Is it permissible for a mute person to lead his household in prayer, and in the event that there is a mute person who has memorized the Qur'an and another who can speak but has memorized less and is younger, which of them has more right to lead?
The four madhhabs (schools of thought) agree on the invalidity of a mute person leading others who can speak in prayer.
According to the Malikis and Hanafis, a mute person's imamate is valid for another mute person, unlike the Shafi'is and Hanbalis, who consider his imamate invalid absolutely, even for someone like himself, due to his omission of the pillars of prayer.
Based on this, the imamate of a mute person is not valid for others who can speak, nor for someone like himself according to some scholars such as the Hanbalis and Shafi'is, while it is valid for someone like himself according to the Malikis and Hanafis.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) clarified the rightful leadership by saying: "The people should be led in prayer by the one among them who is most knowledgeable of the Book of Allah. If they are equal in knowledge of the Quran, then by the one who is most knowledgeable of the ..." (the ).
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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