Appointing an Imam by Force

Question

A person appoints another as imam by force. Is this correct according to the Shari‘a? And if [someone] has been made imam by force, will his imamate be valid, and will prayer behind him be valid or not?

Answer

Making [someone] imam by force is not correct; nevertheless, if the imam has no excuse recognised by the Shari‘a, then in such a situation prayer behind him will be valid.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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