An Imam Who Had a Wet Dream Led the Prayers for Two Days: Must He Inform the Followers on Finding Out?

Question

The imam had a wet dream at night and was not aware of it, and for two days he continued leading the prayer in that state. Afterwards he found out. Should he now repeat (i‘ada) the prayers of the two days or not, and should he inform the followers (muqtadis) of the repetition or not? For in informing them there is a fear that trust in the imam will be lost — though otherwise the imam is a cautious man.

Answer

If he is certain that the wet dream occurred two days earlier (for example, in that the garment bearing its trace has not been used by him while sleeping for two days), then repeating the prayers of the two days will be necessary (lazim), and it is wajib upon him to inform all the followers of it; otherwise the burden of all their prayers will remain upon him.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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