Performing Salah (prayer) behind one Who Is not Qualified to Lead Others

“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about performing Salah (prayer) behind those who oppose our belief. He (the Imam) said, ‘To me they are but walls (scarecrows).”’

I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Can I perform Salah (prayer) behind one whom I do not follow and complete recitation when he has not yet completed?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Say Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) until he completes.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you perform Salah (prayer) behind an Imam who is not qualified, read behind him the recitation, regardless, you hear him or not.’”

“I said to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘You have different friends, thus, I perform Salah (prayer) behind every one of them.’ The Imam said, ‘Do not perform Salah (prayer) behind anyone whom you cannot trust in matters of his religion.’ He then said, ‘I have many friends.’ I said, ‘You have many companions.’ He then immediately, before I could mention their names, said, ‘No, (do not mention their names). Ali ibn Hadid requires you to do this. Is this what Ali ibn Hadid commands you to do?’ I replied, ‘Yes, that is correct.’”

“I once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), ‘Certain people have narrated that ’Amir al-Mu’minin performed four Rak‘at after Friday without any interval of saying Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) in between. He (the Imam) said, ‘O Zurarah, ’Amir al-Mu’minin performed Salah (prayer) behind a sinful one. When he said Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) and moved away ’Amir al-Mu’minin stood up, performed four Rak‘at without interval in between by means of saying Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace). A man from his side then said, ‘O abu al- Hassan you performed four Rak‘at without interval in between.’ He (’Amir al-Mu’minin)) said, ‘They were four similar Rak‘at’ and remained quiet. By Allah, he did not understand what he said.’”

“I once said to Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, we perform Salah (prayer) with these people on Friday and they perform in a certain time. What must we do? He (the Imam) said, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) with them? Humran then went to Zurarah and said to him, ‘We are commanded to perform Salah (prayer) with them with their Salah (prayer)? Zurarah said, ‘This cannot be accepted without interpretation? Humran said to him, ‘Come and hear it from him (the Imam)? He (the narrator) has said that both went to him (the Imam) and Zurarah said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, Humran thinks you have commanded us to perform Salah (prayer) with them and I did not accept it? He (the Imam) said to us, ‘Ali ibn al- Husayn (a.s.), would say two Rak‘at with them and when they would complete he stand up to perform two more Rak‘at?” (Ahadith 1-7 are best explained by fatwa.)