What is the ruling on praying behind an Imam who is an innovator (mubtadi') and an enemy of the Sunnah, and is it obligatory for a worshiper to travel 200 km to perform Friday prayer in another place if all the mosques in his area are like that?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is not obligatory to travel the aforementioned distance to attend Jumu'ah (Friday prayer) or congregational prayers, nor is it permissible to abandon Jumu'ah on the pretext that the Imam is an innovator (mubtadi'). Rather, one must pray behind him. If the Imam is an innovator, as mentioned, then the discussion regarding praying behind people of innovation has already been presented.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/51940
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 51940
- 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