The leadership of one who makes errors in recitation
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The second question of Fatwa No. ( 18912 )
Q2: Your Eminence: On one occasion, I was late for the 'Isha' prayer and arrived to find that the prayer had already begun. I am the imam of the mosque, and I found that the imam leading the congregation did not recite al-Fatihah well , nor the Qur'an in general. So I did not pray with them. On a second occasion, I prayed behind an imam who did not recite well, and I was on the verge of breaking off the prayer and praying alone several times during the prayer. What is the ruling in these two cases? I ask your Eminence for a ruling on these cases.
A2 : If the imam behind whom you prayed made an error in al-Fatihah that changes the meaning; such as reciting (Iyyaka) with a kasrah on the kaf, or (An'amta 'alayhim) with a dammah or kasrah on the ta, or (Ihdina al-sirat) with a fathah on the hamzah - then his leadership is not valid except for one like him, and one should not pray behind him except one like him. If his error does not change the meaning, then it is not befitting to appoint him when there is someone better than him among them, and praying behind him in this case is sufficient.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q2: Your Eminence: On one occasion, I was late for the 'Isha' prayer and arrived to find that the prayer had already begun. I am the imam of the mosque, and I found that the imam leading the congregation did not recite al-Fatihah well , nor the Qur'an in general. So I did not pray with them. On a second occasion, I prayed behind an imam who did not recite well, and I was on the verge of breaking off the prayer and praying alone several times during the prayer. What is the ruling in these two cases? I ask your Eminence for a ruling on these cases.
A2 : If the imam behind whom you prayed made an error in al-Fatihah that changes the meaning; such as reciting (Iyyaka) with a kasrah on the kaf, or (An'amta 'alayhim) with a dammah or kasrah on the ta, or (Ihdina al-sirat) with a fathah on the hamzah - then his leadership is not valid except for one like him, and one should not pray behind him except one like him. If his error does not change the meaning, then it is not befitting to appoint him when there is someone better than him among them, and praying behind him in this case is sufficient.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.