An Imam Having Young Widows Massage His Feet

Question

An imam of a mosque had been ill for some days; he is young and also unmarried. He has taken his nephew’s (brother’s son’s) wife, who is a widow and also young, into his service, and even has her massage his feet. When the worshippers objected, he replied: “Nurses also stay in hospitals, after all.” Now the worshippers have split into two groups: one says that he has her massage his feet regarding her as a daughter; the other says that this woman is a widow and a non-mahram, so why was such service taken from her?

Answer

The respected imam should marry this widow and then take such service from her; he must not keep such familiarity with a non-mahram. If the imam does not agree, he should be removed from the imamate and someone who adheres to the Shari‘a and follows the Sunna should be appointed imam.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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