Reading Along with a YouTube Video in Prayer Due to Difficulties Reciting

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

Since proper recitation and pronunciation are difficult, is it permissible for my sister to listen to and read along with a reciter while performing the prayer?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

In short, it is not permissible to have external aides when reciting in the prayer. This applies to listening and reciting along with a recording or reciting from the Quranic text. Other legal schools of thought are more lenient regarding the latter. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]

Minimum Recitation

The minimum recitation that is required for a valid prayer is only three consecutive verses, even though they are small, or one verse that equals them in size. [Ibid.]

If your sister is able to recite, for example, Sura al-Kawthar (Chapter 108) and Sura al-Ikhlas (Chapter 112) – she can suffice with reciting these chapters in the prayer and her prayer is completely valid without deficiency.

Allah Most High says, “…so recite (in prayer) as much of the Quran as is easy for you…” [Quran; 73:20]

Outside of prayer, she can practice reciting along with a recording, or better yet take some classes on Quranic recitation with a local teacher.

Pronunciation Mistakes

Many of the later scholars of the Hanafi school have agreed that mistakes in pronunciation of the Quranic verses do not affect the validity of the prayer. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Alternative Solution

Let your sister simplify her recitation in prayer by reciting only Sura al-Fatiha and the two shortest chapters mentioned above. At the same time, she should ignore any pronunciation mistakes that may occur.

Outside of prayer, let her practice her recitation (prioritizing Sura al-Fatiha) and her memorization such that she does not skip verses. Perhaps, you or someone else can sit with her and listen to her recitation.

With time and practice, she should be able to recite Sura al-Fatiha with relative ease. Again, the focus here is on memorization and reciting the verses in their proper order without skipping. As for mistakes in pronunciation, they do not invalidate the prayer; she can slowly work on them with a teacher, but she should not worry about them invalidating her prayer.

Note

These solutions assume that her difficulty is not caused by any learning disabilities and/or constant misgivings and doubts. In such a case, please respond back with such details as they are very relevant to the response.

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh]Yusuf Weltch

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and a number of texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.