A certain imam led us in prayer, and during the first tashahhud he stood up for the third rak'ah and recited al-Fatihah aloud, believing it to be the second, so the congregation made tasbih for him.
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The questioner : A certain imam led us in prayer, and during the first tashahhud, when he stood up for the third rak'ah, he recited al-Fatihah aloud, believing it to be the second rak'ah, so the ma'mum made tasbih for him. He then thought he had forgotten one of the prostrations, so he prostrated, and they made tasbih. Then he stood up and recited aloud, and they made tasbih. The imam became confused, so one of the worshippers, who was a layman, said: "This prayer is invalid, let us repeat it a second time." We ask for clarification of this matter in such a case.
The Shaykh : This is a strange issue, and we say: if a person recites aloud in a place where it is prescribed to recite quietly, meaning in the rak'ah where it is recommended to be quiet, his prayer is not invalidated, even if he did it intentionally, let alone if he did it by mistake. This is because reciting aloud and quietly in their respective places is a recommended practice (sunnah), not obligatory. So in this case, we say: when the imam stood up for the third rak'ah and recited aloud, if he understood the reminder and did not remember, they should not repeat it for him, but he should continue with his loud recitation, and there is no harm in that. However, if he persists in his loud recitation, he will sit down when he prostrates the two prostrations because he thinks this is the second rak'ah. At that time, if he sits, they should remind him to stand up. If someone notices that he is reciting aloud in a place where it is prescribed to be quiet, and if someone notices and recites the words of Allah the Exalted:, the imam will be alerted. Reminding the imam with the verse is permissible, because there is benefit in it and it does not invalidate the prayer.
As for the imam's prostration after he was standing and then went down and prostrated, his prayer is not invalidated by it because he was ignorant. He performed this prostration thinking it was obligatory upon him, and his prayer is not invalidated by it.
As for the man who spoke and said: "Repeat the prayer," if he was ignorant, his prayer is not invalidated either, because speaking in prayer, if it is due to ignorance, does not harm. The evidence for this is Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam (may Allah be pleased with him), who entered with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in prayer. A man from the congregation sneezed and said: "Praise be to Allah." Mu'awiyah said to him: "May Allah have mercy on you." The people cast their eyes at him, disapproving of what he said. He said: "May my mother be bereaved of me!" They began to slap their thighs to silence him, so he was silent. When the prayer ended, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called him. Mu'awiyah said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for him, I have never seen a teacher who taught better than him. By Allah, he did not rebuke me or scold me, but he only said:Riyad as-Salihin 700 or as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
This is the ruling of this issue, and we ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to grant the imams presence of heart, and to grant the other worshippers presence of heart. When a person has presence of heart and keeps away from whispers and distractions, it is mostly the case that such a great mistake does not occur from him.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : This is a strange issue, and we say: if a person recites aloud in a place where it is prescribed to recite quietly, meaning in the rak'ah where it is recommended to be quiet, his prayer is not invalidated, even if he did it intentionally, let alone if he did it by mistake. This is because reciting aloud and quietly in their respective places is a recommended practice (sunnah), not obligatory. So in this case, we say: when the imam stood up for the third rak'ah and recited aloud, if he understood the reminder and did not remember, they should not repeat it for him, but he should continue with his loud recitation, and there is no harm in that. However, if he persists in his loud recitation, he will sit down when he prostrates the two prostrations because he thinks this is the second rak'ah. At that time, if he sits, they should remind him to stand up. If someone notices that he is reciting aloud in a place where it is prescribed to be quiet, and if someone notices and recites the words of Allah the Exalted:
And keep your speech private
وَأَسِرُّوا قَوْلَكُمْAs for the imam's prostration after he was standing and then went down and prostrated, his prayer is not invalidated by it because he was ignorant. He performed this prostration thinking it was obligatory upon him, and his prayer is not invalidated by it.
As for the man who spoke and said: "Repeat the prayer," if he was ignorant, his prayer is not invalidated either, because speaking in prayer, if it is due to ignorance, does not harm. The evidence for this is Mu'awiyah ibn al-Hakam (may Allah be pleased with him), who entered with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in prayer. A man from the congregation sneezed and said: "Praise be to Allah." Mu'awiyah said to him: "May Allah have mercy on you." The people cast their eyes at him, disapproving of what he said. He said: "May my mother be bereaved of me!" They began to slap their thighs to silence him, so he was silent. When the prayer ended, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called him. Mu'awiyah said: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for him, I have never seen a teacher who taught better than him. By Allah, he did not rebuke me or scold me, but he only said:
It is not permissible to talk during Salat because it consists of glorifying Allah, declaring His Greatness as well as recitation of the Qur'an
إن هذه الصلاة لا يصلح فيها شيء من كلام الناس، إنما هي التسبيح والتكبير وقراءة القرآنThis is the ruling of this issue, and we ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to grant the imams presence of heart, and to grant the other worshippers presence of heart. When a person has presence of heart and keeps away from whispers and distractions, it is mostly the case that such a great mistake does not occur from him.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.