Imamate of One Who Recites Incorrectly: Sometimes Right, Sometimes Wrong

Question

There is an imam who sometimes pronounces the letters correctly and sometimes makes mistakes. In an audible (jahri) prayer this becomes known, so when a mistake occurs the follower repeats the prayer (i‘ada); but in a silent (sirri) prayer it does not become known. Should one follow him or not?

Answer

If he has the habit of reciting incorrectly in this way, then someone else should be made imam, one who is certainly accustomed to reciting correctly. As for any prayer, silent or audible, performed behind him, it will be deemed valid as long as it is not known that it contained such a mistake as renders the prayer fasid (invalid).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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