is with the lone individual, but is farther away from two.” He also said:

“Satan is a wolf to man, just as the wolf is to sheep; the wolf takes only those sheep that stray and wander far away.”

When a Muslim finds himself in a Muslim city, he must attend Friday and congregational prayers with its people, maintain allegiance to the believers, and not treat them as enemies. If he sees any of them misguided or wayward and can guide them and set them on the right course, he should do so. Otherwise, Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. If he can appoint the best person to lead the Muslims in prayer, he should appoint him. If he can prevent someone who openly practises religious innovation and wickedness from doing so, he should prevent him.

If he cannot do that, it is preferable to pray behind the person most knowledgeable about Allah’s Book and His Prophet’s Sunnah and foremost in obedience to Allah and His Messenger. As the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in an authentic hadith:

“The people should be led in prayer by the one best versed in Allah’s Book. If they are equal in recitation, then by the one most knowledgeable about the Sunnah. If they are equal in knowledge of the Sunnah, then by the one who emigrated earliest. If they emigrated at the same time, then by the oldest.”

If shunning someone who openly practises religious innovation and wickedness brings a preponderant benefit, he should shun him, just as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, shunned the three who were left behind until Allah accepted their repentance. But if someone else is appointed without his consent, and there is no religiously legitimate benefit in refraining from praying behind him, then missing these Friday and congregational prayers is ignorance and misguidance: he has countered one religious innovation with another.

Indeed, scholars have differed over whether someone who performs the Friday prayer behind a wicked person should repeat the prayer, and most have considered repeating it reprehensible. Ahmad ibn Hanbal even said, in the narration transmitted by Abdūs: “Whoever repeats it is an innovator.” This is the better-supported of the two views, because the Companions did not repeat their prayers when they prayed behind