What is the ruling on appointing an imam to lead the people in prayer when he does not know how to recite properly or the rulings of prayer?
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The questioner : This is the one who has been serving as imam since I was transferred to this mosque. He is one of our brothers, Baday, you know him, perhaps you know him.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Yes, so I do not know whether you advise continuing. Many of the brothers see that because some of the worshippers still raise problems about him, because he does not recite well, and that he does this and that. The brother is... and some of the brothers held onto the imamate because there is no alternative imam, so that someone who is not from the people of the Sunnah and the community does not come. So I do not know what your advice is: should he continue or not?
The Shaykh : No, no, no. I advise them not to lead the people in prayer when they do not recite well and do not know the rulings of prayer. They must make up for their deficiency.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And they should not remain in their ignorance.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : They must learn from a reciter, whether he is there with you or here.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : They should recite the Qur'an well, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) commanded in the Qur'an, at least the short surahs.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : As for remaining in their ignorance and leading the people in prayer with their ignorance, this is not permissible.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The end does not justify the means.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you, if Allah wills.
The questioner: May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And to you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : O Shaykh, so we are waiting, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : And we hope that at the first opportunity that arises, I will be with you.
The questioner : May Allah welcome you and keep you well.
The Shaykh : And there were two brothers who visited us and asked me to visit them as well, perhaps from Kuwait.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I think, perhaps they are.
The questioner : ... At first glance, I felt that he wanted to open... It occurred to me that this imamate is not valid, so I responded to him. It was not a stop behind me, so I responded. He thought I was stopping behind me, but I meant the response. But after that, I said, what is the harm in this within the prayer? So I think there is no harm in following me. Therefore, I corrected myself afterwards. I responded within the prayer, but the issue, Shaykh, was very simple for me, which is that we did not start the prayer and such formal things. Otherwise, the matter is known, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Yes, so I do not know whether you advise continuing. Many of the brothers see that because some of the worshippers still raise problems about him, because he does not recite well, and that he does this and that. The brother is... and some of the brothers held onto the imamate because there is no alternative imam, so that someone who is not from the people of the Sunnah and the community does not come. So I do not know what your advice is: should he continue or not?
The Shaykh : No, no, no. I advise them not to lead the people in prayer when they do not recite well and do not know the rulings of prayer. They must make up for their deficiency.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And they should not remain in their ignorance.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : They must learn from a reciter, whether he is there with you or here.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : They should recite the Qur'an well, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) commanded in the Qur'an, at least the short surahs.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : As for remaining in their ignorance and leading the people in prayer with their ignorance, this is not permissible.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The end does not justify the means.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you, if Allah wills.
The questioner: May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And to you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : O Shaykh, so we are waiting, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : And we hope that at the first opportunity that arises, I will be with you.
The questioner : May Allah welcome you and keep you well.
The Shaykh : And there were two brothers who visited us and asked me to visit them as well, perhaps from Kuwait.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I think, perhaps they are.
The questioner : ... At first glance, I felt that he wanted to open... It occurred to me that this imamate is not valid, so I responded to him. It was not a stop behind me, so I responded. He thought I was stopping behind me, but I meant the response. But after that, I said, what is the harm in this within the prayer? So I think there is no harm in following me. Therefore, I corrected myself afterwards. I responded within the prayer, but the issue, Shaykh, was very simple for me, which is that we did not start the prayer and such formal things. Otherwise, the matter is known, our Shaykh.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.