The imamate of one who abandons prayer

Question

In our village there is a man whose occupation is slaughtering, and shrouding and burying [the dead]. He has never prayed or led the daily prayers, nor the two ‘Id prayers and the khutba, and despite this he says: “I am the one who leads the ‘Id prayer, and this is my right alone; the congregation has no right in it, it is my right alone.” He has obtained his “right” by deceiving the Collector.

Answer

One who does not perform the daily prayers regularly is a fasiq, and appointing him as imam is makruh tahrimi. [ar]وكره إمامة الفاسق العالم لعدم اهتمامه بالدين، فتجب إهانته شرعًا، فلا يعظم بتقديمه للإمامة اهـ (مراقي الفلاح). كون الكراهة في الفاسق تحريمية اهـ (الطحطاوي ص ١٦٥)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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