A new controversy has risen over Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri’s leading the Eidul Azha congregation on Monday with prominent religious scholars declaring that Namaz offered behind a ‘disabled’ Imam is “invalid”.
Wafaqul Madaris Secretary General Qari Hanif Jalandhri on Wednesday said that Ba Jamaat Namaz cannot be held behind a disabled Imam therefore the prayers of all those who offered it at D-Chowk sit-in behind Qadri is invalid.
“It is vital for an Imam to perform Rukuh and Sajda therefore the symbolically performed prayer by Qadri is invalid,” said Jalandhri, calling upon all those who had offered Namaz behind Qadri “to repent”.
Raghib Naeemi of Jamia Naeemia Lahore endorsed Jalandhri’s statement and said the prayers of the sit-in congregation, which included Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and several PTI leaders, were not in accordance with Islamic injunctions.
Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi of the Pakistan Ulema Council also criticised the sit-in congregation for offering Eid prayers behind a disabled man.