Is it permissible for a mosque imam, who performs the five daily prayers but doubts that the Prophet (peace be upon him) grew his beard, considering it dirt, and who is not diligent in attending prayers at the mosque, to lead people in prayer? And is it a condition for someone who has committed shirk by sacrificing to other than Allah to publicly declare their repentance in order to return to Islam?

The Imam's mockery of the beard, describing it with ugly terms, is considered a mockery of one of Islam's rituals, and it may lead its perpetrator to disbelief (kufr). Furthermore, his denial of the authenticity of hadiths regarding the beard is clear ignorance. As for declaring repentance, it is not a condition for the validity of a servant's repentance between himself and Allah to declare it publicly; rather, repentance with concealment is better. Slaughtering for other than Allah out of seeking closeness and veneration is polytheism (shirk), but the perpetrator is not judged to be a disbeliever until proof is established against him, and he might be ignorant or misinterpreting.