth on them, and he did not repeat what he had already prayed. (Ba – from Abi Sa‘eed al-Khudri. Ba: sound chain) (A/SM): The imam must repeat the prayer if he later comes to know that he had physical impurity on him that he was unaware of or had forgotten. In all cases, the ma’moom will only repeat it if he knew the imam’s condition before the prayer started (and he still prayed behind him).
337 This is based on the hadith in which the Prophet (SA) said:
“They [the imams] lead you in prayer, so if they do well, it [the reward] is for you [and them], and if they err, then it [the reward] is for you and [the liability is] on them.” (B – from Abu Hurayrah)
يُصَلُّونَ لَكُمْ فَإِنْ أَصَابُوا فَلَكُمْ [وَلهم] و إِنْ أخطأوا فَلَكُمْ وَعَلَيْهِمْ
Certainly this does not apply to one who knows that his imam does not have purity and decides to pray behind him anyway.
338 If the Imam Sits
All prefer for the imam who cannot stand to ask someone else to lead, due to the importance of standing and the disagreement over whether he is permitted to lead people who can stand. (-M): It is not allowed. (A): It is allowed for the appointed imam of the masjid, if he falls ill with a temporary illness. See the details above in the matn. (-H, -S): One who is sitting is allowed to lead those who are standing, and they are required to pray standing in all cases. Here is why they disagreed: “The Messenger of Allah (SA) prayed at home when he was sick. He prayed sitting down, and some people praying behind him were standing up, but he gestured to them that they should sit. When he finished the prayer, he said:
‘The imam has been appointed to be followed. When he bows, bow; when he rises, rise; and if he prays sitting, then pray sitting.’” (B – from ‘Â’ishah)
إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا رَفَعَ فَارْفَعُوا وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا
However, in the sickness prior to his death, he led the people in prayer (after Abu Bakr started it) sitting down, and Abu Bakr was following him and the people behind were following Abu Bakr. (B – from ‘Â’ishah) The majority (-H, -S) said that the hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (SA) prayed sitting while the Companions prayed standing, at the end of his life, abrogates the prohibition of standing while the imam is sitting. According to them, the earlier prohibition (as the Prophet [SA] pointed out in some reports) was meant to stop the Companions from treating their leaders as the Persians and Romans did; they used to stand while their monarchs were seated, as a sign of their extreme reverence. When the Prophet (SA) was comfortable that they understood the lesson, he allowed them to pray standing in that situation. According to (A), the best way to reconcile between the reports is to differentiate between two cases: 1) when the imam begins the ṣalât sitting, and 2) when he begins it standing and then sits later.
It is invalid for a woman to lead men. 339
وَلاَ تَصِحُّ إِمَامَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ بالرِّجالِ
339 Can a Woman Lead Men in Prayer?
There is a consensus that it is prohibited for obligatory prayers. Ibn Ḥazm said in Marâtib al-Ijmâ‘, “They [the jurists] are unanimously agreed that a woman should not lead men in prayer when they know that she is a woman. If they do this, their prayer is invalid according to the scholarly consensus.” It also says in al-Mawsoo‘at al-Fiqhiyat al-Kuwaytiyah (a contemporary encyclopedia of Islamic law compiling the positions of all schools) (6/205), “In order to lead men in prayer, it is essential that the imam be a male; it is not valid for a woman to lead men in prayers. The jurists are unanimously agreed on this matter.” The Messenger of Allah (SA) taught women that if they needed to correct the imam or alert him to a mistake, they should do so by clapping, not by speaking. (Ag – from Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sâ‘idi) Ibn Ḥajar said, in commenting on this hadith, “It is as if women are not allowed to say Subḥân Allâh because they are enjoined to keep their voices low in prayer at all times due to the fear of temptation.” If this is the case, then how could she lead them and stand in front of their rows and bow and prostrate in front of them – especially given that the people who might condone this would probably not consider the hijab a requirement, thus violating another consensus? Additionally, if this were permissible, why is it that the greatest of all women in this nation, such as Fâṭimah and ‘Â’ishah (RAHUMA), did not lead any men in prayers? In fact, ‘Â’ishah's servant Dhakwân used to lead her in tarâweeḥ and read from the muṣ-ḥaf. As for the nafl (supererogatory) prayers, the majority (A) + (+H, +M, +S) still considered it impermissible for a woman to lead men. However, (A2, including most earlier Ḥanbalis) allowed a woman who is a good reciter to lead men in tarâweeḥ prayers if those men are unable to recite al-Fâtiḥah well. This is because of a hadith reported by (D), stating that the Prophet (SA) permitted Umm Waraqah (RAH) to lead tarâweeḥ prayers for her household – although the hadith does not clearly state whether there were adult males praying behind her. Some of the Ḥanbalis who supported this position restricted it to older women, and some to women leading maḥram (non-marriageable) men only.
As is the case for one who has urinary incontinence, 340
وَلاَ مَنْ بِهِ سَلَسُ الْبَوْلِ
Can a Woman Lead Women in Prayer?
(A) + (+h, +m, +S): Permissible. (-H): Disliked. (-M): Forbidden because she is not allowed to raise her voice with the adhân, so here likewise. The position of the majority is supported by the hadith of Umm Waraqah above and by other reports that both ‘Â’ishah and Umm Salamah led women in prayer and stood in the middle of the line.
340 Can One with Incontinence Lead Healthy Individuals?
(A) + (+H, +s): No, because their ṭahârah is deficient, despite being sufficient for them. (a) + (-M, -S): Yes, because the prayer of that person is valid for him, so his leadership in the prayer should be valid as well.
341 Difficulty in Reciting al-Fâtiḥah
They agree about the ummi (illiterate one, meaning here the one who cannot recite al-Fâtiḥah properly) who neglects to learn its proper recitation despite being capable of doing so. His imamate is invalid. As for one who tries his best but is still unable to correct the recitation, they disagreed about the validity of their imamate. (A): The following individuals cannot lead anyone except those who are like them:
- one who substitutes one consonant for another (aside from changing the ض into ظ)
- one who changes the vowels (makes laḥn) in a way that would change the meaning
- one who drops certain letters or merges them into others
(S): Very close to (A). (M) in the authorized view: They are allowed to lead if they change one letter to another, or if they change the vowels unintentionally, even if it may change the meaning. This is all about the permissibility of their imamate, not the preferred order. (H): Their earlier scholars were more like (S+A), but their latter scholars allowed it for the one who is unable to pronounce certain consonants or replaces them with others. They justified the change in the madh-hab by ‘umoom al-balwâ (an unfavorable widespread situation). (Z): They allowed the imamate of those who have any difficulties with recitation, due to their inability to improve it. They argued that Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. All people must try their best to learn al-Fâtiḥah, but if they still cannot master its recitation, then it is hoped that they are not deprived of the opportunity to lead their congregations, particularly when they are the true leaders of those congregations. It is, however, closer to piety for those people to willingly assign good reciters to lead the prayers, while they continue to lead their congregations in teaching, judging, and all other aspects of leadership. After all, there are many great scholars in the vast Muslim world who pray behind their students.
342 Like one with improper recitation or one with urinary incontinence leading others with the same condition.
343 But it is preferable for the one with wuḍoo’ to lead.
344 Praying Farḍ Behind One Praying Nafl (or a Different Farḍ with a Similar Number of Rak‘ahs)
[Position of the Ma’moom]
If there is only one being led in the prayer, he should stand on the right side of the imam. If he stands to his left, or in front of him, or alone, it [the prayer] is not valid 345 – unless it is a woman; then she should stand alone behind him.
وَإِذَا كَانَ الْمَأْمُوْمُ وَاحِدًا، وَقَفَ عَنْ يَمِيْنِ الإِمَامِ، فَإِنْ وَقَفَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، أَوْ قُدَّامَهُ أَوْ وَحْدَهُ، لَمْ تَصِحَّ صَلاَتُهُ. إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُوْنَ امْرَأَةً، فَتَقِفُ وَحْدَهَا
The position in the matn is that of (a) + (-S, -t). It is proven that Mu‘âdh ibn Jabal (RA) used to pray ‘ishâ’ with the Prophet (SA) and then go back to his people and lead them in praying ‘ishâ’, (Ag) so his second prayer was nafl for him and farḍ for them. They argued that the hadith forbidding being at variance with the imam is about his actions, not his intention. (A) + (+H, +M): It is invalid, because the Prophet (SA) said:
“The Imam is appointed to be followed, so do not be at variance with him. When he makes takbeer, make takbeer; when he bows down, bow; when he says Sami‘ Allâhu liman ḥamidah (Allah hears those who praise him), say Rabbanâ laka alḥamdu (Our Lord, all praise be to You); when he prostrates, prostrate; and when he prays sitting, pray sitting, all of you.” (Ag – from Abu Hurayrah)
إِنَّمَا الإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَلاَ تَخْتَلِفُوا عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ. فَقُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ. وَإِذَا سَجَدَ فَاسْجُدُوا وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا أَجْمَعُونَ
They argued that the hadith of Mu‘âdh is a personal incident that may have variant implications, including the possibility that he was praying nafl behind the Prophet (SA) and then farḍ with his people. There is agreement in the madh-hab + (+H, +M, +S) that the opposite (praying nafl behind one praying farḍ) is valid because the Messenger of Allah (SA) saw a person praying alone and said:
“Is there any man who may do good with this (man) and pray along with him?” (D – from Sa‘eed al-Khudri. al-Albâni:S)
َلاَ رَجُلٌ يَتَصَدَّقُ عَلَى هَذَا فَيُصَلِّيَ مَعَهُ
345 Is the Prayer of One Who Prays Alone (Behind a Row) Valid?
If they are a group, they should stand behind him. If they stand to his right, or on both sides, it is valid. However, if they stand in front of him 346 or to his left,347 it is invalid.
خَلْفَهُ. وَإْنْ كَانُوْا جَمَاعَةً، وَقَفُوْا خَلْفَهُ، فَإِنْ وَقَفُوْا عَنْ يَمِيْنِهِ، أَوْ عَنْ جَانِبَيْهِ، صَحَّ، فَإِنْ وَقَفُوْا قُدَّامَهُ، أَوْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، لَمْ تصِحَّ
(A/SM): No. If there is no room in the last row, he must pray beside the imam, on his right side, or ask (verbally or by any signal) that someone in the last row step back and make a row with him, but it is disliked to pull anyone back. The one who is asked should do so. This is because when a man prayed alone behind the rows, the Prophet (SA) ordered him to repeat the prayer. (A,T – from Wâbiṣah ibn Ma‘bad. A:R) (a) + (-H, -M, -S): It is valid but disliked, according to (a) + (-H, -S). It is prescribed for him to (gently) pull someone from the last row to pray with him, according to (-H, -S), but only if he does not fear that this may lead to disruption or disputation. Otherwise, he should pray behind the rows, and it is not disliked in this case. According to (M), he should not demand anyone to step back, and he should pray behind the last row. They cited as evidence that when Abu Bakrah bowed behind the row before joining it, the Prophet (SA) did not tell him to repeat his prayer. (B) However, (A) argued that Abu Bakrah prayed alone less than one rak‘ah (before he joined the row), and this does not invalidate the prayer. While the position of the madh-hab has obvious strength for one who finds room in the last row, the position of the majority may be stronger for one who does not.
346 If They Pray in Front of the Imam
(A) + (+H, +S): The prayer is invalid. (a) + (-m, -t): It is valid only if there was a need, such as crowdedness. (-M, -s-old): It is valid in all cases but disliked if there was no need.
347 If They Pray to the Left of the Imam
(A): Invalid, because Jâbir said that the Prophet (SA) stood up to pray, and Jâbir made wuḍoo’ and then went and stood to the left of him. The Prophet (SA) took Jâbir by the hand and moved him to his right. Then Jabbâr came and stood to his left, so the Prophet (SA) took both of them by the hand and made them stand behind him. (D)
If a woman leads other women, she should stand between them in the same row. Likewise, the imam of men who are not properly covered should stand amidst them. If there are men, boys, intersex persons 348 and women, the men are placed in the front, then the boys,349 then the intersex persons, and then the women.
.وَإِنْ صَلَّتْ امْرَأَةٌ بِالنِّسَاءِ، قَامَتْ مَعَهُنَّ فِي الصَّفِّ وَسَطَهُنَّ وَكَذٰلِكَ إِمَامُ الرِّجَالِ الْعُرَاةِ يَقُوْمُ وَسْطَهُمْ. وَإِنِ اجْتَمَعَ رِجَالٌ وَصِبْيَانُ، وَخَنَاثَى وَنِسَاءٌ، تَقَدَّمَ الرِّجَالُ، ثُمَّ الصِّبْيَانُ، ثُمَّ الْخُنَاثَى، ثُمَّ النِّسَاءُ.
(a) + (-H, -M, -S): Valid but counter to the Sunnah, because the Prophet (SA) did not ask Jâbir (or Ibn ‘Abbâs in a different hadith) to repeat the prayer after they started it on his left side.
348 The word khunthâ was used to refer to people with ambiguous genitalia.
349 Where the Boys Stand
Al-Mardâwi said in al-Inṣâf, “Al-Majd ibn Taymiyah preferred the view that the boy should not be sent back from his place if he got there first.” Al-Mardâwi added, “This is the correct view.”