Is a person's prayer invalid or without reward according to the Hanbalis if he prays behind an unrighteous person (fasiq) or an innovator (mubtadi') when it is possible to pray behind someone else, and what is the most preponderant opinion on this issue?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is not permissible to pray behind an unrighteous person (fasiq) or an innovator (mubtadi') whose innovation is disbelieving (mukaffirah). As for an innovator whose innovation is not disbelieving and an unrighteous person, one should not pray behind them if someone else is available. However, prayer behind them is valid, though disliked (). Whoever prays behind them when someone else is available has diminished the reward of their prayer. If refraining from praying behind them would cause one to miss the Friday prayer or the congregational prayer, then one should not refrain from praying behind them.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/116413
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 116413
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy