Imamate of one who pauses in seven places in Surat al-Fatiha

Question

A certain person, despite sitting in the first row, pays no attention to the first takbir (takbir al-ula), keeps busy with tasbihat and makes a pause (sakta) in seven places in Surat al-Fatiha. Moreover, however long the imam makes the final sitting (qa‘da), he turns his salam to the right only after the imam has turned his salam to the left. Is it permissible to appoint such a person as imam or not — is it permissible with karaha or without karaha?

Answer

When he becomes imam, will he still not pay attention to the first takbir? And what form could that take? A pause (sakta) in Surat al-Fatiha is not established; yes, there are seven verses in it (lit. “a verse in seven places”). In the salam, too, the imam should be followed. Nevertheless, these matters are not such that the imamate becomes makruh because of them.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.