Affected with Whispers about Articulation of Letters Properly in Prayer
Fatwa No: 432538

Question

I'm having trouble with salah and waswasa in terms of recitation. I know we have to move our lips when reciting but I can't seem to pray silently in fear of not pronouncing correctly or altering the meaning. How can I overcome this, it's making it difficult to pray in congregation.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Scholars held different opinions regarding the minimum valid level of audibility of recitation (in the prayer). The majority of scholars are of the view that it is obligatory on a person to recite the Quran loud enough for him to hear himself, and the Maaliki scholars held that this is not a condition but that it is sufficient to move one’s tongue and lips and articulate the letters properly (from their correct points of articulation), even if he does not hear himself.

You may act upon this scholarly view to avoid inconvenience and ward off hardship. Thereafter, you should disregard satanic whisperings, whether you are praying in congregation or individually. So recite normally and pay no attention to the doubts that may occur to you. If you doubted whether or not you pronounced the letter or articulated it properly, ignore all this and carry on with the prayer until Allah blesses you with recovery from these whisperings. There is no better cure for these whisperings than to ignore and disregard them.

Allah Knows best.

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