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Fatwa CenterPraying behind an imaam with corrupt beliefs
Question
The imam in my locality believes that Allaah is above His Throne. In addition to that, he also believes that Allaah is everywhere. Can I pray behind this imam? [Please do not refer to similar questions that have already been asked on this website.]
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
If this imaam holds the sound belief held by Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaaʻah; that Allaah, The Exalted, is above His Throne, as He stated, and that He has encompassed all things with His infinite knowledge, as He says about Himself: {...and He is with you [by His Knowledge] wherever you are...} [Quran 57:4], then his beliefs are sound and the prayer of those whom he leads in the congregational prayer is valid.
However, if he holds that Allaah is everywhere, incarnate within His creation (hulool), and that the Creator and the creation are united into one single existence (pantheism or ittihaad) or the like of corrupt beliefs, then holding such false beliefs takes the person out of the fold of Islam. Al-Buhooti 
wrote in relation to the acts that take the doer out of the fold of Islam:
"He (i.e. Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah ) said: 'If one says that the Creator is the creation and the creation is the Creator; and the servant is the Lord and the Lord is the servant, and similar meanings which are proven to be false by the consensus, then his repentance is sought, otherwise, he is to be killed. Similarly, the one who says that Allaah is everywhere in essence and claims that He dwells within His creation, his repentance is sought, otherwise, he is to be killed. These sects have now become widespread, and they have corrupted much of the beliefs of the people of tawheed (pure monotheism). We implore Allaah for His forgiveness and safety!'" [Kashshaaf Al-Qinaaʻ]
Based on that, if this imaam holds such corrupt beliefs, then it is impermissible to pray behind him.
Allaah knows best.
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