Is it permissible to perform prayers behind Wahhabi imams? They act differently from the practices of four madhhabs in the Kaaba.

It is a madhhab outside the four right madhhabs. We follow them in the Kaaba. Some scholars say, "Their grandfathers died in unbelief." Our desire for worshipping is harmed by their acts after prayer. What is your view? How will you explain it? 

Dear Brother / Sister,

Wahhabism is not a religion or a madhhab outside Islam. There is no drawback to performing prayers behind the imams who call themselves Wahhabis. What is more, if a person does not perform prayers in congregation behind the imams in the holy places using the fact that they are Wahhabis as an excuse, he loses a lot of thawabs and becomes religiously responsible since he might cause mischief. Indeed, it is necessary to attract attention to this danger. It is clearly seen that they all have the conditions that are necessary for being an imam.

The existence of certain scholarly and ethical properties is necessary in an imam who will lead the prayer in congregation. For, the imam undertakes the responsibility of the congregation when he leads a prayer. Besides, he becomes the guide of the congregation during the prayer. The people who are appointed as imams need to be very careful, act as model people with their Islamic lifestyle and ethics, and should avoid unwanted acts thinking that all Muslims have their eyes on them. It is necessary to remember all the time that imamate is a duty of prophethood, and to act meticulously and cautiously. Taking these issues into consideration, Islamic scholars classify the people who can be qualified to be imams as follows:

- A person who will be an imam, first of all, has to know very well the decrees and validity of prayer, the things that invalidate prayer and that do not invalidate prayer, the sunnahs and makruhs of prayer very well. 

- Secondly, he has to read the Quran properly and without mistakes. What is meant by the Quran is to be able to read the chapters and verses that he reads in the prayer properly so that the prayer will be valid.

- In addition, he has to act in accordance with taqwa. He has to keep away from haram and doubtful things.

- Moreover, he has to be moderate in terms of ethics; he has to try to keep away from ugly deeds that are regarded as immoral.

- On the other hand, a person who will be an imam should be somebody that is loved and respected by everybody. For, the first condition that is sought in imamate is being a virtuous man and having a personality that is adopted by the congregation rather than having a big congregation.

By the way, it is makruh for some people to become an imam. The following cases are given as examples to this:

It is makruh for a slave, a blind person, fasiq people who do not avoid committing sins, people of bid’ah and an illegitimate child to become an imam. There are different reasons for and wisdoms behind them. There is no slavery today but a slave is regarded as a half person. Blind people cannot be careful about the cleanliness of their body and clothes. They can perform prayers by having impurity that is enough to prevent the validity of prayer on their clothes. (Multaqal-Abhur, p. 31-32)

As for the imamate of fasiq people and people of bid’ah, a person who commits sins like drinking alcohol, gambling, telling lies and backbiting is called a fasiq. By the way, football tools and lottery are also kinds of gambling; a person who commits them knowing that they are haram becomes a fasiq. In fact, a person who will lead the congregation should avoid committing the deeds that are not liked by Muslims. Therefore, these people should be warned when possible and they should be persuaded to keep away from these bad deeds.

However, according to what is written in hadith books and included in fiqh and kalam books, it is makruh but permissible to perform prayers behind fasiq people and people of bid’ah. Such a prayer is valid. 

It is written in some resources that a person who performs prayers behind fasiq people and people of bid’ah receives the thawab of congregation but this thawab cannot be equal to prayers performed behind people of taqwa.  (al-Fatawal-Hindiyya, I/84)

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