What is the ruling on praying behind an imam who has an accent—meaning a speech impediment—that alters some of the letters of the Qur'an, causing the word to come out incorrect, for example:
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The questioner : What is the ruling on praying behind an imam who has an accent—meaning a speech impediment—that alters some of the letters of the Qur'an, causing the word to come out incorrect, for example: "al-Sirat" comes out with a tha' instead of a sad, and "al-Mustaqim" comes out with a tha' instead of a sin. And so on?
The Shaykh : How does "al-Mustaqim" come out?
The questioner : With a tha', "al-Thirat," "al-Mutha'qim."
The Shaykh : All right. We see that this imam is not permitted to be an imam for people, because this alteration changes the meaning. So let him relinquish the imamate, and let it be given to another person who is sound. But if a person enters the prayer with him without knowing, and then completes the prayer, and this person who entered with him recites al-Fatihah for himself correctly, then he does not have to repeat the prayer.
Last question.
The Shaykh : How does "al-Mustaqim" come out?
The questioner : With a tha', "al-Thirat," "al-Mutha'qim."
The Shaykh : All right. We see that this imam is not permitted to be an imam for people, because this alteration changes the meaning. So let him relinquish the imamate, and let it be given to another person who is sound. But if a person enters the prayer with him without knowing, and then completes the prayer, and this person who entered with him recites al-Fatihah for himself correctly, then he does not have to repeat the prayer.
Last question.