Question about imamat

[Ahqar al-Abd]

As-salamu 'alaykum

I have many heard aqwals about praying behind a shi'a imam, but I'm still confused. So I am very glad that I found this hanafi forum, as I am hanafi also. My question is whether one can pray behind a shi'a? What does hanafi fiqh say about this.

Jazak Allahu khayr

[Ali al-Hanafi]

It depends upon which type or sect of Shi'a you pray behind. Some are not considered kafir and others are not. Obviously, prayer isn't valid behind those that are considered kafir but those that are not kafir are also considered to be on the wrong path. In such a case, as far as I am aware, most if not all Ulema allow prayer behind deviant groups and have decleard the prayer as valid so long as they are still considered Muslim. However, some Ulema go further by adding that the prayer should be repeated because although the prayer is valid (i.e. considered to be performed), there will be no reward for it. Therefore, perform prayer behind a deviant but Muslim Imam to remove the obligation of congregational prayer but in order to achieve reward for it , it is better to re-perform the prayer.
Similar is the case for praying behind a fasiq (an open sinner).

[Ahqar al-Abd]

Jazak Allah, thank you very much for replying. I was told by a friend about Imam Shurunbulali, having said that prayer is not allowed behind rawafid. Do we follow Imam Shurunbulali? Is he reliable?

[Ali al-Hanafi]

The rawafid are considered kafir and the Imam is reliable. Check and follow the fatwa of the follwoing link:

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.a...=1898&CATE=164

[Ahqar al-Abd]

Hadrat Allama Mufti sahib ends up writing...

"Therefore, Salat behind a Shi’a should not be performed. If one did so, it must be repeated, as it may not be valid."

So the answer to the question is... It is not allowed to pray behind shi'a and the prayer must be repeated. Am I right now?

[Ali al-Hanafi]

Normally you should try to avoid praying behind deviant Muslims, and that is why Hazrat Mufti Saheb (DB) decleared it impermissible:

Therefore, Salat behind a Shi’a should not be performed....

But it is allowed to pray behind them in order to remove the obligation of congregational prayer if there is no other option but to fulfill this obligation by praying behind them. This is povided off course that you are 100% sure they are not the kafir type and are not practicing Taqiyyah:

It should be remarked here that some members of the Shi’a community display outwardly not to have believes that constitute Kufr, but keep these beliefs in their heart, which they call Taqiyya.

After you are sure about this, pray behind them and then repeat the prayer in order to get the reward.

.... If one did so, it must be repeated, as it may not be valid.

[Saad]

Its not allowed to pray behind Rawafid [Isna Ahsris].

Imam Bukhari mentioned:

"I don't see any difference between praying Salah behind a Jahmi or a Rafidi [Isna Ashri] and a Christian or a Jew [both sects are kafir like Jews and Christians].They are not to be greeted, nor are they to be visited, nor are they to be married, nor is their testimony to he accepted, nor are their sacrifices to be eaten."

[Khalq Afalul Ibad, p. 125]

[Ahqar al-Abd]

Masha Allah jazak Allah, thank you very much. I have got satisfying answer. I will inshaAllah stay away from the Shi'a mosques. I have been going to shi'a masajid a lot as I did not know, do I have to do shahada once again, just for safety?

[Ahqar al-Abd]

I am sorry to say this. I am very confused. I was thinking tonight, shi'a they are muslims, so we should love them right, or??? What I just can't come over is that, all muslims are brothers, please do not misunderstand me. i am man with no knowledge, i need your sincere help. I just can't on the basis of some mufti keep away from muslims. can you provide evidences from quran and sunnat can we should keep away from praying shi'as. how can we call some of them kuffar?? it is only up to ALlah to judge, we cannot judge. they call themselves muslims? why are we making takfir on them? i thought it was haram to make takfir on muslims. can you provide dalail where it says that we have to take account of other's iman and making takfir. everyone can do what he wants, he is a muslim, i think so.. i am wrong? are we obliged to refute people who say things against shari'at if they are muslims?

i visited haq4char site just before.
hasha lillah, astaghfirullah, tawba tawba thu thu.. i must admit.. i was astonished to see Mufti Ebrahim Desai calling all shi'a kafir. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. He is the most extremist man I have seen. so this is deobandi hanafism?

[Saad]

Anyone who denies anyone of the fundamentals of Islam, then he is outside the fold of Islam.

Mufti Ebrahim Desai is not the first one to declare them outside the fold of Islam. In my last post I quoted Imam Bukhari and how he declared Shias to be outside the fold of Islam. So I guess now you are also going to call him names?

Before that Imam Abu Hanifa , Imam Malik , Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmed have also declared Rawafid [Imamiyah] to be outside the fold of Islam. Now would we also refer to them as "extremist".