The imamate of one who solemnized the nikah of an undivorced woman

Question

An imam, in a certain man’s house, solemnized the nikah of that man’s full sister without a talaq, even though people forbade him; afterwards he admitted [his fault] and repented. Is his imamate permissible now or not?

Answer

In the case asked about, that nikah did not validly take place, because as long as the first husband is alive and has not given a talaq and so on, the nikah of his wife to anyone is not valid according to the Sacred Law. And since the imam solemnized that nikah despite knowing, he became a sinner; and because he did not heed people’s admonition, [it became] an even graver sin.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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