Praying behind an Imaam who is religiously unacceptable
14-3-2007 | IslamWeb
Question:
Salam Alaykum, I want to ask what should person do if someone who leads jumuah(only jumuah) and gives khutbah about doing good and also obtaining ones own income from halal ways. Whereas his sayings contradicts his actions, because of the fallowing actions: (1) stealing communities money which is meant to build masaajids and other maintainance; (2) lying to the communty and attacking the scholars with lies; (3) abusing the rights of the people; and (4) abusing the ''authority'' that they should representing. Under these circumstances what one should do if the person comes in only on fridays by force then acting as a imam, Remember these people know the quran but they acting like this and trying to spreading their corrupt message to the public. Should we leave from the place when we had tried all kinds ways to solve the situation islamically without no success including third party etc. Secondly is it still permisable for me to fallow this person behind the prayer or should we perform prayer after the seromony?
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
In principle a Muslim is innocent and it is not permissible to accuse him of something improper except with evidence. Allaah Says (what means): {O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin}[Quran 49:12]. If it is confirmed that this man is committing the sins which are mentioned in the question, then he is wrong and he should not do so, because a person who invites people to Allaah should act upon what he says.
Therefore, one should advise him in a soft and appropriate manner and remind him of Allaah and of the bad fate of his actions in this world and in the Hereafter. One should not give up trying to turn him into a righteous person, as he might repent.
As regards him leading the congregational prayer and the Friday prayer, then he should not be allowed in principle to do so. If he is imposed on people as an Imaam or has control over them, then whoever performs the prayer behind him, his prayer is acceptable because if the prayer of a person is accepted from him, the prayer of the people who perform the prayer behind him is also accepted.
However, it is not permissible to avoid performing the prayer behind him and establish another congregational prayer or Friday prayer in the mosque; for more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 91299 and 88729.
Undoubtedly the prayer behind him is accepted as long as he does not commit an act of disbelief, in such case it is not permissible to perform the prayer behind him. If it is possible to remove him and appoint a righteous man in his place, then it is an obligation to do so, otherwise, it is an obligation to look for another place where the congregational and Friday prayers could be performed.
Finally, it should be noted that the Muslims should set a good example for others in doing good, and they should be keen on being united, especially in non-Muslim countries so that they would not drive people away from Islam due to their division.