The imamate of an imam who kisses a boy

Question

A certain man has been an imam for two years and also teaches children. He used to take one very handsome boy into a room and kiss him. Once this boy complained that the imam had kissed him. When the imam was asked, he said: “I kissed him regarding him as a son; the Egyptians also kiss. Why should I lie?” Over this there was an uproar in the mosque and two parties formed; after that he was removed from the mosque. Now he wants to come again, although many of the worshippers are not prepared to bring him back.

Answer

If another imam can be found who is better than this imam — sound in creed, knowledgeable in the rulings of prayer and purification, reciting correctly and following the sunna — then there should by no means be any insistence on bringing back the former imam and making him imam again.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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