The imamate of one who raises a flag in the name of his spiritual guide

Question

The imam of a certain mosque raises a flag in the name of his spiritual guide, performs niyaz (a votive food offering made in the name of a saint) and the like and eats it, and worships a shrine. Will the prayer behind him be valid or not?

Answer

If he gives to the poor in the name of Allah and conveys the reward (thawab) to his spiritual guide, that is permissible. But if he performs niyaz in the name of the guide himself and eats it himself, this practice is wrong. Raising a flag in the name of the guide is also wrong, and worshipping a shrine (performing sajda) is a polytheistic practice.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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