Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (4/248)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

then he is not unlettered. Thus, if he says, “al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabba al-ʿālamīn,” with the bāʾ pronounced with a fatḥah, this grammatical error does not change the meaning. Accordingly, he is not considered unlettered, and he may lead in prayer one who is able to recite properly.

If he says, “ahdanā al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm,” pronouncing the hamzah with a fatḥah, this changes the meaning, because ahdanā is derived from ihdāʾ, meaning to give a gift. As for “ihdinā,” it begins with a connecting hamzah and is derived from guidance, meaning direction and divine enabling. If he says, “iyyāki naʿbudu,” using the feminine suffix, this is a grave alteration; therefore, he is unlettered. Likewise, if he says, “ṣirāṭ alladhīna anʿamtu ʿalayhim,” pronouncing the tāʾ with a ḍammah, this too changes the meaning.

However, if he says, “iyyāka naʿbada,” pronouncing the bāʾ with a fatḥah, this does not change the meaning. The same applies if he says, “iyyāka nastaʿīna,” pronouncing the second nūn with a fatḥah: this does not change the meaning. This does not mean that it is permissible to recite al-Fātiḥah with grammatical errors; it is not permissible for one to make such errors, even when they do not change the meaning. Rather, what is meant is the validity of his leading the prayer.

EXCEPT BY ONE LIKE HIM; AND IF HE IS ABLE TO CORRECT IT, HIS PRAYER IS INVALID.

His statement, “except by one like him,” means that if an unlettered person who does not know al-Fātiḥah leads another unlettered person like himself, their prayer is valid because they are equal in their deficiency. But if an unlettered person leads one who can recite properly, it is not valid. This is the position of the school of law.

The reasoning for this is that the follower is in a higher state than the imam; so how can one who is superior follow one who is inferior?

The second view, which is a narration from Ahmad, is that an unlettered person may lead one who can recite properly. However, it should be avoided, because it conflicts to some extent with the Prophet’s saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “The one most proficient in the Book of Allah should lead the people in prayer.” (1) It should also be avoided out of consideration for the scholarly disagreement.

(1) Its source reference has been given above on p. 205.

فليس بأُمِّيٍّ، فإذ قال: (الحمد لله ربَ العالمين) بفتح الباء، فاللَّحنُ هذا لا يُحيلُ المعنى، وعلى هذا؛ فليس بأُمِّيٍّ فيجوز أن يكون إماماً بمَن هو قارئٌ، وإذا قال: (أَهدنا الصراط المستقيم) بفتح الهمزة فهذا يُحيل المعنى؛ لأن «أهدنا» مِن الإِهداء، أي: إعطاء الهديَّة: ﴿اهْدِنَا﴾ [الفاتحة] بهمزة الوصل مِن الهدايةِ، وهي الدّلالة والتوفيق، ولو قال: «إياكِ نعبد» بكسر الكاف فهذه إحالةٌ شديدةٌ فهو أُمِّيٌّ، ولو قال: «صراط الذين أنعمتُ عليهم» بضم التاء فهذا يُحيلُ المعنى أيضاً. ولو قال: «إياكَ نعبَد» بفتح الباء فهذا لا يُحيلُ المعنى. وكذا: «إياك نستعينَ» بفتح النون الثانية فهذا لا يُحيلُ المعنى، وليس معنى ذلك جوازُ قِراءةِ الفاتحةِ ملحونةً؛ فإنَّه لا يجوز أنْ يَلْحَنَ ولو كان لا يُحيلُ المعنى، لكن المرادُ صِحَّةُ الإِمامةِ. إِلاَّ بِمِثْلِهِ، وَإِنْ قَدَرَ عَلَى إِصْلَاحِهِ لَمْ تَصِحَّ صَلَاتُهُ. قوله: «إلا بمثله» أي: إذا صَلَّى أُمِّيٌّ لا يَعرفُ الفاتحةَ بأُمِّيٍّ مثله فصلاتُه صحيحةٌ لمساواتِه له في النَّقْصِ، ولو صَلَّى أُمِّيٌّ بقارئ فإنَّه لا يَصحُّ، وهذا هو المذهبُ. وتعليل ذلك: أنَّ المأمومَ أعلى حالاً مِن الإِمامِ، فكيف يأتمُّ الأعلى بالأدنى. والقول الثاني: وهو رواية عن أحمد: أنه يَصحُّ أن يكون الأُمِّيُّ إماماً للقارئ، لكن ينبغي أنْ نتجنَّبَها؛ لأنَّ فيها شيئاً مِن المخالفةِ لقول الرسولِ ﷺ: «يَؤمُّ القومَ أقرؤهم لكتابِ اللهِ» (١) ومراعاةً للخِلافِ.

(١) تقدم تخريجه ص (٢٠٥).