Praying Behind a Person Who Shaves His Beard (FATWA)

The Question

A qārī has learned from the great city of Makkah and stayed there for a few years and taught but he cuts his beard. Are the five prayers and the Jumu’ah prayer permissible behind him?

Explain and be rewarded!

The Answer

To make someone who cuts his beard an imām is a sin and ṣalāh behind him is makrūh taḥrīmī. Hence, it is a sin to pray [behind him] and it is wājib to repeat it. Living and learning qir’ah in the great city of Makkah does not make a sinner a non-sinner.

Allāh E knows best

Answered by:

Imām Aḥmad Raḍā Khān V