[Q 202] Praying Behind a Shafi’i Imam with Short Beard

Question

Mufti Sahib, are we allowed to pray behind an Imam who is Shafi’ but he has a short beard or he is clean shaven? Because you see this a lot in Egypt.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

If someone truly follows the Shafi’i school of thought and shortens his beard due to following Shafi’i Imam, he is not a sinner. And therefore, if the other conditions of leading the prayer are fulfilled, it is permissible to pray behind him, but it should be clear that if he abandons those matters which are conditions of prayer or Purity (Taharat) according to the Hanafi school, then it is not permitted for a Hanafi to pray behind him and Salah behind him will be invalid.

This ruling is regarding a Shafi’i Imam who shortens his beard, but if he shaves it completely, then (according to my knowledge) that is also impermissible in Shafi’i school and such person would be considered a sinner (فاسق). Therefore, it will not be permissible to pray behind such an Imam.

Note: If it is known that the Shafi’i Imam has a habit of not following the conditions of Prayer and Purity (Taharat) according to the Hanafi school of thought, then it will not be allowed to Pray behind him.

And If it is known that the Shafi’i Imam follows the conditions of Prayer and Purity (Taharat) according to the Hanafi school of thought, then it is permissible to Pray behind him without any Karaha.

However, if no habit of Shafi’i Imam is known then praying behind such imam is valid but makrooh (disliked)

It is stated in Fatawa Razawiyyah:

If an Imam belonging to the Shafi’i school of thought does not allow any doubt or hesitation in the intention of Jumu’ah and performs the obligatory Jumu’ah prayer with pure and correct intention, then it is permissible to pray behind him provided that he adheres to the obligations of the Hanafi school. For example, i) after performing cupping or if pus or water flows from a wound then he makes ablution after that, and ii) he does not purify himself from water in which impurity fell and that water is less than 10 by 10 pond, and iii) he does not suffice with masah(wiping) of less than a quarter of the head in ablution, and iv) he does not perform ablution again with the water used for a previous ablution, and likewise in similar cases.

So if he takes care of these matters, then it is permissible to follow his prayer, although it is preferable to follow a Hanafi. However, if he does not take care of these matters, then the Hanafi’s prayer behind him is invalid, and if it is unknown, then it is disliked.”

(Fatawa Razawiyyah, Volume 8, Page 404)

Answered By: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated By: Shaheer Attari