Is it permissible to switch to another, more lenient madhhab regarding prayer if a worshiper makes a mistake in their prayer due to ignorance of what invalidates it, while they were following the Maliki madhhab?
It is permissible for a Muslim to follow the recognized schools of thought (madhahib) in Islamic jurisprudence, such as the Maliki school. However, if evidence emerges that contradicts a particular school, then it becomes obligatory to follow that evidence. It is also permissible to switch between schools of thought, provided that one does not merely seek out concessions (rukhsas). Regarding the ruling on re-performing a prayer for someone who committed an invalidating act out of ignorance, scholars have differed on this matter. The majority of scholars hold that re-performance is obligatory, while others, such such as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, are of the view that it is not obligatory, citing the hadith of the one who prayed badly (al-Musi’ Salatahu) as their evidence. One may adopt the view that re-performance is not obligatory, especially in matters of scholarly disagreement, to alleviate hardship and difficulty, or if there is a necessity, while still allowing for re-performance as a precautionary measure.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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