An Imam Calling a Follower a Dog

Question

Is it permissible for the imam to call a follower (muqtadi) a dog, and also to tell him, “Get out, go and pray somewhere else,” and to say, “If I am removed and a replacement for me is brought, I will make rivers of blood flow in the mosque and I will kill my opponent; I have many people who can do this”?

Answer

It is by no means to be expected of the imam that he would call his follower a dog without reason and drive him out of the mosque. Rather, the imam is required to pray for the good of the followers as well, and to strive to make the mosque still more thronged with worshippers. If the follower behaved improperly in some way and the imam scolded him for it, that is possible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.