Question
Assalamu
Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Sheikh, what is the Islamic ruling on a mute person, that is, someone who cannot speak—and a deaf person—that is, someone who cannot hear but can speak? Are they permitted to lead congregational prayers as imams? May Allah reward you with goodness.
Answer
Wa Alaikumus Salam
wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
May Allah reward
you with goodness and increase us all in beneficial knowledge.
To answer this
question properly, we must distinguish between a person who cannot speak at
all, a person with a speech impairment who can nevertheless recite the Qur’an
and perform the prayer correctly, and a deaf person who cannot hear but can
speak.
1.
The Ruling on a Mute Person Leading Prayer
If a person cannot
speak at all and is unable to recite Surah Al-Fatihah or pronounce the required
verbal components of the prayer, his ability to lead people who can recite
normally must be considered in light of the applicable rules of Islamic
jurisprudence.
However, it is
important to distinguish complete inability to speak from a speech impairment.
Some people with speech impairments can recite Al-Fatihah and fulfil the
requirements of prayer adequately. Their situation is not necessarily the same
as that of someone who cannot produce any speech.
The ruling
therefore depends on the person's actual ability to perform the required acts
of prayer and the relevant conditions of leading prayer, rather than on the
mere fact that the person has a disability.
A speech
impairment is not a sin, nor does it diminish a person's worth before Allah.
2.
The Ruling on a Deaf Person Leading Prayer
A deaf person is
someone who cannot hear. Some deaf people can speak and perform the prayer
correctly.
In
principle, deafness alone does not automatically disqualify a person from
serving as an imam. If the
person fulfils the applicable conditions of leading prayer and can perform the
prayer correctly, the inability to hear is not, by itself, sufficient reason to
declare the person's leadership invalid.
Some discussions
in Islamic jurisprudence address the suitability of appointing a deaf person as
a regular imam, particularly where the imam might need to hear congregants
correcting him during prayer. However, this concern should not be turned into a
blanket prohibition against all deaf people leading prayers.
Where the imam can
perform the prayer correctly and there is a practical way for the congregation
to alert him if he makes a mistake, his deafness alone should not be treated as
an automatic barrier to his appointment.
The precise ruling
in a particular case may depend on the person's abilities and the school of
Islamic jurisprudence being followed.
3.
Who Is Most Suitable to Lead the Prayer?
When appointing an
imam, the congregation should consider the person's knowledge of the prayer,
ability to recite the Qur’an correctly, and competence in performing the duties
of an imam.
If several people
meet the relevant conditions, preference should be given according to the
established principles of Islamic jurisprudence.
It is therefore
inappropriate to exclude someone merely because of deafness or another
disability when that person is capable of leading the prayer correctly.
Conclusion
The main points
are as follows:
1.
A person who cannot speak: His eligibility to lead others depends on his ability
to fulfil the requirements of prayer and the applicable jurisprudential ruling.
A speech impairment does not automatically settle the matter.
2.
A deaf person who can speak: Deafness alone does not automatically invalidate his
leadership of congregational prayer if he fulfils the relevant conditions and
can perform the prayer correctly.
3.
Choosing an imam: Knowledge, correct recitation, and the ability to
lead the prayer should be considered rather than disability alone.
4.
Specific circumstances: Where the person's abilities or the applicable school
of jurisprudence raise a particular question, a qualified scholar should assess
the case in detail.
May Allah grant us
sound understanding of Islam, justice in our dealings with others, and the
ability to uphold the rights and dignity of every Muslim.
Wallāhu
Taʿālā Aʿlam — And Allah knows best.
Zauren
Fatawoyi Bisa Alƙur’ani da Sunnah.
ﺳُﺒﺤَﺎﻧَﻚَ ﺍﻟﻠَّﻬُﻢَّ ﻭَﺑِﺤَﻤْﺪِﻙَ ﺃﺷْﻬَﺪُ ﺃﻥ ﻟَﺎ ﺇِﻟَﻪَ ﺇِﻻَّ ﺃﻧْﺖَ ﺃﺳْﺘَﻐْﻔِﺮُﻙَ ﻭﺃَﺗُﻮﺏُ ﺇِﻟَﻴْﻚ
WALLAHU A'ALAM.
https://t.me/TambayaDaAnsa
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐀𝐏𝐏👇
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaA8YpB42DcZdoRuCj3G
𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊👇
Https://www.facebook.com/groups/336629807654177
**************************
Wannan ɗaya ne daga cikin fatahowin Musulunci da aka gina su kan Ƙur’ani da Hadisan Manzon Allah (SAW) waɗanda ake samu a shafukan Tambayoyi da Amsoshi na Sheik Malam Khamis Yusuf a Facebook, Telegram, da WhatsApp. Za ku iya bibiyar shafukansa domin karanta ƙarin fatawowi.
0 Comments