Fatwa ID: 07227
Answered by: Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Question:
I recently found out that in order for a woman’s congregational prayer to be valid the imam must make the intention of leading her.
Does this mean women in general? As in the imam can make the intention that he will lead women for this prayer, not each individual? The former view seems to make more sense.
What if the imam did not make the intention? How would I know if my salah was valid or not?
I would also like to know which madhahib follow this view? I am a Hanafi Muslimah but if I am praying behind e.g. a Hanbali imam would he have to make the intention to lead me?
Please correct/clarify this matter for me
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
According to Hanafi jurisprudence, it is necessary for the imam to make the intention of leading the prayer. However, this intention does not need to be specific to each individual but should be general for the congregation.
1“The intention of the imam is valid if he intends to lead the congregation generally, without specifying each follower.”
If the imam did not make the intention to lead, the prayer of the followers might not be valid.2
In the Shafi’i school, the imam must have a specific intention to lead the congregation, but it does not need to specify everyone.3
Maliki scholars also require the imam to intend to lead the prayer in a general sense.
In the Hanbali madhhab, a general intention to lead the prayer is necessary.4
When praying behind an imam from any of the four Sunni madhhab, the essential requirement is that the imam has made a general intention to lead the congregation. This is typically assumed in organised congregational settings such as mosques.
Pointers to remember when praying Behind an Imam of a Different Madhhab:
Hanafi Behind Hanbali Imam: Since the Hanbali imam will generally make the intention to lead the prayer, a Hanafi follower can rest assured that her prayer is valid.5
These references clarify that the imam’s intention to lead is crucial but does not need to specify each individual follower. This common understanding ensures the validity of congregational prayers across different Sunni madhabs.
1 Al-Kasani states in “Bada’i al-Sana’i” (vol. 1, p. 144):
> “ويصح الاقتداء إذا نوى الإمام الإمامة لا بخصوص زيد أو عمرو، بل نوى إمامة المصلين.”
2 Ibn Abidin in “Radd al-Muhtar” (vol. 2, p. 311):
> “إذا لم ينوي الإمام الإمامة، لا تصح صلاة المأمومين.”
3 Imam Nawawi states in “Al-Majmu’ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab” (vol. 3, p. 375):
> “يجب على الإمام أن ينوي الإمامة للجماعة، دون الحاجة لتحديد كل مأموم.”
4 Ibn Qudamah in “Al-Mughni” (vol. 2, p. 226):
> “يجب على الإمام أن ينوي الإمامة، ويكفي أن تكون نيته عامة للجماعة.”
5
Ibn Qudamah’s “Al-Mughni” affirms the general practice across madhahib:
> “نية الإمام العامة معترف بها وصحيحة للمأمومين، بغض النظر عن الاختلافات الفقهية.”
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
