The leading of prayer by one who does not recite well
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 21367 )
Q1: What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding people who live in the desert (the open land) and gather for the tarawih prayer in the blessed month of Ramadan, where the one leading them is a person who neither reads nor writes, knowing that there is among them someone who holds a secondary school certificate? Their gathering comes about because they are neighbors, and their number ranges between five and ten. They also perform the prayer for rain with their illiterate imam in their homes in the open land. What is the ruling on this practice? May Allah reward you with good.
A1 : It is obligatory to appoint as the imam for prayer the one who is best at reciting the Book of Allah and most knowledgeable about his prayer, whether he can read and write or not. If the one who is best at reciting and most knowledgeable is not found, then the best of those present in condition should be appointed. If they are all illiterate, it is permissible for one of them to lead them; based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Taghabun 64:16] , and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih al-Bukhari 7288 . And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q1: What is your opinion, Your Eminence, regarding people who live in the desert (the open land) and gather for the tarawih prayer in the blessed month of Ramadan, where the one leading them is a person who neither reads nor writes, knowing that there is among them someone who holds a secondary school certificate? Their gathering comes about because they are neighbors, and their number ranges between five and ten. They also perform the prayer for rain with their illiterate imam in their homes in the open land. What is the ruling on this practice? May Allah reward you with good.
A1 : It is obligatory to appoint as the imam for prayer the one who is best at reciting the Book of Allah and most knowledgeable about his prayer, whether he can read and write or not. If the one who is best at reciting and most knowledgeable is not found, then the best of those present in condition should be appointed. If they are all illiterate, it is permissible for one of them to lead them; based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAnd if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can.
إذا أمرتكم بأمر فأتوا منه ما استطعتم
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.