Question:
For many years I performed salaah as imaam without being in a state of wudhu
Alhamdulillah Allah(S.W.T) has given me taufeeq to realize how major my mistakes are and to rectify and correct them insha Allah. I need to correct my mistakes immediately ameen
I am a hanafi and I led jamaat for few years without being paak
What do I do now I am confused do I have to inform the congregation or not because they were not aware of my major sin and mistake
If I sincerely make up the salaah and make taubah will that be sufficient
Also I cannot remember everyone who was in the congregation
I cannot feel at ease at all now understanding my major mistake and please make special dua that Almighty Allah gives me the ability to make up for all my sin ameen
I also led taraweeh and jummuah salaah
Answer:
You are indeed very fortunate that Allah Ta’aala has guided you to the correct path. You have taken a great step in trying to rectify the matter whilst you still have the opportunity of doing so. I’m sure that you are aware that Salaah performed in a state of Hadath is invalid. The validity of the congregation’s Salaah is dependent upon the validity of the Imaam’s Salaah in the Hanafi Madhab. Since the Imaam’s Salaah was invalid and needs to be repeated, the same will be required of the Muqtadis. There is no Qadha for the Taraweeh Salaah, hence repetition of the Taraweeh Salaah will fall away.
However, there is a Mas’alah mentioned in the Kitaabs of Fiqh from which we understand that it is not necessary to announce to the congregation the invalidity of the previous Salaahs (due to being performed in a state of Hadath) and there is no need for the congregation to repeat the previous Salaahs as well. This will be the ruling in the case where the followers of the Imaam were not aware of the Imaam leading them in a state of Hadath. Your Musallis weren’t aware of the situation (when you led the Salaah) and are not aware up to this point as well, hence this ruling may be applied so that the people do not have to go through the difficulty of repeating the Salaah of so many years. However, as you were aware of the fact that you had performed the Salaah of all those years in the state of Hadath, you will have to repeat your own Salaah of those years.
You should also have sincere regret and genuine remorse for the great offence and sin that you committed and accordingly make sincere Taubah for that to Allah Ta’aala.
ولو ظهر حدث الامام اعاد الماموم لقوله صلّي الله عليه وسلّم ايّما رجل صلّي بقوم ثم تذكّر جنابة اعاد واعادوا (تحفة الملوك فصل في الجماعة 846 ج2)
هذا اذا علم الماموم حدث امامه وان لم يعلموا لا يجب عليهم الاعادة ولا علي الامام الاعلام بانه صلّي علي غير طهارة ولا ياثم بتركه الاعلام (شرح تحفة الملوك 847 ج1)
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.