The imamate of one who does not pronounce «ق» and «ك» correctly

Question

A certain man is a hafiz, but he cannot pronounce the letters properly from their points of articulation (makharij): for example, he pronounces «ك» in place of «ق» and «ق» in place of «ك», and in some places also «ك» in place of «ق»; and he makes no effort to correct his articulation. Will the prayer behind him be valid, given that he reads «مكابر» instead of «مقابر», «يكدر الليل» instead of «يقدر الليل», «مستكيم» instead of «مستقيم», and so on — in places where there is fear of the meaning being changed?

Answer

If there is a person better than he, fit for the imamate, who recites the Noble Qur’an correctly, then it is not proper to make this incorrect reciter imam: he should be removed and someone else made imam, since, because his articulation is not correct, there is a strong fear that the meaning will be distorted and the prayer will become fasid (invalid).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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