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Fatwa CenterDoes having a quarrel with the Imaam prevent the validity of praying behind him?
Question
When I entered the mosque to perform one of the obligatory prayers, I found that the Imaam is the person with whom I had a quarrel before. Because of this quarrel, we no longer speak to one another. Should I perform the congregational prayer behind him or perform it individually? Please advise.
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, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
You have to join the prayer behind the Imaam so that you may receive the great reward that is given for performing the prayer in congregation. This is the reward that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, explained in his statement: “Praying in congregation is twenty-seven times better than praying alone.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
How can you dare be deprived of this great reward due to a quarrel which may be for a trivial reason? Actually, you have made a great mistake when you forsook your Muslim brother for more than three days for the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “It is not permissible for a man to forsake his Muslim brother for more than three days, each of them turning away from the other when they meet. The better of them is the one who gives the greeting of Salaam first.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
You have to revive kind relations with your brother and avoid forsaking him because this is the work of Satan. He always seeks to stir enmity among Muslims and anger plays a great role in this effect. Al-Bukhari 
reported in his Saheeh that a man said to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: “Advise me.” He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Do not get angry.” He repeated his question several times and he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Do not get angry.” [ Al-Bukhari]
Accordingly, quarrels and disputes that may lead to forsaking one another and fueling animosity should be avoided.
We would like to draw the attention of our dear questioner that the hatred which is valid in religion is that which is done for the Sake of Allaah The Almighty such as hating the Imaam for his Fisq (i.e. rebellion, evildoing, and so on), innovations or the like. However, hating him over worldly matters has no basis.
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