The imam’s fainting prevents continuation of the prayer (bina’)

Question

The imam fainted. The people hesitated for a few minutes over who should become the successor (khalifa), and after a pause of as long as it takes to say “subhan Allah” three times, one person became the successor. Does the delay during this period of hesitation make sajda al-sahw obligatory or not? If not, why? And when the imam came to, may he, after performing wudu’, follow the other imam, that is, the successor, or not? Likewise: how far may an imam who has incurred hadath (ritual impurity)

Answer

In this case it is not valid for the imam to perform bina’, and therefore appointing a successor (istikhlaf) is not valid either. [ar]اعلم أن لجواز البناء ثلاثة عشر شرطًا: كون الحدث سماويًّا، من بدنه، غير موجب لغسل، ولا نادر وجود[/ar] “Know that there are thirteen conditions for the permissibility of bina’: that the hadath be ‘heavenly’ (occurring without human agency)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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