The Imamate of one opposed to Ahlus-Sunnah

Question:

Is it permissible to pray behind a person whose beliefs are opposed to those of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, such as an Ash'ari, for example?

Answer:

The best answer and Allah knows best - is that it is permissible to pray behind anyone who is judged to be a Muslim and it is prohibited to pray behind anyone who is not judged to be so. This is the saying of a number of the scholars, and it is the most correct. As for those who say that prayer is not accepted behind a sinner, his saying is rejected. The evidence for this is that the Prophet allowed prayer behind rulers, and among rulers are many who are sinners. Ibn 'Umar, Anas, may Allah be pleased with them, and others prayed behind Al-Hajjaj, who was the most unjust of men. In short, prayer behind any innovator who is not outside the fold of Islam is accepted, as is prayer behind an open sinner, so long as his sins do not remove him from the fold of Islam. However, it is incumbent that a person from Ahlus-Sunnah be appointed if they are able to join together and put forward the best of them.

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