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Which of the two is more deserving of leading the prayer (Imamah): the Imam who is more proficient in Tajwid (recitation with proper rules) but does not commit to praying on time, or the one who is less proficient in Tajwid but is committed to observing the prayer?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The one who recites best has priority for the imamate, based on the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "The one who recites the Book of Allah best should lead the people in prayer." As for the shaykh who sleeps through the Fajr prayer, if he takes the necessary precautions, he is excused, and his right to be prioritized is not forfeited. However, if he does not take them, then he is negligent concerning the prayer, and someone else has more right to lead than him, along with the necessity of advising him.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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