What is the ruling on following the imam with the mushaf while he is reciting in the tarawih and night prayers?
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The questioner : Welcome, Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Welcome, and greetings to you.
The questioner : Noble Shaykh Muhammad, this message we received from the website is from Ahmad Abdullah Muhammad from Riyadh. He asks: What is the ruling on following the imam with the mushaf while he is reciting in the tarawih and night prayers?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. It is prescribed for the ma'mum to listen to the recitation of his imam, due to the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to do so. If he follows his imam by looking at the mushaf, and if it does not distract him from listening, then there is nothing wrong with it, because of the benefit in that.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Especially if the imam is prone to making many mistakes and forgetting. However, if it distracts him from listening, and he might pause when his eyes fall upon a verse to contemplate its meaning, while the imam has continued his recitation, then this is not advisable, because it distracts him from the listening and attentiveness that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : Welcome, and greetings to you.
The questioner : Noble Shaykh Muhammad, this message we received from the website is from Ahmad Abdullah Muhammad from Riyadh. He asks: What is the ruling on following the imam with the mushaf while he is reciting in the tarawih and night prayers?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. It is prescribed for the ma'mum to listen to the recitation of his imam, due to the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to do so. If he follows his imam by looking at the mushaf, and if it does not distract him from listening, then there is nothing wrong with it, because of the benefit in that.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Especially if the imam is prone to making many mistakes and forgetting. However, if it distracts him from listening, and he might pause when his eyes fall upon a verse to contemplate its meaning, while the imam has continued his recitation, then this is not advisable, because it distracts him from the listening and attentiveness that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.