What is the ruling on a congregant praying behind an imam who makes mistakes in reciting the Qur'an, and is it permissible to pray at home in congregation in this situation?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If the imam's mispronunciation (laḥn) in Al-Fatiha alters the meaning, then praying behind him is not valid. However, if it does not alter the meaning, then the prayer is valid, and the follower is not permitted to absent himself from the congregation. It is advisable to counsel imams with wisdom and teach them if their errors are tolerable. But if the errors are significant and invalidate the prayer, and there is no other recourse, then the Ministry of Endowments should be informed.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/85586
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 85586
- 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.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy