I am a student here in Korea, and since there is only 1 mosque in the city where I live in and it is very far therefore, we students conduct jamat on our own here in the university. The student who leads us is an Ahl-e-Hadith, and despite of all the advises that I gave him about not discussing matters where the scholars have disputed, he continues to do so. He keeps on discussing matters where Hanafis have different opinion. Now, the thing is I do not feel good praying behind him due to these issues. Most of the other students do not poses the enough knowledge about these difference of opinions therefore they have no issue in praying behind him and I think if I start raising this issue then this might create a fitnah. Therefore, I wanted to ask if my heart is not satisfied regarding praying behind this Imam due to his attitude mentioned above, what should be preferable for me, praying behind him in jamat or praying alone?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
(Fatwa: 323/258/N=3/1439)
In the above mentioned case you should offer salah alone, and should not offer behind that Ghair Muqallid (so called Ahl Hadith) imam.
ويكره…. إمامة…..مبتدع أي: صاحب بدعة ، وهي اعتقاد خلاف المعروف عن الرسول لا بمعاندة بل بنوع شبهة (الدر المختار مع رد المحتار، كتاب الصلاة، باب الإمامة 2: 298، 299، ط: مكتبة زكريا ديوبند) فهو كالمبتدع تكره إمامته بكل حال بل مشى في شرح المنية على أن رواية كراهة تقديمه كراهة تحريم لما ذكرنا (رد المحتار، 2: 299)
Allah knows Best!
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband