Assalaamualaikum I Have 2 questions 1(Behind which Imaam It Is Prohibited to Offer Prayers? 2)If An Imaam Manhaj Is Not Of Salaf Then Can We Listen To His Sermons.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

We have already issued Fatwa 90830 clarifying the conditions for being an Imaam, and it is permissible to perform the prayer behind anyone who fulfils these conditions. On the other hand, it is forbidden to perform the prayer behind one who does not fulfil those conditions. For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 82989 and 88729.

As regards whether or not it is permissible to listen to sermons by an Imaam who does not follow the methodology of the Salaf (i.e. righteous predecessors), the answer is that if it is confirmed that a person is an innovator, it is not permissible to listen to him as he might lure and deceive the person, and thereby being dragged to follow his innovation, like those who call upon graves, the extravagant Sufis and other innovators.

Finally, it should be noted that it is the scholars who may rule whether or not a person is an innovator, because many people wrongly label sincere callers to Allaah as innovators and warn people against listening to their lectures. This is wrong and one should not do so.