What is the ruling if a person prays behind someone whose Islam or status as an intersex person is doubtful?
Chapter on Imamate and Congregational Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
If a person prays behind someone whose Islam or intersex status is doubted, his prayer is valid unless his infidelity or status as a definitively intersex person becomes clear. This is because the assumption regarding those praying is that they are Muslims, especially if they are the Imam, and the assumption is safety from being an intersex person, especially one leading men. If it later becomes clear that the Imam was an infidel or a problematically intersex person, they must repeat the prayer as previously explained.
Supporting text
If the Imam is someone who sometimes professes Islam and sometimes apostatizes, one should not pray behind him until his current religion is known. If one prays behind him without knowing his state, we look further: if his Islam was known before the prayer and his apostasy is doubted, he is considered a Muslim. If his apostasy was known and his Islam is doubted, his prayer is invalid. If his Islam was known, and he prayed behind him, and then after the prayer stated, 'I had not embraced Islam or I had apostatized,' the prayer is not invalidated because his prayer was valid according to the ruling at that time, and this person's statement cannot be accepted to nullify it, as he is one whose testimony is rejected. If one prays behind someone whose apostasy was known, and that person states after the prayer, 'I had embraced Islam,' his statement is accepted because he is one whose testimony is accepted.