Salam, Sheikh I got an urgent question about interest as my local Imam had an interest based mortgage and the local people have got a fatwa from an Alim in Pakistan that he says all of the Salah read behind the Imam since he has taken interest mortgage does not count and you cannot pray behind him also the local Imam is a Mufti.
JazakAllah
Can you reply ASAP please because it is an important issue?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In order for us to consider your request, kindly inform us of the following:
- If the matter was referred to a Mufti in Pakistan and he issued a ruling, what is the point of referring the matter to us?
- When preparing the questionnaire, did the local Imam, Mufti Saheb, see and agree with the contents of the questionnaire?
- How is the relationship between the people who sent the questionnaire and Mufti Saheb?
- Did anyone witness the Mufti Saheb taking out an interest-based loan and what was the context of that? What is the Mufti Saheb`s financial condition?
- Did you, as the local public, approach Mufti Saheb and raise your concerns with him? If so, what was his response?
- Do you have local Muftis and senior Ulama to refer to? Why was the matter referred to Pakistan?
- You may forward to us a copy of the questionnaire sent to Pakistan and the Fatwa along with the answers to all our queries.
- In any event, the salah performed behind the Mufti Saheb is valid[1].
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hanif Yusuf Patel
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
References
[1] وأما بيان من يصلح للإمامة في الجملة فهو كل عاقل مسلم، حتى تجوز إمامة العبد، والأعرابي، والأعمى، وولد الزنا والفاسق، وهذا قول العامة …
، وكذا الصحابة – رضي الله عنهم – كابن عمر وغيره والتابعون اقتدوا بالحجاج في صلاة الجمعة وغيرها مع أنه كان أفسق أهل زمانه، حتى كان عمر بن عبد العزيز يقول: لو جاءت كل أمة بخبيثها وجئنا بأبي محمد لغلبناهم، وأبو محمد كنية الحجاج ….
ولأن جواز الصلاة متعلق بأداء الأركان وهؤلاء قادرون عليها، إلا أن غيرهم أولى
[Bada`I as-Sana`I fi Tartib as-Shara`I, 1: 666-7, Dar al-Kutub al-IlmiyyaH, Beirut]
[Fatawa Mahmudiyyah, 6:150, Dar al-Iftaa Jamiah Faruqiyyah, Karachi]