The imamate of one who roams the bazaar with his wife without hijab

Question

The respected imam of the Jami‘ Mosque here wears clothes such as pants and shirt; secondly, inside his home too hijab is not observed at all. Husband and wife have both been seen roaming the bazaar and all [other] places. When the respected imam was told [about this], he replied that hijab is not needed for Ahmedabad and Maharashtra. Is this right? And secondly, it is also their daily habit that husband and wife both frolic while the doors, windows and so on are open. Is this right?

Answer

Appointing as imam one who roams about the bazaar taking his wife along in a state of not observing hijab, and who lives a vulgar, street-like life, is makruh tahrimi.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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