In his “Fathul B?r?” (vol. 2 / p. 412), Ibn Hajar said: ‘It seems to me that the Fuqah?’s view that states: ‘Greeting Al-Masjidul Har?m is by doing circumambulation round the Ka‘bah’ is addressed to those who travel to the mosque; the first thing they should do is the circumambulation. As for those residing [in Makkah], Al-Masjidul Har?m should be treated like any other mosque. Those who held the [Fuqah?’s] aforementioned view may have meant that the circumambulation will surely be followed by the two-Rak‘ah Sal?t -as is regularly done and hence the Holy Sanctuary is distinguished from any other mosque by the circumambulation. All?h ( - عز وجل -) knows best’.

51 - ‘It is unlawful for whoever believes in All?h ( - عز وجل -) and the Last Day [to lead people in Sal?t and] recite du‘?’ for his own benefit only’.

This last phrase is not affirmed to have been said by the prophet ( - ). Ibn Khuzaimah even described it to be forged and with whom Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim and many others agreed.

Besides being false, this phrase is a Munkar [denied] one since it contradicts the many du‘?’s which the prophet ( - ) used to recite in his Sal?t; in which he ( - عز وجل -) used to use the singular form.

See: “Z?dul Ma‘?d” (vol. 1 / p. 264), “S?frus Sa‘?dah” (p. 18) and “Tam?mul Minnah” (pp. 278 - 80).

52 - ‘Do your Sal?t behind the Im?m be he of the righteous or of the deviant’.

Both Al-‘Uqail? and Al-D?raqutn? affirmed that no affirmed had?th regarding this issue was reported [to have been said by the prophet ( - )]. Im?m Ahmad denied hearing such a had?th.

Accordingly; the had?th is not affirmed to be said by the prophet ( - ) and hence the prohibition of ascribing it to him ( - ). The affirmation of the falsehood of this had?th; however, does not entail the impermissibility of doing Sal?t behind deviants.