For a Fashion Conscious Haafidh to Lead the Taraaweeh Salaah

Q: Salaah-474: Here in Daman we have a young Haafidh Sahib who has a beard but who wears fashionable clothing such as bell-bottoms and the likes thereof. His hair is long and styled in a fashion that conflicts with the Shari'ah. He walks about with his head uncovered and does not perform salaah regularly. He is living here for the past two years but neither attends Deeni gatherings nor is ever seen present at funerals. Can such a person lead the Taraaweeh salaah. Some people argue that there need be no objection because he dresses according to the Shari'ah when he leads the salaah Please elaborate.

Answer: His fashionable dressing is that which is adopted by sinners, Allaama Jowzi RAH. writes, "Any person of understanding will realise that walking about bareheaded is an improper act that diminishes a person's respect and opposes proper etiquette. The Shari'ah has permitted bare headedness only during the Hajj to display one's humility and subservience to Allaah.

Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jaylaani RAH. writes that it is Makrooh to walk about bareheaded in public.

It is regrettable for a person, especially a Haafidh and an Imaam to forsake the ways of Rasulullaah SAW. to emulate those of the Kuffaar and sinners. This is a usually a result of an evil environment such as universities and colleges. When a morsel once fell out of the hand of the Sahabi Hadhrat Hudhayfah bin Yamaan RADI. as he was sitting in the company of some non-Arab leaders, an attendant advised Hadhrat Hudhayfah RADI. not to pick up the morsel because the non-Muslims would have regarded the act of picking up the food as uncultured. Hadhrat Hudhayfah RADI. however went ahead saying, "Should I leave out the Sunnah of Rasulullaah SAW. for the sake of these fools?

Imaam Ja'far Saadiq RAH. once commented on the verse: "Never! By the oath of your Rabb, they cannot have Imaan until they make you (O Muhammad SAW.) judge their disputes and (until) they do not find any dissatisfaction in that which you decide and (until) they accept (your decision) with complete submission. In his commentary, he noted that even if people believe in Allaah and carry out the injunctions of Deen such as salaah, fasting, zakaah, etc., they will remain in the category of the Kuffaar and Mushrikeen if they object to an act of Rasulullaah SAW. saying, "Why did he do this?" or if they are dissatisfied with any command of Rasulullaah SAW.
Hadhrat Imaam Abu Yusuf RAH. was once relating a Hadith stating that Rasulullaah SAW. liked to eat pumpkin. "But I do not like it said one of his students. Imaam Abu Yusuf RAH. immediately drew his sword and said, "lf you do not repent right now, I shall execute you."

The gist is that the Haafidh may be appointed to lead the Taraaweeh salaah if he resolves to give up his fashionable ways. If not, the Musallis have right to object to his being Imaam and in the light of a Hadith, a rightful objection of the Musallis will cause the salaah of such an Imaam to be rejected by Allaah.

A narration of Abu Dawood states that Rasulullaah SAW. was once watching a man leading others in salaah, when the man spat in the direction of the Qibla. When the salaah was over, Rasulullaah SAW. told the people not to allow him to lead them again. Consequently, when the man stepped forward to lead the next salaah, the people stopped him, saying that Rasulullaah SAW. had given them the instruction. The man approached Rasulullaah SAW. who confirmed the action, adding that he had hurt Allaah and His Rasool SAW. by what he had done.

This proves that an Imaam ought to be one who upholds the Shari'ah. The Haafidh can therefore not be appointed to the revered post of an Imaam if he is not prepared to mend his ways. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2