Advice to an imaam who shaves his beard

If your imaam shaves his beard, then you should advise him to let it grow, in adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). If he refuses, then ask someone else who can recite Qur’aan well, even if he has not memorized as much or does not have as beautiful a voice. If you cannot find anyone but this man who can recite well, then let him lead the prayers, but keep advising him. May Allaah guide him to follow the sunnah and become a leader who sets the right example.

One of the scholars was asked the following question: We are led in prayer by a man who shaves his beard. Are we permitted to pray behind him or not?

He answered: If this man who shaves his beard is the official permanent imaam in a mosque, you should try to replace him with someone better, and look for someone who is righteous and qualified, and free of this sin, who could be appointed as the imaam. If he is an imaam who always leads the prayers in an office or school, leading zuhr prayers during work hours, then first of all you should advise him of how abhorrent his action is. If he then persists, then try to find someone else who does not have this fault, even if he is less skilled in recitation. But if this is a situation where he is leading the prayers only once, then there is nothing wrong with praying behind him if he goes forward to lead the prayer and you cannot find anyone better than him. In general, such a prayer should be good enough, in sha Allaah, but you should know that you have to advise him and every other Muslim who falls into the error of committing this sin or others.

And Allaah knows best. (Fataawa Islaamiyyah, 1/393)

A pregnant woman is excused from fasting, and all she has to do is make up the fast later on. See the book titled “70 Issues Relating to Fasting” under the topic of “Women’s fasting,” page 34 (Section 17 in English Translation), first paragraph.

And Allaah knows best.