Congregational Prayer and Its Virtue
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 57
وَ رَوَى اَلْحَلَبِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَمَّ قَوْماً وَ صَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ مَاتَ قَالَ «يُقَدِّمُونَ رَجُلاً آخَرَ فَيَعْتَدُّ بِالرَّكْعَةِ وَ يَطْرَحُونَ اَلْمَيِّتَ خَلْفَهُمْ وَ يَغْتَسِلُ مَنْ مَسَّهُ وَ مَنْ صَلَّى بِقَوْمٍ وَ هُوَ جُنُبٌ أَوْ عَلَى غَيْرِ وُضُوءٍ فَعَلَيْهِ اَلْإِعَادَةُ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُعِيدُوا وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُعْلِمَهُمْ وَ لَوْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ لَهَلَكَ» قَالَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَ يَصْنَعُ بِمَنْ قَدْ خَرَجَ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ وَ كَيْفَ كَانَ يَصْنَعُ بِمَنْ لاَ يَعْرِفُ قَالَ «هَذَا عَنْهُ مَوْضُوعٌ.
Al-Halabi narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام that he was asked about a man who led a congregation, prayed one rak'ah with them, and then passed away. Imam عليه السلام said: "They should appoint another man to lead them, count the rak'ah (already prayed), and move the deceased to the back. Those who touched him must perform ghusl (ritual purification). If someone led a congregation while in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) or without wudu', they must repeat their prayer, but the congregation does not need to repeat theirs, and the Imam is not obligated to inform them. If he had to inform them, it would cause great distress." I asked: "How would this apply to someone who went to Khurasan or to those who are unknown?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "This is not applicable to him (in such a case)."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh