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AN IMAM WITHOUT BEARD
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By:
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likhon
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Mood:
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don't know
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Date:
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03/01/2008 19:43:00
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Music:
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None
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. In a discussion with friends, someone suggested that a person who does not wear a beard cannot lead a congregational prayer, because he is not observing a basic Sunnah. He was supported in this view by a couple of people but others disagreed. Please comment.
A. You can ask those friends who said that such a person cannot lead the prayer whether the prayer of a man who is clean shaven, whether alone or as a member of a congregation, is valid or not. If they say that it is valid, then why should a person with valid prayer not be chosen to lead the prayer if he is competent to do so? If they say that his prayer is invalid, they must provide evidence to support their view. They will find none.
The Prophet outlined the criterion for choosing the imam to lead the prayers. He told some of his companions that ‘the one among you who reads the Qur’an best should lead the prayer.’ This is the criterion. He did not say that the imam should be the person with the longest or shortest beard, or the one wearing fine clothes, or the eldest. He only spoke of the quality most relevant to prayers, and this is reading the Qur’an properly.
You may also ask your friends whether a group of people, all without beards, should pray in congregation, i.e. Jamaah, or individually? How about a person who comes into a mosque and finds a congregational prayer in progress, led by an imam who is clean shaven. Some of the people in the congregation wear beards. Should he join the prayer or wait until it has finished to start praying? If he does not join the prayer, he misses out on the reward for congregational prayer, which is 27 times the reward for praying individually. Not only so, but he will be the odd one out. Islam does not like people to be in such a position. It encourages Muslims to be always with the community.
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