What is the ruling if the imam forgets a verse, then someone reminds him of it twice but he does not comply, and he rebukes the one who reminded him after the prayer, saying that his prayer is invalid because he reminded him?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May Allah reward you. A man prayed behind an imam in a prayer where the recitation is loud. The imam forgot a verse from the Qur'an that he had recited in that prayer. This man reminded him of it twice, but the imam did not comply with this reminder. Then, after the prayer, this imam stated that the prayer of the man who reminded him was invalid because he spoke during the prayer without the imam's permission. He also stated that if one forgets a verse from the Qur'an without changing the meaning, that is permissible. We ask your eminence to clarify the rulings related to such a situation.
The Shaykh : By Allah, first: this is a serious situation regarding the imam. As for the one who reminded him, may Allah reward him with good, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forgot a verse while praying, and then he was reminded of it. So he said to the man: He, (peace and blessings be upon him), was the most knowledgeable of people regarding the Qur'an and the master of creation. He said: So he encouraged him to remind him of it. Therefore, we are grateful to this ma'mum who reminded his imam. As for the imam, his situation is very serious.
First: because he made the validity or invalidity of the prayer depend on whether he gives people permission to remind him or not. Because he said: "Your prayer is invalid because you reminded me without what? Without my permission." So it is as if he made himself a legislator.
Second: his statement that it is permissible for a person to omit a verse from the Qur'an if the meaning is not changed by it. This is serious. This contradicts the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic):[Al-Hijr 15:9] And therefore, I see that it is obligatory for you to advise this imam if you know him, and to remind him of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and to say: "Your statement is wrong." And if he persists in that, then it must be reported to the responsible authorities.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you. O Shaykh, if the imam stood up for the fifth rak'ah in the prayer, and the reason for his standing was that he left a pillar of the prayer, whether he forgot to recite al-Fatihah in one of the rak'ahs or forgot one of the prostrations.
The Shaykh : By Allah, first: this is a serious situation regarding the imam. As for the one who reminded him, may Allah reward him with good, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forgot a verse while praying, and then he was reminded of it. So he said to the man:
Would you not remind me of it?
هلا ذكرتنيهاWould you not remind me of it?
هلا ذكرتنيهاFirst: because he made the validity or invalidity of the prayer depend on whether he gives people permission to remind him or not. Because he said: "Your prayer is invalid because you reminded me without what? Without my permission." So it is as if he made himself a legislator.
Second: his statement that it is permissible for a person to omit a verse from the Qur'an if the meaning is not changed by it. This is serious. This contradicts the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic):
Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَThe questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you. O Shaykh, if the imam stood up for the fifth rak'ah in the prayer, and the reason for his standing was that he left a pillar of the prayer, whether he forgot to recite al-Fatihah in one of the rak'ahs or forgot one of the prostrations.