Praying behind someonewho writes amulets.

Is it permissible to pray behind an imam who writes amulets, which
some people believe give protection against witchcraft and the evil
eye? If it is not permissible, what shouldwe do? Please note that we
live in a village where there is only one mosque, in which the prayers
led by this imam.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is not permissible to wear amulets, even if they contain words
fromthe Holy Qur'an, because of the general meaning of the words of
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): "Whoever wears
an amulet, may Allaah never fulfil his wish and whoever wears a
seashell, may Allaah never protect him from what he fears." Narratedby
Ahmad (17440); classed as hasan by Shu'ayb al-Arna'oot in Tahqeeq
al-Musnad.
And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever wears
an amulet has committed shirk (i.e., associated something with
Allah)."
Narrated by Ahmad and al-Haakim; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Jaami', no. 6394.
If amulets contain versesfrom the Qur'an, there is a scholarly
difference of opinion concerning that,but the most correct opinion is
that they are not allowed, because of the general meaning of the
evidence, and so as to block the means that may lead to shirk, and
because that usually involves treating the verses with disrespect,
because people usually sleep wearing the amulet, or enter the washroom
with it, and so on.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (1/212): The scholars are
unanimously agreed that it is haraam to wearamulets if they contain
anything other than words from the Qur'an, but they differed if they
do contain words from the Qur'an. Some said that it is permissible to
wear them and others said that it is not permissible. The view that it
is not permitted ismore likely to be correct,because of the general
meaning of the hadeeths and so as to block the means that may lead to
shirk. End quote.
See: Question no. 10543 and 20349
Secondly:
If the amulets that are written by this imam contain any elements of
shirk, such as asking of anyone other than Allah,may He be exalted,
among the jinn or angels or righteous people, or this imam is one of
those who practice this kind of shirk, or he claims to have knowledge
of the unseen, it is not permissible to pray behind him. But if it is
free of shirk and he is one of the people of Tawheed (i.e., he
affirmsthe Oneness of Allah), then prayers offered behind him are
valid. It is essential to advise himin either case, because amulets of
all types are haraam, as stated above.
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked about praying
behind someone who writes amulets for people, and they replied:It is
permissible to pray behind one who writes amulets from the Qur'an and
du'aa's prescribed in Islam, but he should not write them because it
is not permissible to wear them. But if the amulets contain any
elements of shirk, one should not pray behind the one who writes that
and it is essential to explain to him that this is shirk. The one who
should advise him is the one who knows that he does that.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 3/65
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) was askedabout
praying behind someone who writes amulets, and he replied:
With regard to what youhave mentioned about writing amulets,
amuletsare subject to further discussion. If these amulets contain
phrases of shirk, supplication to anyone other than Allah,may He be
glorified and exalted, and unknown names, it is not permissible to
write them or use them, according to scholarly consensus, because they
are shirk. One should notpray behind this man (who writes such
amulets). But if these amulets contain words from the Holy Qur'an,
permissible du'aa's and du'aa's narrated in reports (from the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)), then this is a matter
concerning which there was a difference of opinion among the scholars.
Some of them regarded it as permissible and others said that it is not
allowed, and not allowing it is more on the safe side, because opening
the door to writing them and wearing them is a meansthat may lead to
haraam types of amulets, and because writing the HolyQur'an in the
form of amulets exposes it to disrespectful treatment and taking it
into places where it is not permissible to take it. But there is
nothing wrong with praying behind the one who writes them.
To sum up: if writing amulets involves phrasesof shirk, unknown names,
calling upon anyone other than Allah or seeking the help of the
devils, created beings or jinn, these are phrases of shirk, and theone
who writes them or uses them, knowing what they contain, is a mushrik.
But if they are from the Holy Qur'an, to be on the safe side it is
better to avoid them andnot use them.
End quote from al-Muntaqa min Fataawaal-Fawzaan
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it
permissible to pray behind an imam who is a fraud and a charlatan,
knowing that some of them can recite Qur'an very well? Please advise
us, may Allah reward youwith good.
He replied:
If the imam is a fraud and claims to have knowledge of the unseen or
he follows myths and does evil actions, it is not permissible to
appoint him as an imam or to pray behind him, because the one who
claims to have knowledge of the unseen is a kaafir – we ask Allah to
keep us safe and sound. Allah, may Hebe glorified and exalted,says
(interpretation of the meaning): "Say: None in the heavens andthe
earth knows the Ghaib (unseen) except Allah" [an-Naml 27:65]. The same
applies to one who practices witchcraft; he comes under the same
rulings as the kuffaar because Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"They followed what theShayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the
magic)in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not
disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic
and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Haroot
and Maroot, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such
things) till they had said:We are only for trial, so disbelieve not
(by learning this magic fromus)."
[al-Baqarah 2:102].
But if he commits some sins but does not do any acts of kufr such as
witchcraft or claiming tohave knowledge of the unseen, then prayers
offered behind him are valid, although it is better to look for
someone else who is of good character and righteous, in order to
protect the people's religious commitment and avoid going against
those scholars who say that it is not permissible to pray behind him.
Sinners should not be taken as imams, but if they are already imams,
it is valid to pray behind them because the people may be being tested
with them, and it may be necessary to pray behind them. But inthe case
of one who callsupon anything other than Allah, or who seeks the help
of the dead, one should not pray behind him, because by doing these
things he comes under the same heading as the kuffaar, as these are
the acts of the mushrikeen whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) fought in Makkah and elsewhere. We ask Allah to set
the affairs of the Muslims straight, to bless them with understanding
of their religion, and to appoint over them the best of them, for He
is All-Hearing, Ever Near.
End quote from Majmoo'Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 9/278
And Allah knows best.