Question:
Asalaamu alaykum.  Recently in our masjid a hafiz boy was leading a fardh salaah and in the recitation of surah Hud aayat # 40, instead of “Hatta itha jaa a’amrunaa” he read “Hatta itha jaa anaa”.  I am a hafiz too and I heard that if a major mistake is made in the recitation by which the meaning of the aayat changes, then the salaah will not be valid.  I thought it changed the meaning, but I am not sure whether it is considered a major mistake or not.  I would really appreciate it if you could let me know if our salaah was valid or not.  Also I would appreciate if you could please let me know by what kind of recitation mistakes one’s salaah becomes invalid.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The error in recitation did not invalidate the prayer, the salāh was valid.  The person in reference recited:

حَتَّى إِذَا جَائنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ

Instead of:

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ التَّنُّورُ

This error was caused by omitting the word امر.  According to the rules of omitting letters and words, as long as the meaning does not change to an unbearable corrupt meaning, the salāh will remain valid.  The mistaken recitation has not resulted in an unbearable corrupt meaning.[i]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best