The Ruling on Praying Behind Someone Who Does Not Read the Qur'an Well
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Question:
Is the congregational prayer valid with a regular imam who does not read well, when some of the followers read better than he does?
Answer:
There is no harm in praying with him, even if he does not read with complete proficiency, provided he performs a sufficient recitation of Surat al-Fatihah. As for other than Surat al-Fatihah, there is no harm, even if others read better than he does, as long as his recitation does not contain a mispronunciation that changes the meaning. In that case, there is no harm in praying with him.
If it is easy to find someone better than him, and it is easy to appoint someone in his place, that is better, provided it does not cause disturbance. However, if it causes disturbance or fitnah, then it is not permissible.
As for the one who does not read well and mispronounces in a way that changes the meaning, it is not permissible to appoint him as imam, nor to pray behind him, except with his own kind and those like him who are illiterate and do not read well. Rather, he must be removed and someone to take his place must be sought.
For example, the one who says: (Guide us to the straight path) using "Ahdina" from the verb "to give," this is a mispronunciation that changes the meaning. Or if he says: "You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help" with the wrong pronoun, or if he says "In'amtu" or "In'amti," all of these are mispronunciations that change the meaning. We ask Allah for safety. No, such a person is not left as an imam. He must be taught until he knows how to read. Even if he is a follower, he must be taught until he knows the prescribed reading. But it is not permissible for him to be an imam in such a case. Rather, he must be dismissed and someone better than him must be sought to lead the people in prayer. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Is the congregational prayer valid with a regular imam who does not read well, when some of the followers read better than he does?
Answer:
There is no harm in praying with him, even if he does not read with complete proficiency, provided he performs a sufficient recitation of Surat al-Fatihah. As for other than Surat al-Fatihah, there is no harm, even if others read better than he does, as long as his recitation does not contain a mispronunciation that changes the meaning. In that case, there is no harm in praying with him.
If it is easy to find someone better than him, and it is easy to appoint someone in his place, that is better, provided it does not cause disturbance. However, if it causes disturbance or fitnah, then it is not permissible.
As for the one who does not read well and mispronounces in a way that changes the meaning, it is not permissible to appoint him as imam, nor to pray behind him, except with his own kind and those like him who are illiterate and do not read well. Rather, he must be removed and someone to take his place must be sought.
For example, the one who says: (Guide us to the straight path) using "Ahdina" from the verb "to give," this is a mispronunciation that changes the meaning. Or if he says: "You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help" with the wrong pronoun, or if he says "In'amtu" or "In'amti," all of these are mispronunciations that change the meaning. We ask Allah for safety. No, such a person is not left as an imam. He must be taught until he knows how to read. Even if he is a follower, he must be taught until he knows the prescribed reading. But it is not permissible for him to be an imam in such a case. Rather, he must be dismissed and someone better than him must be sought to lead the people in prayer. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.