Is it permissible to pray behind an Imam who says that Adam was not the first person created by God?
Adam, peace be upon him, is the first human and the father of mankind, by the consensus of Muslims. This is supported by texts from the Qur'an and Sunnah, such as Allah's saying: ﴿And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."﴾ and His saying: ﴿O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul﴾, and the "one soul" is Adam. It is also mentioned in the Hadith of Intercession that people will come to Adam and say: "You are the father of mankind." The statements that suggest multiple Adams or the existence of fathers for him contradict the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, and those who believe them are considered misguided. If an Imam denies that Adam is the father of mankind or the first human, he is misguided, and it is not permissible to pray behind him. However, the more probable opinion is the validity of the prayer led by a fasiq (sinner), though it is not recommended to put him forward for imamate.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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