Question

I’m looking for the Hadith something to this effect:

“The Imam’s Salah is not accepted when people are not pleased with him.”

Answer

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “There are three people whose Salah does not pass their ears [i.e., Their Salah is not completely accepted]; A runaway slave until he returns, a woman who spends the night while her husband is angry with her and a person who leads people [in Salah] whereas they dislike him.” [due to some valid Shar’i reason like him being an ignoramuses, due to some bid’ah he carries out or due to him being an open sinner]

(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 360. Declared sound –hasanun gharib– by Imam Tirmidhi)

Imam Abu Dawud (rahimahullah) has recorded a similar narration on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) and Imam Ibn Majah (rahimahullah) and others have recorded a similar Hadith on the authority of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma)

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 594, Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 971)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar