Madd at the Beginning of the Word “Allah”

Question

An imam says “Āllahu akbar” (آللهُ أكبر) instead of “Allahu akbar”. He was told, “Say it correctly,” and he says, “As far as I am concerned I am saying exactly ‘Allahu akbar’, but to you it sounds like ‘Āllahu akbar’.” Yet sometimes he says “Allahu akbar” correctly and sometimes incorrectly. Now, is it permissible to pray behind this imam or not? I have stopped praying behind him; I will act according to the ruling.

Answer

If the said imam, in “Allahu akbar”, pronounces madd (lengthening) on the alif at the beginning of “Allah”, and he is not even aware of it, then in such a state his prayer becomes invalid. If he does this in the takbir al-tahrima, the commencement of the prayer did not take place.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.