Is It Permissible For A Person Who Has Committed A Major Sin To Lead The Prayer (As Imam)?

Is it permissible for a person who has committed a major sin to lead the prayer (as imam)?

The person who is going to lead a prayer as imam should possess the qualifications of being an imam (enough religious knowledge, reciting the Qur’an beautifully, being sane and adolescent). A Muslim may lead a prayer as imam even if he committed a major sin unless he calls a haram thing as halal or a halal thing as haram, and the prayer established by following him is valid. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “Establish prayer by following every Muslim, good or bad, pious or impious, even if he has committed sins” (Abu Dawud, Salat, 64, Jihad, 35; Daraqutni, as-Sunan, II, 404; Bayhaqi, Sunan al-Kubra, IV, 29). The principle is put forward in the hadith stating that a person who is a Muslim and has minimum knowledge of imamah may lead a prayer (Sarakhsi, Sharhu siyar al-kabir, I, 110-111; Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr, I, 370). However, it is preferred for imam to be a person who avoids from committing sins, is someone whom the congregation likes, and has good morals. It is makruh in Hanafi, Shafi’i, and Maliki schools for a person who is a fasiq, that is to say, commits major sins clearly or insists on minor sins, to become the imam while there is a person with above-mentioned qualifications (Ibn al-Humam, Fath, I ,360; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, II, 298-299; Harashi, Sharhu Mukhtasar, II, 23). According to the Hanbali school, it is not permissible for fasiq people to be the imam of those who are not fasiq. However, in the event that there is no other person to be lead the prayer, it is permissible for Friday and eid prayers due to necessity (Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni, III, 17-23; Ibn Qudamah, al-Kafi, I, 293-294).

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS