Question
What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: The imam at our local masjid recites the Qur’an very fast during the Tarawih prayer, listening to which and figuring out what is being read is very difficult. In this case, is it permissible for me to avoid the masjid in my locality and go to another masjid where shorter Surahs (Quranic chapters) are read slowly and clearly at an audible pace? Questioner: Ahmad from UK
Answer
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
If the Quran is read at your local masjid with such a fast pace that some words are being left out and some are not pronounced properly, then it is permissible for you to avoid this masjid and go to another where shorter Surahs are read with tajwid (articulation).
It is mentioned in Fatawa Hindiyya,
إذَا كَانَ إمَامُهُ لَحَّانًا لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَتْرُكَ مَسْجِدَهُ
“If the imam makes lahn (mistakes in pronunciation), then there is no problem in avoiding his masjid.”
However, it is a sunnah muakkadah (emphasised sunnah) to complete the entire Qur’an in Tarawih. If it is easy to go to another masjid where the entire Qur’an is read completely, then should go there and gain the reward of sunnah muakkadah.
It is mentioned in al-Durr al-Mukhtar,
وَالْخَتْمُ مَرَّةً سُنَّةٌ وَلَا يُتْرَكُ الْخَتْمُ لِكَسَلِ الْقَوْمِ
“Complete recitation is sunnah and it should not be abandoned due to laziness of the community.”
[al-Durr al-Mukhtar, vol. 2, pg. 601]
If you are not able to go to such a masjid, or if it is not possible due to it being far away, then you may offer Tarawih in the masjid where shorter Surahs are read correctly.
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by the Akhuwat-e-Islami Team
Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0345] My local Imam recites too fast & makes mistakes, can I read shorter Tarawih elsewhere?
Also see:
[Q-ID0691] Does not praying the Tarawih prayer make you sinful?
[Q-ID0501] Does the non-Fasting person have to pray the Tarawih prayer?
[Q-ID0483] Can we pray Tarawih prayer in rak’ats of 4 instead of 2?
[Q-ID0476] What are the proofs for 20 rakaat Tarawih prayer?
[Q-ID0343] Can I pray the Tarawih prayer at home instead of the Masjid?
Published by the Dar-ul-Ifta of Akhuwat-e-Islami as Q-ID0345. Read it on Akhuwat-e-Islami