Praise
be to Allaah.
Ibn Hazam said:
It is permissible for one who has done tayammum to lead
in prayer people who have done wudoo’, for one who has done wudoo’ to
lead people who have done tayammum, for one who has wiped over his socks
to lead those who have washed their feet and for one who has washed
his feet to lead people who have wiped over their socks, because each
of those whom we have mentioned has done what he is obliged to do. None
of them is more taahir (pure) than another, and none of them is more
complete in prayer than another. The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that when the time
for prayer comes, the one who has most knowledge of the Qur’aan should
lead them in prayer; he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not specify anything
other than that. If there had been any obligation other than that which
he mentioned, he would have explained it and would not have neglected
it – Allaah forbid. This is the view of Abu Haneefah, Abu Yoosuf, Zafar,
Sufyaan, al-Shaafa’i, Dawood, Ahmad, Ishaaq and Abu Thawr. That was
narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, ‘Ammaar ibn Yaasir and a group of the Sahaabah
(may Allaah be pleased with them). It is also the view of Sa’eed ibn
al-Musayyib, al-Hasan, ‘Ataa’, al-Zuhri and Hammaad ibn Abi Sulaymaan.
It was narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib disallowed that,
and said that one who has done tayammum should not lead in prayer people
who have done wudoo’, and one whose wudoo’ is valid for a limited period
should not lead those whose wudoo’ is valid indefinitely. Al-Rabee’ah
said: one who has done tayammum because of janaabah (impurity because
of sexual activity) should not lead anyone in prayer except others who
are in the same state. This was also the view of Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed al-Ansaari.
Muhammad ibn al-Hasan and al-Hasan ibn Hayy said: he
should not lead them in prayer.
Maalik and ‘Ubayd-Allaah ibn al-Hasan said that he should
not lead them in prayer, but if he does then the prayer is valid.
Al-Oozaa’i said: he should not lead them in prayer unless
he is an ameer (leader).
‘Ali – i.e., Ibn Hazm
– said: there is no evidence for disallowing that or regarding it as
makrooh, either from the Qur’aan or the Sunnah or from scholarly consensus
(ijmaa’) or from analogy (qiyaas); the same applies to categorizing
people in that manner. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Al-Muhallaa, 1/367, 368.