Performing Prayers {Salah} behind the Tafziliya

Performing Prayers {‘Salah’} behind the ‘Tafzili’

By

Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Quadri Bareilvi

Question

It is the unanimous belief of Ahlu’s Sunnah wa’l Jama’ah that Sayyidina Abu Bakr al-Siddiq  is the best of men after the Prophets . Zayd and Khalid are both Sayyids. Zayd says that whoever gives precedence to Ali  over Abu Bakr Siddiq ; Salah behind such a person is Makruh (Disliked). Khalid says that I openly proclaim that Ali  has precedence over Abu Bakr Siddiq  and that every Sayyid is Tafzili and Salah behind Tafzilis is not Makruh. Moreover, whoever says that Salah behind Tafzilis is Makruh; then Salah behind such a person is itself Makruh.

Answer

There is a consensus of all Ahlu’s Sunnah that Siddiq Akbar  and Faruq A’zam  are greater in rank than Mawla Ali karramAllahu ta’ala wajhahu’l karim. It has been explained by the Imams that whoever gives precedence to Mawla Ali  upon these two is an innovator and heretic and Salah behind such a person is Makruh. Fatawa Khulasa, Fath al-Qadir, Bahr al-Ra’iq and Fatawa Alamgiri and many other books have it: ‘Inna fadla ‘Aliyyan ‘alaihima famubtadi’ (If someone gives precedence to Ali over Siddiq and Faruq, he is a Mubtadi). It is in Ghunya and Radd al-Muhtar: Salah behind a heretic is Makruh in all cases. It is in Arkan Arba’a: Salah behind Tafzili Shiya is strongly prohibited. Strongly prohibited means Makruh Tahrimi; performing it is a sin and it is Wajib to repeat. And Allah ta’ala knows best.

Translated by Abu Hanzala Muhammad Aqdas