Is the leadership in prayer (Imamate) of a person born out of wedlock (Walad al-Zina) permissible if their religious conduct is sound?

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The leadership in prayer of a person born out of wedlock is not disliked, provided their religious conduct is upright. This view is held by 'Ata', Sulayman ibn Musa, Al-Hasan, Al-Nakha'i, Al-Zuhri, 'Amr ibn Dinar, and Ishaq. The evidence for this position is the prophetic statement: "The most learned among you in the Book of Allah shall lead the people in prayer." Furthermore, 'Aisha stated that the child bears none of the sin of their parents. This is supported by the Quranic principle: "And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another" (Quran 6:164) and the verse stating, "Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you" (Quran 49:13). The validity is established because the actions of the parents do not affect the piety of the child, unlike a slave whose religious authority is sometimes curtailed.