Narrated Aisha (radiyallaahu-anhaa): Bilaal used to pronounce the Adhaan at night, so Allaah’s Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said, ‘’Carry on taking your meals (eat and drink) til Ibn Umm Maktoom pronounces the Adhaan, for he does not pronounce it till it is dawn. [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari Vol: 3 Hadeeth No: 1918, 1919; Muhsin khan]
Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) stated concerning the interval between the two Adhaans: ”(It is) a short time period.” [For further details see: Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-Taleeqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaariy: Vol:2: foot note 1]
Once we were with Shu’bah (rahimahullaah), so Sulaymaan Ibnul Mugheerah (rahimahullaah) came along whilst weeping. Shubah (rahimahullaah) said to him, ”What makes you weep O father of Saeed?” He said, ”My donkey died; I missed the Jumu’ah prayer and my needs.” He (Shubah) said: ”How much did you buy it for?” He said, ”Three Deenaars.” He (Shubah) said, ”I have three Deenaars; by Allaah I do not have other than it. O boy bring that scrap (of cloth)” and in it was three deenaars, so he gave it to him (i.e to Sulaymaan) and said, ”Buy a donkey and do not weep.” [Siyar A’laam Nubulaa: 7/211]
I saw Al-Awzaa’ee (rahimahullaah) and it was as if he was blind due to humility. [Siyar A’laam Nubulaa: 7/199]
Baqiyyah Ibnul Waleed (rahimahullaah) said:
”Al-Awzaa’ee (rahimahullaah) said to me: ”O Baqiyyah! Do not mention any of the companions of your Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) except with good. Knowledge is that which has been narrated from the companions of Muhammad (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam), and that which has not been narrated from them is not knowledge.” [Siyar A’laam Nubulaa: 7/120]
Baqiyyah Ibnul Waleed Bin Yazeed (rahimahullaah) said:
Al-Awzaa’ee (rahimahullaah) said: Love of Uthmaan and Ali (radiyallaahu-anhumaa) is not gathered except in the heart of a believer. [Siyar A’laam Nubulaa: 7/120]
Muhammad Bin Katheer Al-Maseesee (rahimahullaah) said:
I heard Al-Awzaa’ee saying: The Taa’bi’een were widespread, whilst we used to say that Allaah is above His Throne and we believe in the Attributes of (Allaah) transmitted in the Sunnah. [Siyar A’laam Nubulaa:7/121]
Al-Waleed Bin Mazeed (rahimahullaah) said:
I heard Al-Awzaa’ee (rahimahullaah) saying: If Allaah wishes evil for a people, he opens for them the door of argumentation and prevents them from action. [Siyar A’laam Nubulaa:7/121]
Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiyallaahu-anhu): The Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: ”Whoever established prayer on the night of Qadr with Eemaan and hoping for a reward from Allaah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”[Saheeh al-Bukhaari Vol 3: hadeeth Number: 1901]
Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) said: Having Eemaan that it (i.e. Ramadaan) was legislated by Allaah and seeking reward, as opposed to the one who (fasted) out of blind following. And this forgiveness is restricted with the abandonment of the major sins. (i.e. a person receives this forgiveness when he abandons the major sins). [see Al-Hulalul Ibreeziyyah Min At-taliqaat Al-Baaziyyah Alaa Saheeh Al-Bukhaari: page:120. Vol: 2 Footnote: 6]
Abee Jaabiyah Al-Firaa’ee (rahimahullaah) narrated from Ash-shabee (rahimahullaah) who said: Indeed, we are not learnt men of understanding; rather we listen to hadeeth and transmit it. But the learnt men of understanding are those who act after knowing. [Siyar A’laam Nubulaa: 4/303]
Maalik Bin Maghool (rahimahullaah) said: It was said to Shabee (rahimahullaah): ” scholar”. He said: The scholar is the one who fears Allaah. [Hilyatul awliyaa: 4/311]
Abee Ishaaq (rahimahullaah) narrated from Ash-shabee (rahimahullaah) who said: ”None abandons something of the worldly life for the sake of Allaah, except that Allaah will grant him what is better for him in the afterlife. [Hilyatul Awliyaa: 4/312]
There is a masjid whose Imaam is a Haafidh of the Qur’aan and he has good understanding in the issues of the prayer, except that there are some defects on his tongue (i.e. in his pronunciation); but he is from a non-Arab country. Is his Imaamship valid alongside the fact that there are those with a clearer tongue than him?
Answer:
I say: (If) he is not able to pronounce the (letters and sentences) of the clear Arabic language, then he may (read) some of the verses with other than its intended (meaning), such as substituting(ر) with a ( غ ) or a (ح) with a (ه )- saying: (الرهمن), which is similar to what some non-Arabs do; saying: الهمد لله and substituting the (ح) with a (ه); [(saying) الهمد لله رب العالمين instead of الحمد لله رب العالمين] or substituting (ر ) with a ( غ) and what is similar to it; then it is not permissible to pray behind such a person, rather he should learn because the meaning of (what he recites) is the opposite.
And if his defects do not change the meaning, then there is no harm in praying behind him. (If) his defects changes the meaning, it is obligated on him to rectify his tongue (i.e. his pronunciation) by learning the Arabic language. It is obligatory to get other people to be Imaam if he changes the meaning (in his recitation).
[Al-Fataawaa Wad-Duroos Fil Masjidil Haraam of Shaikh Abdullaah Bin Humaid (rahimahullaah) Muhammad page:315-316]
”It is obligated on you is to follow the narrations of those who have preceeded [i.e. the pious predecessors] even if the people reject you. And beware of the opinions of men even if they beautify it with their speech”. [Reported by Imaam Dhahabee in Al-Uluww: page:138]
