I am the one who previously asked a question about the Imam pronouncing the letter "Ḍād" as "Ẓāʾ" in prayer, where one fatwa stated that the prayer is valid, and another fatwa stated that it is invalid if he is able to pronounce the "Ḍād" correctly. My question is: If the Imam is able to pronounce the "Ẓāʾ" as a "Ḍād" but does not do so, is his prayer valid?

The ruling on pronouncing the letter "Ḍād" as "Ẓāʾ" in "Al-Fatihah" when reciting "walā al-ḍāllīn" is that the prayer of one who finds it difficult to pronounce correctly is valid. However, if one is capable and intentionally makes the mistake, their prayer is invalid. The reason for the validity of the prayer of one who finds it difficult to pronounce is that the two letters are similar in their point of articulation and audibility, and the intended meaning is "misguidance" (ḍalāl) which is contrary to guidance (hudā), and this meaning is understood by the listener.