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The question

What is the ruling on praying behind an Imam who does not recite Al-Fatihah well and pronounces the letter "Nun" as "Mim" when pausing on it, bearing in mind the difficulty of going to another mosque?

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Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

If the Imam recites "nasta'in" as "nasta'im," this is a substitution of one letter for another, which is impermissible and considered a grammatical error (laḥn) that alters the meaning. This makes the Imam unqualified to lead a skilled reciter in prayer. So, if someone substitutes one letter for another in Al-Fatiḥah, like a lisping person, or commits a grammatical error that alters the meaning, it is not permissible for him to lead a skilled reciter in prayer. If the Imam is unable to learn, his prayer for himself is valid, and some jurists hold that following him in prayer is also valid. The matter should be brought to the Ministry of Endowments to replace him with someone suitable for leading the prayer. If the questioner is female, it is preferable for her to pray at home, as her prayer at home carries a greater reward for her.

Summary from Ftawy's records · added here

Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.

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Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
133743
Added here
. This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
Text
Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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Read the full answer on Ftawy