Imam-e-Jamat

[SKHR]

Salam Alekum brothers,

I work for a big multinational company having five thousand people in a building. We have a separate proper prayer hall where we do salat with Jammat. Among around 100 regular brothers 6 are scheduled as a Imam -e- namaz. Sometimes when any 2 or more of those 6 present in a same jamat then they offers to each other and then finally one of them comes forward to act as a Imam.

Last week I noticed one thing that the one who came forward to become Imam was cleaned shaved whereas the later one who stood back in the jammat with us was having beard. I thought would it not be better that Jammat should be followed by the other brother who was having Beard?

Second thing that I noticed is one of our brothers, who also lead jammat but does some acts which Islam prohibits like eating non-Halal meat by just reciting Bismillah, going to pubs with office friends for fun (doesn't drink alcohol though) and above all his Arabic pronunciation is not correct. Is that character of person is allowed to lead a jamat?

If I summarize my queries then I come to following questions;

1.If there is a choice between the person with beard and without beard than both would be considered equal for a Imamat position?

2.Am I bound to offer namaz after a person who eates non-Halal meat or does other non-islamic acts?

OR if I ask a bottom line question then it would be like;

1.What are the prerequisites for a Imam –e- jamat?

Regards

Ashraf

[Colonel_Hardstone]

Salam Alekum brothers,

I work for a big multinational company having five thousand people in a building. We have a separate proper prayer hall where we do salat with Jammat. Among around 100 regular brothers 6 are scheduled as a Imam -e- namaz. Sometimes when any 2 or more of those 6 present in a same jamat then they offers to each other and then finally one of them comes forward to act as a Imam.

Last week I noticed one thing that the one who came forward to become Imam was cleaned shaved whereas the later one who stood back in the jammat with us was having beard. I thought would it not be better that Jammat should be followed by the other brother who was having Beard?

Second thing that I noticed is one of our brothers, who also lead jammat but does some acts which Islam prohibits like eating non-Halal meat by just reciting Bismillah, going to pubs with office friends for fun (doesn't drink alcohol though) and above all his Arabic pronunciation is not correct. Is that character of person is allowed to lead a jamat?

If I summarize my queries then I come to following questions;

1.If there is a choice between the person with beard and without beard than both would be considered equal for a Imamat position?

2.Am I bound to offer namaz after a person who eates non-Halal meat or does other non-islamic acts?

OR if I ask a bottom line question then it would be like;

1.What are the prerequisites for a Imam –e- jamat?

Regards

Ashraf

Welcome to the forum.

I wrote this years ago because of same problems at my work and forgot about it:

http://www.central-mosque.com/fiqh/WhoShouldBeImaam.htm

Basically we called a meeting with Brothers (at work) and openly and frankly discussed the issues and came up with the idea that it isn't appropriate for a clean-shaven person or a partially bearded person to lead Salah in the presence of a person who fulfills the Shariah criteria for Beard.

There is no Scholar in Islam which says that a clean-shaven person or a partially bearded person should lead Salah in the presence of of a person who fulfills the Shariah criteria for Beard.

The issue of Non-Halal Meat needs to be handled privately because:

a) The brother may be following many other American Scholars who permit eating Non-Zabiha meat.

b) The brother may not know

And thats a tricky subject and you need to get to the bottom of it WHY he is doing it. That WHY would dictate whether this person's Imamat is valid or not.

Its time for a discussion and don't be shy...Prepare your points and put them across intelligently and with evidence. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

I don't know who the guys at your work are and what they are upto. But it could be as simple as good brothers who just don't know to Qadiyanees or some other weird sects etc.

You only know best your own work place

[hope1]

Assalamu alaikum brothers,

I have always wondered about the effect of haraam food on salaat. One the one hand it says in the hadith a person's prayer is not accepted but on the other hand in none of the books of fiqh eating of halaal food is mentioned as a condition for the validity of imamat or validity of salaat. Obviously there is a difference between validity (fiqhi) and acceptance (tasawwuf) but should we bring in criterion of acceptance into deciding validity? If I am wrong regarding these issues someone please correct me. We know that validity of salaat of everyone is connected to the imam but is the acceptance of salaat of everyone also connected to the imaam? Can there be acceptance without validity especially if the invalidity is not one's own fault?

[The Fake Shaykh]

Question: who deserves imam place

Answer:
1) An Alim who is in accordance with the sunnah and knows the Masa'il (rules) of Salaat well, is more eligible to lead the prayers.
2) If an Alim is not available, then a person who can recite the Quran well.
3) Then a person who is Pious.
4) Then the oldest person.
5) Then the good mannered and kind.

It is Makruh (disliked) to make a Faasiq (open sinner), an Ignorant person or one who indulges in Bidat (innovation) or one who is not very careful in observing the rules of Shari'at, an Imam. (Nurul Idhah Pg. 78,79)