What is the ruling on the prayer of someone who pronounces the letter "Ẓāʼ" (ظ) without extending their tongue, and on following such a person in prayer?

The letters ẓāʼ (ظ), dhāl (ذ), and thāʼ (ث) share the same point of articulation. If pronouncing the ẓāʼ (ظ) without extending the tongue means pronouncing it as ṭāʼ (ط), then this is a clear error (laḥn jalī).

Our fatwa concerning the ruling on the prayer of someone who commits a clear error—and the prayer of those behind him—follows the Maliki school of thought:

1. If the error is intentional, his prayer and the prayer of those behind him are invalidated. 2. If the error is unintentional, his prayer is valid. 3. If he is naturally unable to learn and cannot be taught, his prayer is valid. 4. If he is ignorant but capable of learning, the more preponderant view is that his prayer and the prayer of those behind him are valid.

We caution against excessive scrupulosity (waswasa) in this matter.