Fatwa ID: 08119

Answered by: Alimah Maryam Badshah

Question:

Assalamualaikum Sheikh,
My father does not know how to read Arabic, so he learns and memorises surahs using transliterations. Because of that, he makes mistakes while reciting. He also has trouble pronouncing some letters. When we pray together, I sometimes notice his mistakes but correct him only after the prayer.

In that case:

Is our prayer still valid?

How can I know whether the mistake changes the meaning?

Since he doesn’t make these mistakes intentionally, are they overlooked?

Do we need to repeat our salah?

What should he do if he keeps making mistakes?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

According to the Hanafi madhhab, mistakes in recitation only invalidate the salah if they are grave errors that change the meaning of the Qur’anic text. However, if a person makes accidental pronunciation errors with letters that sound similar (like س and ص, or د and ض), this does not invalidate the prayer, nor do mistakes in tajweed or grammar. This is because the average non-Arabic speaker often cannot distinguish how these minor errors might alter the meaning.

Other mistakes — such as adding or omitting letters or words — only break the salah if they alter the meaning.

While the prayer of someone who unintentionally makes pronunciation or grammatical mistakes is valid, such a person should not lead others in salah if they cannot avoid these mistakes. It is better to be cautious, especially since salah is the first matter we will be asked about on the Day of Judgment.

If the person is able to avoid mistakes by choosing verses or surahs that don’t include difficult letters, then it is better for them to do so until they improve. A person is also required to strive to improve their recitation.¹

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The one who is most proficient in the Book of Allah should lead the people in prayer. If they are equal in recitation, then the one most knowledgeable in the Sunnah. If they are equal in the Sunnah, then the one who emigrated first. If they are equal in that, then the eldest among them…”
(Sahih Muslim)

When praying in congregation, the right to lead is given to:

The one most knowledgeable in the rulings of salah,

Then the best reciter,

Then the most devout,

Then the eldest,

Then the one with the best character.

Even though the homeowner generally has the right to lead salah in his house, if he struggles to fulfil the sunnahs of salah, it is better for someone else to lead, in order to maximise reward and ensure the correct performance of the prayer.²

If you’re praying behind an imam and they make a mistake:

You are only required to correct the imam if the minimum recitation has not been fulfilled or a grave mistake has been made.

You should wait to see if the imam corrects himself before intervening.

A person who is not part of the salah cannot correct the one leading it.³

As for transliteration: many transliterations are not accurate — especially for native English speakers. For example, the Arabic letter ذ is often written as “dh” or “z”, but is pronounced like “th” (as in the).

If your father still prefers using transliteration, consider:

Finding a better transliteration system,

Editing the transliteration together so it better matches correct pronunciation.

Listening to Qur’an recitation repeatedly, one surah at a time, may also help. Encourage him gently, offer to help him learn Arabic gradually, or recommend adult Qur’an classes — either online or in person. You can also take indirect routes, like playing recitation in the house or attending jama’ah at the masjid more often.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Maryam Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham

References:

¹
رد المحتار (1/631–634, دار الفكر):

وَالْقَاعِدَةُ عِنْدَ الْمُتَقَدِّمِينَ أَنَّ مَا غَيَّرَ الْمَعْنَى تَغْيِيرًا يَكُونُ اعْتِقَادُهُ كُفْرًا يُفْسِدُ فِي جَمِيعِ ذَلِكَ…

²
الفتاوى الهندية (1/83, دار الفكر)
Sahih Muslim 673a

وَيَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ…

³
الفتاوى الهندية (1/99, دار الفكر)

وَإِنْ فَتَحَ عَلَى إمَامِهِ لَمْ تَفْسُدْ…