The honorable Shaykh, an ignorant person who cannot write or read wants to pray, but he has only memorized Surat al-Fatihah from the Noble Qur'an. Is his prayer permissible without reciting the tashahhud and some verses from the Qur'an?
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The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, an ignorant person who cannot write or read wants to pray, but he has only memorized Surat al-Fatihah from the Noble Qur'an. Is his prayer permissible without reciting the tashahhud and some verses from the Qur'an, so that his prayer is acceptable to Allah, Mighty and Majestic? I ask you to please answer. Thank you?
The Shaykh : We have a fixed principle in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the consensus of the Muslims, which is that a person must fear Allah as much as he is able, and that Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.
Allah the Exalted said:[At-Taghabun 64:16] And He the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:286] And He the Exalted said: [Al-Mu'minun 23:61-62] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 7288 This questioner mentioned that he does not know of the prescribed words of prayer except Surat al-Fatihah.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So he must recite Surat al-Fatihah because it is a pillar, but I do not know how he can know Surat al-Fatihah and not know to say: Subhan Rabbi al-Azim (Glory be to my Lord, the Great) in the bowing, and Subhan Rabbi al-A'la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) in the prostration, and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) in the transitions, and Sami' Allahu li man hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him) and Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Our Lord, and to You is the praise) when rising from the bowing. How can this be! Perhaps there was some confusion in the question. Yes, perhaps he does not know the tashahhud because it is long. If he does not know it, then it is dropped from him, but he must learn it as much as possible, and it is not permissible for him to be negligent and leave it. The One who made it easy for him to recite Surat al-Fatihah will make it easy for him to recite the tashahhud. But it appears that the man has not been able to find someone to teach him the tashahhud, so let him seek someone to teach him the tashahhud. And whoever fears Allah, He will make ease for him in his affair.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah magnify.
The Shaykh : We have a fixed principle in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the consensus of the Muslims, which is that a person must fear Allah as much as he is able, and that Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.
Allah the Exalted said:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا(61) It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they outstrip [others] therein. (62) And We charge no soul except [with that within] its capacity
أُوْلَئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ * وَلا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاAnd if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can.
إذا أمرتكم بأمر فأتوا منه ما استطعتمThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So he must recite Surat al-Fatihah because it is a pillar, but I do not know how he can know Surat al-Fatihah and not know to say: Subhan Rabbi al-Azim (Glory be to my Lord, the Great) in the bowing, and Subhan Rabbi al-A'la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) in the prostration, and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) in the transitions, and Sami' Allahu li man hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him) and Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Our Lord, and to You is the praise) when rising from the bowing. How can this be! Perhaps there was some confusion in the question. Yes, perhaps he does not know the tashahhud because it is long. If he does not know it, then it is dropped from him, but he must learn it as much as possible, and it is not permissible for him to be negligent and leave it. The One who made it easy for him to recite Surat al-Fatihah will make it easy for him to recite the tashahhud. But it appears that the man has not been able to find someone to teach him the tashahhud, so let him seek someone to teach him the tashahhud. And whoever fears Allah, He will make ease for him in his affair.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah magnify.