Question
If someone opens on the Imam outside the prayer, does the prayer of the Imam and those behind him become invalid?
Answer
I say, and with God's success: It is not permissible for the imam to take the opening (takbir) from someone outside the prayer, because he is not in his prayer. The prayer becomes invalid if the imam takes from someone who is not with him in the prayer, and the prayer of those following him also becomes invalid, because receiving from outside invalidates the prayer. And God knows best.