I work in a muslim company with muslim people. we have our own jamaat khanna for salaah. Is it wrong to feel uncomfortable performing salaah behind an imaan that does not have a beard. We have a huffaz who makes imaamat

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

To dislike wrong/vice is a quality of a true believer and praiseworthy/commendable in Shariah.

Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) is reported to have said; “Whoever sees a forbidden thing being done, he must change it by the use of his hand; and if he has no power to this action, then he should change it by the use of his tongue; and if he can not do this even, then he should at less consider it a ‘wrong in his heart’, and this a very low level of ones faith.” (Compared to preventing wrong/vice with the use of the hand and tongue).

Allah Ta’ala state’s in the Quran;

“Invite to the way of your lord with wisdom and fair preaching”. (16:125)

“And remind each other for reminder is beneficial to the believers”. (51:55)

The Hafiz keeping his beard in Ramadan shows that he knows the shariah ruling of the beard has some reverence for it, but he is negligent in this command.

Advise the Hafiz on the importance of the beard, for example, you should inform him, “you are our imam and we look up to you as one to be followed. All the Prophets kept a beard including Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), Sahaba and pious ulama. The beard is a ‘hallmark’ of a muslim, a sign of manhood and beautification to its holder” etc.

Salat behind such a person is disliked but valid. If there is another pious person present who knows the laws of salat, then he should perform the salat.

(Fatawa Mahmodiya, Vol.6.Pg.122.Dar-Al-Uloom Karachi)

(Fatawa Qazi Khan,Vol.1.Pg.45.Maktaba Haqqaniya)

And Allah knows best

Wassalam

Ml. Safraz Mohammed,
Student Darul Iftaa

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai