Question:

Is it permissible to pray behind Deobandis?

Answer:

Wa Alaykum Al-Salam,

From amongst the conditions of an Imam for Salah is that he must not be an open sinner or misguided. The Salah behind such an Imam is Makrooh. This is mentioned in most if not all the books of Hanafi Fiqh. The fatwa is that it is severely Makrooh to perform Salah behind an open sinner or a misguided Imam. It is necessary (wajib) to repeat such salah.

As for the Deobandies, many of their general public are misguided due to rejecting one or more beliefs from the necessities of the Ahl Al-Sunnah. These are beliefs upon which every scholar from amongst the pious predecessors unanimously agreed upon. As for the actual Deobandies, they hold beliefs of infidelity. Such as comparing the knowledge of the Prophet (peace be upon him) with animals, children and mad men, see Hifz Al-Iman by Ashraf Ali Thanwi. Also, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the seal of the Prophets but it doesn't mean that another prophet can not come in his or after his time, see Tahzeer Al-Naas by Qasim Nanotwi. And also, that the knowledge of satan is more than the knowledge of the Prophet (peace be upon him), see Baraaheen-e-Qaati'ah by Khaleel Ahmad Ambethwi and verified by Rasheed Ahmad Gangohi.

There are many other beliefs of infidelity mentioned by the deobandi scholars such as Allah can lie in their books which are published even today by their own establishments. May Allah protect every Musslim from such beliefs and opinions. Any deobandi who knows of this and accepts it as correct is also out of the folds of Isslam. Salah behind such a deobandi is haram and the same as performing salah behind a Hindu. See Al-Ataya Al-Nabawiyyah Fi Al-Fatawa Al-Ridwiyyah, Fatawa Mustafawiyyah, Fatawa Amjadiyyah and all the Fatawa of the Scholars who lived where the deobandi sect emerged from.

And Allah knows best.

Zahid Hussain Al-Qadri

(Beggar at the doorstep of Scholars)