Fatwa ID: 07556

Answered by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Question:

Salaam, so as I was reading surah al Fatiha, I realised in the last rakah that I was putting an extra letter in the first word of al Fatiha. So instead of Alhamdulillahi rabbil etc. I was reading unintentionally without realising saying alaham so I was adding an “aa”.

Because I realised in the last rakah, I corrected it immediately but does this mean all my previous salahs were invalid and did I have to repeat my fard rakah as it was done unintentionally.

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

Answer:

For one who is not well versed in tajweed, it is possible to make mistakes in reciting the Quran during Salah. The concern is when the distorted reading leads to changing the meaning of the words of Allah ﷻ. In your case, adding an ‘Aa’ did not change the meaning of the word or the verse.

By saying ‘alaham’, you are pronouncing the letter laam with the ruling of bouncing (qalqalah) when you are required to apply the ruling of moderation (tawassut/bainiyyah). The letter laam is in between the two characteristics of strength and softness so that the sound is partially imprisoned and partially running when pronouncing. Therefore, although your application is incorrect in terms of the ruling, however it has not affected the meaning of the verse. Rest assured, your salah is intact, and there is no need for you to repeat your past Salahs.

Additionally, it is worth investing in learning to read the Quran with tajweed, to enable reading with correct pronunciation and thereby reducing the risk of changing the meaning. 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham