Does the prayer of the imam and the congregants become invalid if the imam makes a mistake and pronounces the opening takbir "Allahu wajbur" instead of "Allahu Akbar"?
The opening takbir (Takbirat al-Ihram) is a pillar of prayer, and its formula is "Allahu Akbar" (God is the Greatest). Whoever does not perform it correctly, their prayer is invalid, and it is not permissible to follow them. The congregants must repeat the prayers in which they followed an Imam who did not perform the takbir correctly. The Imam should be chosen from among those who are most deserving of leading the prayer and most knowledgeable of the Quran and Sunnah.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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