𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗮 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 (55)

If the Imam makes a mistake in Recitation, he should be corrected This benefit was written by Sheikh Nawwas Al-Hindi As-Saylani (on the 21st of Ramadan 1446 AH) to comfort Imams in Ramadan who may face criticism from some people due to occasional mistakes in recitation. Correcting the Imam (الفتح على الإمام) during prayer—meaning helping him if he makes a mistake in the Qur’an recitation—is allowed. It is considered cooperation in goodness and righteousness, and there are evidences for this from the Sunnah. Evidence from the Sunnah Imam Al-Wadi‘i rahimahullah mentioned in Al-Jami‘ As-Sahih: 1⃣. It was narrated from Abdurrahman ibn Abza that the Prophet ﷺ prayed Fajr prayer and left out an Ayah. After finishing the prayer he said: “Is Ubayy ibn Ka‘b among the people?” Ubayy said: “O Messenger of Allah, was such-and-such Ayah abrogated or did you forget it?” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “I forgot it.” [Al-Wadi‘i said: This hadith is authentic and its narrators are the same as those in the Sahih collections]. 2⃣. It was narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet ﷺ was praying and became confused about some of the Qur’an. When he finished, he said to Ubayy ibn Ka‘b: “Did you pray with us?” He replied: “Yes.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “What prevented you from correcting me?” [Narrated by Abu Dawud and authenticated by Al-Albani] 3⃣. Aisha رضي الله عنها said: The Prophet ﷺ heard a man reciting in the masjid and said: “May Allah have mercy on him. He reminded me of such-and-such Ayaat that I had forgotten from such-and-such surah.” [Agreed upon – the story of ‘Abbad is mentioned in Bukhari] 4⃣. It was narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ prayed and (the narrator said he was not sure) either added or missed something in the prayer. After the prayer people said: “O Messenger of Allah, has something changed in the prayer?” He said: “What is that?” They said: “You prayed such and such.” Then the Prophet ﷺ turned toward the Qiblah, performed two prostrations, and said: “If something new had been introduced in the prayer, I would have informed you. But I am only a human like you. I forget just as you forget. So if I forget, remind me.” [Agreed upon] Statements of Scholars Imam An-Nawawi said in Al-Majmu‘ (4/250): “If the Imam makes a mistake in the Qur’an, those behind him should correct him. There is consensus on this. It is not disliked; rather it is recommended.” Imam Ibn Qudamah said in Al-Mughni (2/20): “There is nothing wrong with correcting the Imam if he becomes stuck or makes a mistake. The Prophet ﷺ said to Ubayy: ‘What prevented you from correcting me?’” Shaykh Ibn Baz said: “If the Imam makes a mistake in Surah Al-Fatihah, correcting him is OBLIGATORY because Al-Fatihah is a pillar of the prayer. If the mistake is in another part of the Qur’an, then correcting him is RECOMMENDED.” Lessons from these narrations 1⃣. It is permissible and legislated to correct the Imam if he makes a mistake in recitation. 2⃣. The Prophet ﷺ sometimes forgot certain Ayahs after conveying them, and he would then be reminded of them. 3⃣. No matter how skilled someone is in reciting the Qur’an, occasional mistakes or forgetfulness can still happen. 4⃣. The Imam should not be blamed or criticised for such mistakes, because he is a human being who can forget. 5⃣. These evidences are a clear response to ignorant people who criticise and belittle an Imam when he makes a mistake due to their lack of understanding of the religious proofs. How beautiful it is to understand the religion properly and follow the evidence! Source: https://t.me/NawwasalHindiArabic/2358