Ramad?n ; they used to ask for All?h’s ( - عز وجل -) curse to be showered on the Kuff?r [disbelievers]. The Im?ms used to recite the whole S?rah Al-Baqarah in eight Rak‘ahs. If an Im?m recite this S?rah in twelve Rak‘ahs we used to consider his Sal?t a short one’. (1)
[15/ 40] The ninth: One of the Im?m’s mistakes in their Sal?t is to recite Takb?r for Ruk?‘ immediately after their recitation. The Sunnah is to wait till one catches back his breath then recites Takb?r for Ruk?‘.
[Regarding this point,] Im?m Ahmad said: ‘The prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used to wait after the recitation till he catches his breath back. (2) Unfortunately, many Im?ms do not do the same’. (3)
[16/ 40] The tenth: Many Im?ms always recite Surah Al-Jumu‘ah in the ‘Ish?’ Sal?t on Friday night depending on an unauthentic had?th. Doing so frequently is a Bid‘ah. (4)
Some of the even recite the ?yahs in a deviated manner; mispronouncing the words. If such an act is slight, Sal?t is not void but still such an act is a detested one.
In Al-Majm?‘ (vol. 4 / p. 149) An-Nawaw? said: ‘It is detested for an Im?m who mispronounces the ?yahs to lead people in Sal?t’.
(1) Narrated by M?lik in his “Muwatta’ “(vol. 1 / p. 115/ 6). See also: the treatise “Man Amma Fal Yu Khaffif” by Muhammad Ibn At-Tarh?n?, “Iqtid?’ As-Sir?t Al-Mustaq?m” (pp. 93 - 103), “Tahth?b Sunnan Ab? D?w?d” (vol. 1 / pp. 409 - 417), “As-Sal?tu Wahukmu T?rikih?” (pp. 151 - 71), “Z?dul Ma‘?d” (vol. 1 / pp. 213 - 4) and “Sharh Thul?thiyy?t Musnad Al-Im?m Ahmad” (vol. 2 / pp. 202 - 6). See also: The commentary by Ahmad Sh?kir on “J?mi‘ At-Tirmith?” (vol. 1 / p. 463).
(2) See: “Irw?’ul Gal?l” (vol. 2 / pp. 284 - 8) and “Tam?mul Minnah” (pp. 187 - 8).
(3) “As-Sal?t” (p. 50) ascribed to Im?m Ahmad, “?d?bul Mashy Ilas Sal?t” (p. 48) by Muhammad Ibn Abdil Wahh?b and “Al-Majm?‘ “(vol. 3 / p. 395).
(4) The had?th related to this point is a very weak one, it runs as follows: ‘ He ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used to recite S?rahs Al-Jumu‘ah and Al-Mun?fiq?n in the ‘Ish?’ Sal?t on Friday night’. This had?th was narrated by Ibn Hibb?n (no. 552) and Al-Baihaq? (vol. 2 / p. 391). In this had?th’s chain of narrators there is Sa‘?d Ibn Sim?k whose narrations are rejected-as mentioned in “Al-Jarh Wat Ta‘d?l” (2/ 1 / 32). See also: “Silsilat Al-Ah?d?th Ad-Da‘?fah” (no. 559). After clarifying the had?th’s weakness, Shaikh Al-Alb?n? said: ‘Reciting S?rahs Al-Jumu‘ah and Al-Mun?fiq?n on the Friday ‘Ish?’ Sal?t always is a Bid‘ah which many Im?ms practice, they even do so to satisfy the desires of some people. They sometimes abandon the second surah and recite the last few verses of the first one in order to make Sal?t light on people-as they claim!!’.