Fatwa ID: 06060
Answered by: Shaykh Shafiur Rahman
Question:
A woman accepted Islam and wants to learn how to pray. She does not know Arabic. Would she pray in the English language?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The recitation of the Quran in Arabic for the one who is capable is an obligation (fard) in Salah and one of its essential pillars.1
It is not allowed to recite in any other language in Salah even for the one who is unable to recite in Arabic according to all the scholars except Imam Abu Hanifah RA who deemed it permissible to recite in Farsi if one was incapable of reciting in Arabic.2
For the new Muslim who has just converted they have a valid excuse due to necessity until they learn at least surah al-fatihah and one short surah which they should be encouraged to do as soon as possible.
In the meantime, they can be taught one short verse such as ‘Qul huwa Allahu Ahad’ or Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen which they can repeat a few times and complete their Salahs as they have the excuse of inability.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Shaykh Shafiur Rahman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1فرائض الصلاة ستة: التحريمة ” لقوله تعالى: {وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ} [المدثر:٣] والمراد تكبيرة الافتتاح ” والقيام ” لقوله تعالى: {وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ} [البقرة: ٢٣٨] ” والقراءة ” لقوله تعالى: {فَاقْرَأُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ} [المزمل: ٢٠] والركوع والسجود لقوله تعالى: {ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا} [الحج: ٧٧] ” والقعدة في آخر الصلاة مقدار التشهد
ص47 – كتاب الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي – باب صفة الصلاة – المكتبة الشاملة
2(قَوْلُهُ كَالْقِرَاءَةِ) أَيْ فِي اشْتِرَاطِ الْعَجْزِ فِيهِ أَيْضًا وَفِي أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ رَجَعَ بِذَلِكَ إلَى قَوْلِهِمَا لِأَنَّ الْعَجْزَ عِنْدَهُمَا شَرْطٌ فِي جَمِيعِ أَذْكَارِ الصَّلَاةِ كَمَا مَرَّ (قَوْلُهُ لَا سَلَفَ لَهُ فِيهِ) أَيْ لَمْ يَقُلْ بِهِ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ، وَإِنَّمَا الْمَنْقُولُ أَنَّهُ رَجَعَ إلَى قَوْلِهِمَا فِي اشْتِرَاطِ الْقِرَاءَةِ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ إلَّا عِنْدَ الْعَجْزِ
ص484 – كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي – فروع كبر غير عالم بتكبير إمامه – المكتبة الشاملة.
