Books » Islamic Laws
Search in:
RULES OF CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS →
← CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS (ṢALĀT AL‑JAMĀʿAH)
CONDITIONS OF THE IMAM OF CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS
Ruling 1433. The imam of congregational prayers must be bāligh, sane (ʿāqil), a Twelver Shia, dutiful (ʿādil), of legitimate birth, and a person who performs prayers correctly. Furthermore, if the follower is a man, the imam must also be a man. The validity of following a ten year old child, although it has some basis, is problematic [i.e. based on obligatory precaution, one must not follow a ten year old child]. Being ‘dutiful’ means he does the things that are obligatory for him and refrains from doing the things that are unlawful for him. The sign of being dutiful is that he appears to be a good person, [and this is sufficient] as long as one does not have information that contradicts this.
Ruling 1434. With regard to an imam who was considered dutiful, if a person doubts whether he is still dutiful or not, he can follow him.
Ruling 1435. A person who performs prayers standing cannot follow someone who performs prayers sitting or lying down. And a person who performs prayers sitting cannot follow someone who performs prayers lying down.
Ruling 1436. A person who performs prayers sitting can follow someone who performs prayers sitting. However, it is problematic [i.e. based on obligatory precaution, it is not correct] for someone who performs prayers lying down to join congregational prayers, irrespective of whether the imam performs prayers standing, sitting, or lying down.
Ruling 1437. If due to some legitimate excuse an imam of a congregational prayer performs prayers with impure clothes or with tayammum or with jabīrah wuḍūʾ, it is permitted to follow him.
Ruling 1438. If an imam of a congregational prayer suffers from an illness whereby he cannot control the discharge of urine or faeces [i.e. incontinence], it is permitted to follow him. Furthermore, a woman who is not a mustaḥāḍah is permitted to follow a woman who is a mustaḥāḍah.
Ruling 1439. It is better that one who suffers from vitiligo or leprosy does not lead congregational prayers. And based on obligatory precaution, someone who has been punished by Islamic penal law and has repented must not be followed.
RULES OF CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS →
← CONGREGATIONAL PRAYERS (ṢALĀT AL‑JAMĀʿAH)
Ruling 1434. With regard to an imam who was considered dutiful, if a person doubts whether he is still dutiful or not, he can follow him.
Ruling 1435. A person who performs prayers standing cannot follow someone who performs prayers sitting or lying down. And a person who performs prayers sitting cannot follow someone who performs prayers lying down.
Ruling 1436. A person who performs prayers sitting can follow someone who performs prayers sitting. However, it is problematic [i.e. based on obligatory precaution, it is not correct] for someone who performs prayers lying down to join congregational prayers, irrespective of whether the imam performs prayers standing, sitting, or lying down.
Ruling 1437. If due to some legitimate excuse an imam of a congregational prayer performs prayers with impure clothes or with tayammum or with jabīrah wuḍūʾ, it is permitted to follow him.
Ruling 1438. If an imam of a congregational prayer suffers from an illness whereby he cannot control the discharge of urine or faeces [i.e. incontinence], it is permitted to follow him. Furthermore, a woman who is not a mustaḥāḍah is permitted to follow a woman who is a mustaḥāḍah.
Ruling 1439. It is better that one who suffers from vitiligo or leprosy does not lead congregational prayers. And based on obligatory precaution, someone who has been punished by Islamic penal law and has repented must not be followed.