Aslam

Praise be to Allah.People

should not pray behind a smoker if a better person can be found to lead

the prayers. If no one better can be found, or you come and pray behind

him and he is still a smoker, the prayer is still valid, in sha Allaah.

The majority of scholars stated that prayer behind a faasiq (rebellious

evildoer) is still valid, and if a person prays behind him he should not

be told to repeat the prayer, because of the general meaning of the

hadeeth: “Pray behind the one who says Laa

ilaaha ill-Allaah.” (Narrated by Abu Na’eem, 1/320;

al-Daaraqutni, 2/56).

And

Allaah knows best.