What is the ruling on praying behind an Imam who makes mistakes in reciting Al-Fatihah, such as saying "Al-Hamd" instead of "Al-Hamd," and makes mistakes in some verses, knowing that he is Pakistani and was appointed to deputize for the official Imam and receives a salary, and despite the presence of those who recite well but do not step forward?
If the Imam replaces a letter in Al-Fatihah or adds to it, such as reading "Al-Hamdu lil-Lah" instead of "Al-Hamdu lil-Lah," then his imamate is not valid for someone who recites Al-Fatihah correctly. He should be advised not to lead the prayer if there is someone who recites Al-Fatihah proficiently. Furthermore, if the official mosque Imam delegates someone else without permission from his employer and takes a portion of the salary, this is considered consuming money unlawfully. It involves deceit against the state and aggression against its system, and this is forbidden.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/138024